Running Injuries. Damn.
I injured my right knee last week while running back and forth between our campground and the auto repair place (had to get new wheel bearings for the ‘Burb). I was running (barefoot, no less) on some gravel, stepped on a small thorn, and landed awkwardly on the opposite foot. It was a minor blip compared to some of my trail crashes, but it tweaked my knee just right. The pain went from a minor stabbing pain to a major “I can’t run on this” pain over the next mile. A few days later, I tested it out at the Coldwater 50k. I lasted three miles before resorting to walking. I hobbled the remaining five miles back to the start line.
Normally I wouldn’t swat an injury like this… except I am scheduled to run the Rocky Raccoon 100 miler in two weeks.
I gave the knee a rest day, then tried some light running today. It feels better, but any distance will surely aggravate it again. I decided to play it safe and listen to my body by skipping RR. If we were planning on being in the area, I would have considered running part of the race. We’ll be in California, though, so we’ll save some money by avoiding the airfare.
Now I face the unpleasant reality of abstaining from running for a few weeks. At least it will give me an opportunity to do a little more crosstraining. 
For those of you that had to rest through an injury, what sort of alternative activities did you do?
###
42 Comments
Ken Bob Saxton
January 30, 2012In 2006 when I completed 14 (or was it 16) marathons throughout the year, I did take a couple months to recover after my first double-marathon (2 marathons in 2 consecutive days). The second marathon, particularly the banked corner at mile 3 (or was it 5) in the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon aggravated an old knee injury I suffered while being pulled by a horse on skis in my early teens (how the horse got on skis, I’ll never know:-).
Anyway, had to walk the dog, that helped.
Bicycling did not work for me, because after spraining my knee originally, I tried riding my bicycle to deliver newspapers, which may have caused as much damage as the original sprain… my knee swelled up to the size of a tetherball, and I was off my feet for 2 weeks… in any case, my knee seems to recall that pain when tired (or re-injured) while bicycling.
I think any knee exercises which do not aggravate the existing injury (do not cause pain), should help healing (after an initial rest of a couple of weeks). If you can’t find any exercises that don’t cause knee pain, then it’s probably time to rest some more, until you find some other exercises, or some of the ones that you do know start working without causing pain.
At the very least (after a couple weeks of healing rest) movement is (I believe) necessary for healing, strengthening the supporting muscles, and pumping nutrients into the parts of the joint that do not get vascular circulation (blood vessels).
I would probably avoid most activities that are likely to lead to crashing and further damaging your knee. Stick with things that aren’t risky, or that you are already good at, for example: I also used roller blades while recovering, which was nice, since bicycling aggravated the old injury. But, I am fairly confident (maybe competent) on skates. I know it’s footwear, but it wasn’t me that said I was a barefoot purist! (besides skates actually do help me move faster – which is why they are illegal in foot races…)
Rob Y
January 31, 2012Problem with any type of cycling, be it with one wheel or more, is having the saddle height, position etc.. properly adjusted. I’d have the same reoccurring knee discomfort while initially riding my unicycle until I finally stopped to think about the proper adjustment: height, tilt, etc… Also having cranks with minimal Q-factor (how far they stick out from the hub) helps keep your legs spinning in a natural way; want to avoid legs flaring out but keep leg aligned. Just like running, there is more to riding a cycle than just heading out the door and off you go.
If the idea is to “minimal” I don’t understand why more barefooters don’t choose unicycling over bicycles? There is nothing more minimal or basic when it comes to cycling than a unicycle!
Tal Davidson
January 26, 2012So how do you return to running after several good weeks off if due to injury?
Ken Bob Saxton
January 30, 2012Start at the beginning. short, slow, build gradually while listening to your body and soles.
Also avoid techniques that cause pain to the injured area – these are probably the same techniques that caused the injury (and will probably continue to cause injuries in the future, unless changed).
The buildup will probably go faster than your original beginning, because your body will not only has muscle memory, but you already have (hopefully) developed good running technique the first time (and can not fine-tune that even more, as necessary).
