INJURIES: PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

           All of us at some time or another come up with those nagging little injuries that causes us to miss our run or walk. Some are very minor but some can become very serious and lead to bigger problems. Knowing the warning signs and how to treat these injuries is a big step towards prevention. Lets take a close look at some of these common ailments.

           I consider myself relatively lucky over the years. I’ve had only one major problem that required surgery back in 1986. Since then I have had some ailments that have kept me off the road for awhile but fortunately not for long period of time nor did they require any surgery. Lets start with foot injuries.

           Many foot injuries can be prevented with proper foot wear and making sure you change shoes as needed.  Let me start with a subject that I have learned plenty about this past year due to the fact that it kept me from running the Ogden Classic in 2006. The Achilles Tendon. Achilles tendonitis is nothing more than inflammation of the tendon. The symptoms are a constant pain and possible swelling and also increased pain when you flex the ankle. The cause is usually overuse, running on uneven surfaces such as steep hills or increasing your mileage too quickly. Tight calf muscles will increase your susceptibility of this ailment. What to do? Well, its back to the old acronym RICE. Rest, ice, compression, elevation. Taking anti-inflammatory medications such as Advil or Motrin will help reduce the swelling. Once you can return to running or walking again it wouldn’t hurt to heat the area with moist heat before working out on it. I would also stay away from hills until completely pain free. Shoes with good shock absorbing features could help prevent this problem along with proper stretching and possibly a small lift in the shoe.

           Ankle sprains. Another area that I am well schooled in! I remember that my ankle sprains always seem to come at the most inappropriate time in my training. One year 4 days before the Columbus Marathon and another one week before the Big Boy Classic! Ankle sprains may vary in their severity. The first thing you should do is to stop running or walking immediately. I know many of us (and yes I include myself) have tried to “run off” the sprain but this may cause further damage. Next, get ice on the ankle as soon as possible. This will help prevent any swelling that may occur. I have had the best luck with treating the sprain with ice for 72 hours and then switching to a hot-cold treatment. The I get two buckets of water. One with ice water and the other with hot water. I treat the ankle to a half hour treatment of two minutes of cold and then one minute of hot. Once you can return to running or walking you may want to tape the ankle for added support.

           Blisters. Yes, we’ve all had them at some time or another. We know how they occur but lets go over the treatment. Don’t pull off the loose skin because it will expose new, underdeveloped skin. If there is excessive fluid, sterilize a needle and the area and puncture the edge of the blister to release the fluid. I usually let the area air dry before covering it with a bandage. Prevention: make sure your socks and shoes fit properly (don’t wear thick socks). I also will put Vaseline or Bodyglide on areas that are prone to blisters. There are also socks out there that are not all cotton. These will help prevent blistering due to the fact that the sock does not absorb moisture like cotton will. We all hope to remain injury free so most of the time just use some common sense…but then again, what runner or competitive walker does that?!!