- Recognizing the type of pain helps you know whether to keep running or stop to avoid making it worse.
- Stress and an unbalanced lifestyle can be the cause of your aches and pains, also increasing your risk of injury.
- In cases of pain, anti-inflammatories can help, but it is best to consult a professional before taking them to avoid side effects.
There is pain and pain. That is why it is important to be able to recognize and distinguish them in order to understand how to deal with them. Don’t jump to conclusions right away. It may be that the situation is less serious than expected. On the other hand, it is also not wise to underestimate it so as not to make your condition worse.
How your lifestyle affects pain
The problem might be rooted in an unbalanced lifestyle, possibly linked to unhealthy habits like poor diet, insufficient rest, lack of sleep, and living on the edge of burnout. Stress is one of the main causes of pain and various problems because it makes muscles stiffer, amplifies negative sensations, and prolongs recovery time.
Learn to recognize pains
Tell me what pain you have and I will tell you what to do. Take this as a general guideline, and in case of doubts or more serious issues, consult a professional.
- If the pain is more classifiable as mild discomfort that seems manageable and fades as you keep moving, you can generally continue running.
- If the pain is deeper and does not seem to want to subside it could be something more serious. In this case better to stop and investigate more thoroughly.
- If you have sharp pain, stop immediately: it could be a strain or injury.
- If you get cramps, often a sign of dehydration or a diet that needs to be revised, the only thing you can do is stop, stretch the area, and if the cramp passes try to start again.
When extra help is needed
In some cases it may be worth taking an anti-inflammatory to help the ache go away, but you should never overdo it to prevent other types of issues from arising or becoming addicted to these substances, with the risk that the body will become accustomed to them and, in the long run, they will no longer take effect. Rather, consulting a professional can help you evaluate possible targeted therapies that will speed healing without having side effects. Stretching and muscle strengthening always remain the best allies in injury prevention.