When pain sneaks up on you, battle back with resolve and energy. You can prevent or treat most pain you experience as a runner. Remember that a wise training program increases mileage and intensity consistently but over time, not all at once. Understand the difference between temporary overuse aches and pain you should immediately heed. Cliché though it is, learn to listen to your body.
Stop!
Medical people ask about pain relative to a scale: "If zero is no pain and 10 is the most pain you can imagine, what do you feel?" On a scale of 1 to 10, you probably can self-treat pain at levels 1 and 2, and be vigilant at levels 3 and 4. But at level 5 or above, you should see a professional. And stop running, lifting, biking, hiking and all the other work-arounds until you get a professional opinion.
Treat Yourself
For minor pain and the aches after intense workouts, and even for minor sprains, use home remedies. RICE--rest, ice, compression, elevation--is a good protocol. Use cold to reduce swelling and calm the area's nerves for the first two to three days after overuse or minor injury. For chronic injury, moist heat often relieves pain for a while. Take oral painkillers or massage topical painkillers gently into the affected area.
Doctors
If pain persists or increases, see a health care professional, who may screen you for hard and soft tissue damage, skeletal abnormalities and common anomalies as pronation and excessive heel striking. Physical therapists, chiropractors and podiatrists sometimes can diagnose and often can assist after diagnosis, as you heal.
Alternative Medicine
From arnica-based salves and pills to acupuncture and myofascial release, there are a lot of options for pain treatment if you are open-minded. Little by little, medical doctors and health insurers are seeing the value of some alternative treatments.
Proper Equipment
It stands to reason that you should run in and on the best equipment possible. Budget for new shoes every few months or few hundred miles; cushioning and support wear out with use. Wear clothing to suit the weather, so your body runs at peak level and is as relaxed as possible. Scrimp on fashion but not function when it comes to running clothes. Vary your running surface to avoid the repetitive motion risk of hitting a single surface.