Have fun,
-barefoot ken bob
Ken Bob Saxton
January 30, 2012oops, should be “could NOW fine-tune”…
Tim
January 25, 2012I hurt my foot coming down on a rock, and have been off running now for a few weeks. I started doing Crossfit-type workouts, just not including the high impact stuff (I can bear weight, just have to keep things low impact) like box jumps and jumping rope, or any kind of “jump” for that matter. Just this week I had my first boxing lesson and workout; talk about cardio! It also helped me with my foot as the footwork keeps you light on your feet. The weight transfer through the punches was good to as it is helping me strengthen my feet a little I think.
HK
January 25, 2012I recently got a fibular stress fracture. Can’t blame it on any shoes, I just did too much fast intervals on track to get me in shape for the indoor track season. Well, now it seams that I can forget that and aim at the summer season…
I’ve been doing cross-country skiing, swimming, water running (booooring), and indoor rowing. I’m not sure my fracture likes the skiing, but I have to do SOMETHING outside, otherwise I go nuts.
DonDraper1963
January 25, 2012Not sure what kind of tweak your knee was, but you can try some natural food supplements to help yourself heal faster. Bone broths and eggshell membranes are loaded with glucosamine and chondoitin and hyaluronic acid. Everything joints love. Eggshell memebranes have shown some great results in studies I have seen.
http://www.membrell.com/2011/12/new-study-on-nem%C2%AE-natural-eggshell-membrane-found-in-membrells-jointhealth-products-published-in-the-journal-of-medicinal-food/
And I love crosstraining with kettlebells. And trying to increase my flexibility.
Erik H
January 25, 2012Dealing with pulled hamstring at the moment. It happened in mid December, then repeated twice since now, due to impatience :/ So, I’ll be 3 weeks away from running now, doing just core workouts, biking and elliptical.
May we all get better soon!
colin
January 24, 2012I saw at my local pool a bball player who hurt his knee and was running in waist high water as a form of resistence training without the impacting forces of running. this only works though if you happen to have a pool use.
John
January 24, 2012I’ve been struggling with IT band pain and i cant seem to do anything. I just tried riding a bike and it flared up. Does anyone have any experience with this? Its killing me because i could run through it, but everything I’ve read said it just gets worse. I have my first marathon scheduled for March and I dont think im going to be ready.
Michael
January 24, 2012I tore my Achilles just messing around. Took me out for over 12 months. I pretty much just got fat. Beer and salty snacks anyone? It only took 3-4 weeks to drop the weight once the running began again.
Barefoot Josh
January 24, 2012Dude! You’re not supposed to get injured when barefoot! That’s against the cult rules. I’m totally reporting you to the authorities.
I second (third? Fourth?) the hiking recommendation. Especially on terrain you would normally wear shoes to run on. It’s good to get all Bob Neinast-ish (Neinasty?) every once in a while.
Get better soon!
Barefoot Josh
January 24, 2012Dude! You’re not supposed to get injured when barefoot! That’s against the cult rules. I’m totally reporting you to the authorities.
Until then, I second (third? Fourth?) the hiking recommendation. Especially on terrain you would normally wear shoes to run on. It’s good to get all Bob Neinast-ish (Neinasty?) every once in a while.
Get better soon!
Franklin Chen
January 24, 2012A couple of years when I had a left leg stress fracture (shin area) and needed to completely take a break from running, I ended up doing upper body strength training, bodyweight stuff. I did various other things too, with minimal impact on my legs. I’m not sure what I’d do specifically if I had a knee injury (I had knee problems a decade ago, but my memory is fuzzy about what I did when recovering), since various interesting exercises involving twisting, squats, and the like might torque the knee.
