Injury Management

I mentioned that I sprained my ankle last week. It was a light sprain but even with a light sprain the standard practice is R.I.C.E. We all know this rest, ice, compression and elevation. Rest? Well how much rest should I take. Well most of the literature I have looked at suggests 4 to 6 weeks. That would be 4 to 6 weeks of no running. I don't think so. But Rob, the doctors say 4 to 6 weeks of no running, what is wrong with you. Well there is plenty wrong with me but I will refer you to the Running Bible (or Lore of Running by Tim Noakes, MD). This is the single best running book, period; everything else pales in comparison. Dr. Noakes suggests that you should not take running advice from a non-runner even if they are a doctor. He points to general lack of understanding of running injuries in the medical community to the point of recommending unneeded surgeries. Yikes, I say.

Dr. Noakes goes on to say that the last thing you should do when injured is to stop running. (There are some limits but for the most part this is the advice). If you stop running completely the same stress the caused the injury will be waiting for you when you get back to running. Id. p. 754. Run to the point of discomfort is the advice of the day. Id. p. 755. I have really always done this since I started running. Back to my situation, I sprained my ankle last Wednesday and was on an eliptical on Saturday and Sunday and was back on the streets on Monday. I have dropped 30 seconds a mile off the pace, but I am running. Thanks Dr. Noakes for telling me what I felt had to be true.

I would recommend everyone who runs to pick up a copy of this book, it is the single best running book I have ever bought and I have bought a more than a few.