FamilySherpa
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Post by FamilySherpa on Jan 22, 2018 6:42:13 GMT -8
Saturday i did an 11 mile trail run. Not overly ambitious for my fitness level, but it was the longest trail run I had done since Thanksgiving. It did include quite a bit of elevation change and some rocky sections that required additional leg work at speed.
I knew at the end of the run that i'd be sore the next day, and fully expected to feel it all day sunday. But to my surprise, not only did I feel it Sunday, but I woke up this morning, Monday, and the muscles themselves weren't sore, but my knee was quite sore down where my Tibia comes in. My wife suggested it was just fatigue, and to take some ibuprofen today.
My question is about pain medications. Is it ok, in your opinion, to take pain meds for muscle & joint soreness? I'm concerned that I could be masking an issue that needs to be looked at by a specialist. Also, if my knee is in pain, I should probably go easy on it. Relief from the pain could make me overwork it when it needs time to recover from the workout.
Thoughts?
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walkswithblackflies
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Jan 22, 2018 7:38:01 GMT -8
You're approaching it the right way.
I rarely take pain/inflammation meds, but when I do it's to address a specific problem (like your knee). However, I'll also make the conscious decision to rest the affected area. So just because it feels better (after the pain meds) doesn't mean I'll work it out. If I decide to rest it for 3 days, I'll stop taking the meds the last day of rest, and see how it feels without the meds on the day I'm going to exercise it again.
FWIW, I've found Alleve (naxopren) works best for joint pain.
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JiminMD
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Post by JiminMD on Jan 22, 2018 7:58:34 GMT -8
Rest and elevation are your friend right now and a few days of OTC pain killers are fine. If that doesn't improve the condition, then I'd be worried about a more serious injury.
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whistlepunk
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Post by whistlepunk on Jan 22, 2018 12:05:59 GMT -8
Pain or soreness?
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FamilySherpa
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Post by FamilySherpa on Jan 22, 2018 12:29:17 GMT -8
I would say its more of a soreness.
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whistlepunk
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Post by whistlepunk on Jan 22, 2018 12:45:21 GMT -8
If just soreness I would not worry too much. Most likely just DOMS after a lengthy layoff. A few days of rest and NSAIDS should clear it up. A lot of downhill during the trail run? If so, then more likely just DOMS.
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FamilySherpa
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Post by FamilySherpa on Jan 24, 2018 6:49:47 GMT -8
Thanks for the advice everyone. Decided to skip even the lightest pain meds so I could monitor the recovery. As of this morning, no more soreness, aches, or pains.
Much relief, as i am downhill skiing all of next week.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2018 12:41:21 GMT -8
What I have learned from practicing Chi Running for a number of years is that if I feel pain, I am doing something wrong. Sunday, I was on the treadmill going for 800 calorie burn whiles walking. At 33 minutes into the walk my right knee stung me with a sharp pain that I, initially, took as a I am not going to make it to 800 calories. I took a few more steps and felt how I was placing my right foot down onto the belt wrong. I made a slight adjustment and the sharp pain went away not to return again. I got to 802.1 calories in 60 minutes of walking. Afterwards, I was sore and tired but not in pain. I keep aware of my Form and my Function. I describe my Form as how do I look and my function is how well I am doing the thing. For me form follows function. A person can run (function) but look terrible (form ) whiles running. On the treadmill, there was this very good looking woman next to me. I wanted to look good walking so I let a bit of function go and the result was pain. Which leads to the 3rd aspect that goes along with form and function and that is awareness. It is, for me, important to be aware of my function and my form and to keep them in balance.
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Post by msdoolittle on Jan 29, 2018 14:31:39 GMT -8
You might also want to do some stretching and focus on your IT Bands. My foam roller, while evil, has helped with loosening that area up.
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FamilySherpa
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Post by FamilySherpa on Jan 30, 2018 8:44:23 GMT -8
You might also want to do some stretching and focus on your IT Bands. My foam roller, while evil, has helped with loosening that area up. thankfully, i never seem to have any IT band issues. and YES those foam rollers ARE EVIL TUBES CREATED BY THE DEVIL HIMSELF
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2018 8:36:31 GMT -8
My wife is prone to ITB issues.
For the last few years she does, 4 to 6 times a day, toe-ups for 2 minutes per session. After the first three months, her ITB issues have abated to where she only does the foam roller every once in a while (1 time in a month or two). Upon waking she does toe ups and 'ABCs'.
From how my wife and I have come to understand the ITB is that it is a cable that has very little stretch attached to the body at three points; the hip, the knee, and the ankle. It is those attachment points that can be stretched. My wife has found that the point she needs to work on is the ankle to knee attachment points and toe ups have been the thing for her. Toe ups can be done whiles sitting at a desk, her phone will alarm to let her know it is toe up time.
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Post by comewithme on Mar 13, 2018 21:41:55 GMT -8
I dont know if you normally hike the trail you did or not but it could have just being using different muscles. I workout 4 times a week and hike a few miles once a week as well. So I thought all my muscles were being used.
Last week I took my daughter to an indoor waterpark for her B day and I got on the wave machine. I used to surf as a kid and I was a bit of a show off.
About an hour later I had this enormous pain in my elbows. I got it checked out and was told it was, "surfers elbow".
Basically, I just used a muscle I didnt use in forever and it wasnt used to the weight and strain I put in it.
Back to you, maybe you just hiked a new trail or hiked it in a different way that used a group of muscles you have used in awhile.
Like all workouts, it just needs time to heal and medication will reduce swelling.
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FamilySherpa
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Post by FamilySherpa on Apr 12, 2018 7:18:20 GMT -8
I've now be diagnosed with "Shin Splints". UGH. This is one of the most annoying injuries i've ever had. I don't feel it at all when resting or just walking. As soon as I try to run, it gets very awkward and painful. Almost like i've never ran before and my body doesnt understand the mechanics.
So far behind on my fitness goals. smh.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Apr 12, 2018 16:43:51 GMT -8
I've now be diagnosed with "Shin Splints". Which is a totally meaningless diagnosis, from something I read. But when I had massive shin pain running track in HS (several millenia back), the culprit seemed to be largely the way I ran--toes out. Straightening out the biomechanics years later solved that problem and kept me running for 10 more years, until some other biomechanical issues developed. Ooops, that wasn't a very encouraging thought, was it?
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FamilySherpa
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Post by FamilySherpa on Apr 13, 2018 4:19:08 GMT -8
I've now be diagnosed with "Shin Splints". Which is a totally meaningless diagnosis, from something I read. But when I had massive shin pain running track in HS (several millenia back), the culprit seemed to be largely the way I ran--toes out. Straightening out the biomechanics years later solved that problem and kept me running for 10 more years, until some other biomechanical issues developed. Ooops, that wasn't a very encouraging thought, was it? the doctor said shin splints is a very generic diagnosis that covers about 12 different minor injuries that can all be precursors to a stress fracture. No running for 2 weeks, ice at night, and arch support insoles in all my athletic shoes.
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