Daniel
January 24, 2012I’m trying some swimming at the moment while waiting for my knee to heal. I didn’t expect it to give me much of a leg workout, but man I’m sore everywhere
I’m a strong believer in “if it still hurts, don’t run”. I also do bodyweight exercises, now minus the squats, but I do those when I’m not injured too.
jeff
January 24, 2012About injuries, how do you decide when you’re sufficiently healed to resume running? Wait until most of the pain subsides? Wait for all of it to subside, and go for a test run, hoping to not re-injure it?
(Yes, I understand most people will be posting personal opinions, and not medical advice.)
Ken Bob Saxton
January 30, 2012To often we seem to think we need to commit to a distance or speed, or a speed for a certain distance before we head out the door.
Here’s a novel concept, just go outside, try running a few steps. If it hurts, walk. If walking hurts, go make yourself comfortable and read a book (my book, maybe?).
Ken Bob Saxton
January 30, 2012Also use this time to test new techniques (for a few steps at a time, perhaps even while running in place). Listen to your body, your soles, and your injuries. Try to figure out which movements and techniques do not aggravate your existing injury, and you will have found a technique that probably will never cause that injury again… (probably).
Josh
January 24, 2012I am a huge fan of rowing on the concept 2. It feels really good on sore knees. Delivers lots of blood to your legs and knees with virtually no impact. I also find that I can carry my handhelds good distances without my arms every tiring.
Erik
January 24, 2012I’m with you Josh. I should’ve mentioned that I row on the Concept II too (the D model). It’s the industry standard, and unlike most exercise equipment, retains its value really well. I did have a problem with some tendinitis in my elbow however. I took care of that by adapting the handle to be perpendicular to the floor instead of parallel, so it’s like a light lat bar now. Also, do you know about the C-breeze? It’s great for a little free ventilation.
Erik
January 24, 2012I’ve found rowing to be a nice complement to running, and since it stresses different parts of your body, would be a good cardio workout while your resting your knee. Unfortunately, hauling a rower around wouldn’t fit into your present lifestyle.
For what it’s worth, I do running and chest/shoulder strength training one day, and then rowing and back strength training on alternate days. That way everything gets to rest and recover 48 hours.
Mike Dixon
January 24, 2012I rock the sh*t out of the elliptical machine…seems to work me the most without the pounding. Also, I do my morning runs on the treadmill during the winter which seems to keep my legs fresh while tackling heavy mileage. Other than that, if I need to seek out alternative cardio, I’ll usually do a circuit of ellipt., upright and reg. stationary bikes and even some hill climbing stair master thing that I have in my gym. Whatever get’s you tired without aggrivating the trouble area(s). Be patient and good luck.
Ken Bob Saxton
January 30, 2012Shouldn’t be any pounding, if you’re running with good technique…
Dave
January 24, 2012I have the mildest calf tightness, and in my paranoia of getting a calf strain, I have abstained from running for 1 lousy week. The stationary bike has been used as a substitute, but I’m ready to blow my brains out.
Anton Krupicka rehabs from injury by hiking the mountains around Boulder – much more enticing than the bike. Mind you, he’s been constantly injured for a year now, so I’m not sure his method is the quickest way to get back.
Good luck on your self-imposed break. Try not to fall of the wagon, figuratively or literally.
Rob Youngren
January 24, 2012My favorite cross-training is unicycling. Still get a great amount of cardio, better than riding a bicycle, helps maintain good leg turn over (high spin rate), works your core and improves your overall balance; all factors that are important in running! If you can get over the necessary learning curve it’s a very fun activity; especially when you start riding off road!
David Goulette
January 24, 2012Great idea! I have tried unicycling before and it was challenging. I may give this one a try. And it is so simple.
Rob Youngren
January 24, 2012It’s also a great way to get around for short errands, so much easier to travel with than a bicycle (just throw it in the back seat or trunk), virtually no maintenance or setup time. I love it! Has become an addictive pastime and a good way to step away from running every now and then. Riding single track trails on a unicycle is surreal!
jeff
January 25, 2012I actually must disagree about unicycling being better cardio than biking. Due to the fixed-gear nature of a unicycle, you can only go as fast as you can pedal. On a bike, you can always shift gears to make the workout harder.
