RUNNING ADVICE!

I'm looking for tips or knowledge regarding running-injury prevention and safety. I have had sore ankles for a week while training for a 1/2 marathon. I started icing, using an ankle support sleeve and new sport shoe insoles. I haven't done a long run in 1 week, hoping the problem dissipates. Has anybody experienced this? If so, is there anything else I can be doing? Thanx! ~runner in training

large doses of ibuprofen before and after

Build up slow
Respect your body and let injuries heal
Try biking while you wait for strength to return
Run on flat surface
Make sure you have good shoes.

Make sure that when you run, you aren't running on your heels. That can cause the most ankle and knee injuries. You want to come down on the middle or front of your foot. You'll have a smaller stride, but you'll be protecting your knee and ankles.

Also, wait until the pain is gone totally before running again. Maybe switch to an elliptical machine while the pain goes away. You don't want to cause permanent injury -- like I did about 2 years ago. My ankle tendons got so inflamed that they separated from my bones which then lead to massive stress fractures. I was out of commission for 10 weeks. Taking 1 - 2 weeks now to rest can save you lots of pain and misery down the road.

I've ran 4 half marathons, and to be honest, pain is just part of the package. Pushing your limits like that is bound to test you mentally and physically as your ankles are finding out.

I've found ice to be the most helpful. Fill a tub big enough to fit your feet with water up to your ankles, then dump in about 4 trays worth of ice. Sit in that for about fifteen minutes. Usually doing that right after a run does the trick.

Something else to consider might be how old your shoes are. If they're a year old (or older), try on a new pair and see if that helps.

There's also glucosamine chondroitin supplements that some say help with achy joints, but I haven't used them myself so I can't say if they're effective or not.

Thanks everyone! I'm probably going to nix the high doses of ibuprofen-I read that the organs are in overload during physical activity and it's not wise to also make them work on the chemicals of OTCs. I think I'll take them atleast an hour after running if the icing doesn't seem to do the trick. Or better yet, focus on anti-inflammatory foods like cherries.

I think the main thing to consider are the shoes. I personally do not jog or run exactly to avoid injuries,that especially considering my weight are likely.
I do play tennis though which involve similar risks, because I love it and it burns a lot of calories
To prevent and limit injuries I try to space out sessions giving the body time to rest, that of course depends on age and fitness level, but at present I try not to do it more than once a week, going to the pool if I have time for another sport session.

Also besides the shoes, it is really important to warm up properly and eat correctly to get all the nutrients the body needs for repair.

L-Glutamine. Take it two to three times a day for the first few weeks. It helps your body to dissolve the lactic acid that sits on your muscles after you workout. That means less soreness, faster recovery, and more miles every week!

It's not lactic acid. Lactic acid is washed away from the muscles within 30-60 minutes after exercise and has long been discounted as a cause of muscle soreness. Normal muscle soreness is usually caused my micro tears to the muscle fibers and resulting swelling. While I can't say why you, specifically, are experiencing pain, the best way to treat it is RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation). My suggestion for preventing further injury would be to evaluate your form, especially if you are a heel striker. Perhaps check out Chi Running.

For technique look up the "100 up drill". It retrains the body for proper injury free running.

Definitely take a look at your shoe situation. A pair of running sneakers is supposed to only be worn for 300-400 miles I believe. What I was told from other runners is you should expect to go through 2 pairs of sneakers during half marathon training. I don't have any articles on hand to back this up, this is just what other running enthusiasts have passed on. I would try to find a local running store (with people who know what they're talking about!!) and poke your head in for some suggestions And eat cherries anyway! They're so delicious..

Good think I ordered a 2nd pair of running shoes when I did. Must be about time to change them. Half marathon in 6 weeks.

How is the foot Jess?

heel pain back with a vengance last night. i gotta fix my stride. i think my right hip/glute is tight and that's throwing me off. i can't stretch it as far as the left. been rolling the bottoms of my feet over frozen bottles afterwards. feels good. blister is fixed though.

Ohhh - what a great idea!! Why didn't I ever think of frozen water bottles for my feet?? Maybe think about investing in a foam roller for your right hip/glute?

I love the foam roller for my chronic hip pain after running. It's wonderful.

+1 on the foam roller! Rolling out the ITband is awesome.

I disagree with the comment about "pain is a part of it" or whatever was said. Pain is an indicator of a problem. Fix the problem before you seriously hurt yourself. Now, soreness of the muscles afterward is not a bad thing. Soreness while running is not a bad thing. However, it there is pain, stop what you're doing and fix the pain. Using an elliptical is a good way to keep conditioning the legs if the pain is not present or reoccuring.

It's definetley a balancing act. The line between soreness & pain is difficult to determine. That is why these distance events are such a meatgrinder. Getting to raceday is 90% of the battle....we simply can't shut down and rest for two weeks every time we are banged up. So although RICE is the perfect answer....ICE (+ibuprofen) is the reality more often than not.

Be very wary of trying to grease the wheels on your way to fitness by taking painkillers, especially if you find ibuprofen effective. The drug works by effectively reducing the body's response to injury, so understand that before you take it. In addition, never take it without eating beforehand.

Take later advice given in this thread and build up slowly without looking for quick fixes. You risk longer term injury and major setbacks otherwise.