Train through the pain...or sit it out?

 As an avid runner training for a marathon, Heather was used to a certain amount of single-mindedness in pursuit of her goal. So when the first feelings of weakness in her left foot caused her training run to go more slowly than normal, she simply ignored it. The weakness progressed to stiffness, and stiffness to outright pain. By the time she finally saw a podiatric physician, she had to use crutches to walk. Her doctor’s diagnosis: a stress fracture. Heather not only missed the marathon but several months of running time beyond it.

 The philosophy of putting aside discomfort in the name of fitness is not as extraordinary as it sounds. Many individuals who have an exercise regimen do that every day. They get up early when they’d rather sleep late, go running or bicycling in the cold when staying inside seems a lot more enticing, go to the gym after work when they’d rather be heading out with friends for a beer, eat healthfully when a burger and fries sounds tastier. To a certain extent, sacrifice and self-denial are part of the culture of physical fitness.

 The problems actually arise when the need to work out overrides the need to have potential injuries checked. Many fitness devotees are used to their routine, and do not like to have it disrupted, even for the purpose of allowing an injury to heal.  Jane Fonda pioneered the “feel the burn” and “no pain, no gain” philosophy in the 1980s, and while her taped workouts aren’t selling any longer, her catch phrases live on.

 The most important thing, according to physicians, is to be able to balance the need for exercise with the need to exercise common sense:

 Having an exercise routine is good for you.  Nobody is           denying that the benefits of regular exercise are many and varied.  Nobody benefits much from bursts of exercise several months apart, separated by a sedentary lifestyle.  But the routine shouldn’t run your life.  If, for some reason, you can’t make your regularly scheduled trip to the gym or your morning run, it’s not the end of the world.  And if the reason you don’t do it is something like illness or injury, it’s unlikely you’ll suffer any long-term damage from waiting until it heals.  It should be your routine.  You shouldn’t be a slave to it.

  Pain is your body’s way of telling you something’s wrong.  If you haven’t varied your routine, and you’re suddenly beset by a cramp, spasm or other pain, stop what you’re doing for a few minutes and give it time to pass.  If you try again and it persists, stop exercising for the day.  If the pain is severe, see a doctor immediately.  If it’s simply discomfort, wait until your next regularly scheduled workout.  If it’s still not gone, see a doctor.

Note: If you should experience chest pain, pain in your arms, shoulders or back or any other suspicious pain, see a doctor immediately, and be sure you describe your symptoms. In the event that this is a cardiac problem, immediate attention can save your life - or at the very least, can save you long-term problems.  Don’t delay.

            A certain amount of pain can be normal.  Oh, boy, is this one of those tricky areas.  If you’ve started a new exercise program, increased your program in some way, or tried a sport for the first time, you can expect some mild discomfort or soreness.  Especially in the case of a new sport, that’s the side effect of using muscles you’re not accustomed to using.  So if, for example, you generally swim to keep fit, and have decided to take up tennis, expect some stiffness in your legs from the unexpected impact of the tennis court surface under your feet.

The important difference here is in the degree.  Soreness and slight discomfort is different from pain.  Soreness should improve with a mild pain reliever (aspirin, Tylenol, etc.), a hot shower, stretching or a good rub.  If you have true pain, you’re doing too much, or doing something incorrectly, and you may have injured yourself.  See a doctor.  Otherwise, minor aches (the kind that improve or disappear after a 24- to 48-hour hiatus from your new sport) are to be expected.  Just don’t overdo it. 

 Ask someone who has been there.  If you’re trying out a new sport and the pain persists, talk to someone - the tennis pro, your aerobics instructor, or whoever is teaching you the sport.  Tell them about the sensation and ask them if it’s normal.  In many cases, they’ll be able to tell you, and perhaps to recommend exercises to prepare your body, or strengthen it for that particular sport. When in doubt, see a sports medicine doctor who can give you better guidance.

 Increasing your exercise routine? Take it easy.  Unlike cars, people can’t go from zero to sixty without some kind of preparation.  If you’re a casual runner, and are planning to train for a marathon, talk to a sports medicine professional about how much to increase your runs, and over what period of time, in order to prepare.

            Missing some workouts won’t hurt you as badly as trying to train through the pain. Once again, remember that pain- real pain, not a minor ache - is not normal.  Your body is telling you something is wrong.  You won’t lose all your physical conditioning by putting on the brakes and seeing a doc, and then following his/her recommendations. Many “weekend warriors” don’t want to see a physician because they don’t want to be told to cut off their training.  They’re worried about losing their physical conditioning, gaining weight, picking up sedentary habits, and so on.

Remember that you have the rest of your life to run, swim, bicycle, ski, lift weights, do aerobics, play hoops and so forth.  If you sit out for the time you’re doctor advises you, you’ll be back in the game sooner.  Try to be tough and an aggravating, though minor, injury, can become a serious threat and sideline you permanently.