I suppose things change when you’re talking downhill, as you can’t coast on a unicycle, and thus must expend energy to slow down.
Rob Youngren
January 25, 2012Dude! You’ve obviously never ridden a unicycle offroad or single track trail. Very high cardio as you’re engaging not just your cycling muscles but a lot of upper body as well from having to hop over stuff, turning,etc… Much tougher than a mtn bike or even trail running!
Plus the fact that a unicycle IS fixed gear means you don’t ever get a chance to rest unlike on a bike when you can take breaks by coasting. Trust me I’ve ridden a century on a unicycle and it was way harder than riding it on a bicycle, even a fixed gear bicycle which I’ve also done.
jeff
January 25, 2012I didn’t realize we were talking offroad and single track. Honestly, I’ve never been daring enough to take my bike off road, so it’s hard to compare it accurately to a unicycle.
On the road, though, I maintain my original comment. There comes a point where my feet just can’t spin the pedals any faster. Shifting allows me to alter the effort it takes to spin the pedals.
Rob Y.
January 25, 2012Agreed, but not all unicycles are the same. My road unicycle I typically run much shorter cranks than I would off-road. Also, though far from typical, I have a planetary hub on one of my unicycles that has two gears so I do have the ability to “shift” into a higher gear that does take more effort to get the cranks turning! But most people have never heard about a geared unicycle. At the end of the day though, you’re still covering the same distance so I’d think you’re putting out the same amount of energy. Only difference with higher gears is that you can get there faster but at an increased effort. Same as running the same distance at two different paces still burns the same amount of calories…
Ken Bob Saxton
January 30, 2012I once spent several weeks riding my touring bicycle without one of it’s shifting cables. I set the rear shifter to stay in one of the lower gears, and learned to pedal faster. It not only helped my cardio, it helped me develop a faster cadence for running.
Rob Y
January 31, 2012Bingo! Exactly what I get out of unicycle cross training!
Erik
January 26, 2012Rob, this is very intriguing. What brand / model of unicycle do you recommend, and where can I buy one (you’re in the States, right?)?
Erik
January 26, 2012Hey Rob, sorry, one more question: what size wheel do you recommend? I’m about 6′ 2″.
Rob Y
January 26, 2012I’m 5’8″ ~140-145lbs. If you’re very new to unicycling and not sure if you’re going to stick with it or get the hang of it I’d start out on an inexpensive 24″. Because that learner uni is going to take a serious beating so no need to pay too much! After you’ve gotten the swing of things then it is worthwhile to invest a bit more. I have several unicycles, each has it’s purpose, but my staple is my Kris Holm 24″ unicycle that I have equipped with a Schlumpf Geared Hub. This is the most versatile (and expensive) unicycle in my flock. Simply swapping out the road/trail tire and cranks I can go about anywhere. However, checkout the Nimbus line of unicycles. They’re almost as good as the KH line but less expensive but still high quality. Go to http://www.unicycle.com for starters… However, for a guy your size you’ll probably be more comfortable on a 26″ unicycle (that’s actually the size I learned on). If you really pick it up and enjoy it the 26″ has the benefit of having a lot more tire options. Good luck!
Jason
January 26, 2012I am totally intrigued with this. Damn you guys!
Erik
January 26, 2012Thanks for the timely reply Rob! I’ll look into it. Happy trails.
Erik
January 26, 2012Hope your recovery is going well Jason. Whatever you do, don’t push it. You don’t want to get one of those nagging injuries that never quite heals. I have many 50+-year-old friends who thought they were immortal when they were younger and are now paying the price with a more limited range of activities.
Erik
January 26, 2012Hey liked your website Rob. I’ll have to look it over a bit more later in the day. I bicycled across Africa, the Middle East and Europe about 20 years ago, among other things, so it’s great to see a kindred spirit out there having fun.
Henrik Bærrføtt
January 24, 2012I cross country skied yesterday.