14 weeks ago, I basically stopped any structured training. Been getting in around 5 maybe 6 hours a week of swimming and cycling. Have only run 4 times in the past 14 weeks due to injury.
One would have thought that with all this time off, I would be completely healed and ready for the '05 season to begin sometime in January.
For me though, it seems as though I continue to have a hard time healing…
Some of you have read my post regarding a nueroma… I won’t get into that.
However I have other ailments which don’t seem to be getting any better.
A finger which I jammed over 3 weeks ago seems like it just happend, a knee ailment, seems like my IT band. How can that be, I haven’t been running or cycling with any sort of volumne. My right foot plantar facia is now starting to act up.
So do you think part of de-conditioning can actually cause injuries?
Do you think there could be a mental aspect to these seemingly nagging injuries. What I am saying is magnifying smaller aches and pains to be injuries, due to decreased volume of training, and therefore less activity is causing you to metally “focus” on these pains. I find that my body never feels 100% I always have some muscle soreness, or stiffness that I sometimes confuse with being injured.
I have incorporated a few days of yoga into my training. I have found that many of these aches and pains seemingly go away with the streching and lengthening of my muscle groups. I have also found the ability to quiet my mind and let go of some stress due to some of the philosophies yoga helped me introduce in my day to day life. What I’m saying is I feel it gave me a better understanding of my body, and my physical limitations.
I do not think you are a nut case, but this something I would consider based on my past experiences, sometimes pains are caused by mental burnout, not just overuse. Maybe consider some non-traditional methods of healing.
I’m in the same boat as you with an over 3 month period now where I’ve been on and off due to injury and disinterest. And just Smartasscoach’s prescribed 20 minute runs are leaving me with a little calf and quad soreness.
Probably just an adjustment period as you get back into shape. You’ve been in good shape so long that you have just forgotten how sore and tired you were the first few weeks you started doing this stuff to begin with. Rest is good for healing, but it’s not good for training. You just need to get back into the training without getting really injured (as opposed to a little sore). Just take it easy as you add the running volume back.
I have found that simply taking time off does not heal my overuse injuries. (IT Band issues several times as well as Calf / Soleus) I used to go to the physical therapist but he wasn’t doing anything special or using any equipment that I don’t have at my disposal so I perform my own rehab now.
I think for most running/cycling overuse injuries the treatment is the same:
Heat the affected Area >> Light activity to warm up muscles >> Thoroughly Stretch the affected muscle groups >> Ice for ~ 20 mins
I also take daily doses of NSAID’s if I think the injury is serious. Time permitting I will go through this routine twice a day. Good luck and I hope your injuries heal soon.