RUNNERS PHYSIO MELBOURNE

When you have an injury, you’re probably wondering whether it’s wiser to stretch or use a foam roller to relieve your pain. There is no definitive answer to the question because the use of either method will be dependent on how severe your injury is and what type of injury it is. Using a foam roller or stretching can cause stress on the damaged tissues and muscles, which could worsen when done incorrectly or in excess. This is why, when you have any type of injury incurred from running, you should always consult your health provider or an expert in sports rehabilitation. 

If cleared for use, foam rolling and stretching can promote healing when done judiciously. Foam rolling increases blood flow to aid recovery while stretching maintains flexibility and range of motion. However, there is a time and place: avoid static stretching of damaged muscles and use dynamic motions instead. Start very gently and stop immediately if pain arises.

You can also follow the “RICE” guideline when injured.

• R: Rest the injured or damaged areas as needed
• I: Ice to reduce inflammation
• C: Compress with wraps
• E: Elevate the injured areas to reduce swelling

Note: Always remember that stretching or foam rolling, when properly partnered with recommended primary treatments, can enhance and speed up the healing process. 

There isn’t a fixed timeline to completely heal muscle strains. Like all other things, how fast or how slow the healing process is will depend on the type and severity of your injury, which can be graded from I to III. 

• Grade I: Mild muscle strain that damages under 5% of your muscle fibres. It can be healed within a few weeks with rest and some treatments, such as ice treatments. 
• Grade II: Moderate strain that damaged and disrupted more tissue than Grade I and can take at least 3 months (or more) until recovery. Treatment often includes physical therapy. 
• Grade III: Severe muscle strain that fully ruptures your muscles or tendons. Most will require surgery and extensive sports rehabilitation over a couple of months up to a year (or more).

If you want your injury to heal faster, one of the keys is to seek prompt medical attention and diagnosis, especially if you have severe symptoms like unbearable pain, continuous swelling and bruising, or loss of function in the injured area.

Ice baths may or may not be effective for injury recovery because the success of ice baths or ice treatments is dependent on many factors, like type of injury, severity, physiology, and the proper use of the ice treatment.  Always remember that ice baths are not a stand-alone treatment. They are normally used alongside or integrated into a custom recovery plan for the injured person. Consult a running sports physiotherapist or doctor of sports medicine on any kind of injury before relying on an ice bath to heal your injury. These people can provide and prescribe you with the best and safest practices when using an ice bath. 

We know you’re probably eager to get back, hit the pavement, and run again, but returning to running safely after an injury requires a lot of patience and a systematic and gradual build-up training plan that’s tailor-fit to your recovery timeline and fitness level. We are aware and understand that every running injury is unique (in terms of severity), so the general rule of thumb is to wait until you can walk free of pain for at least 30 minutes before getting back on track! Once you resume running, you should remember to ease into it with short and slow runs before increasing run mileage. Don’t do fast runs or uphill runs and listen closely to your body. If you do feel any pain while running, take it as a sign to stop or slow down. Incorporating other activities, like cycling or swimming, a few times a week can be beneficial for your recovery. Flexibility and strength training are also a must to rehabilitate and stabilise the injured area. 

There isn’t a definitive answer as to when you can get back to running after an injury; but if you want to get a more exact recovery timeline, consult with sports physiotherapy experts like ours at Run Ready. Our sports physios can factor in how severe your injury is, your symptoms, your medical history, your running goals, and your running abilities to map out a safe and customised return to a sport rehabilitation program. 

If you’ve incurred a running injury, one of the first things that might come to mind is whether you need an MRI immediately! While getting an MRI to check your injury is good, the decision to get an MRI will depend on different factors.  An MRI can effectively detect soft tissue damage and is often warranted if:

• You have severe, persistent pain, swelling, instability, numbness or tingling, or weakness
• Prior injuries or surgeries exist in the affected area
• Conservative treatment like physical therapy or medication has failed
• Surgery or other invasive procedures are being considered

MRIs, however, can drain your pockets and time and aren’t always the first course of action when you get a running injury. They may be avoided if the injury is mild or easily diagnosed otherwise. The best thing to do once you get a running-related injury is to consult an experienced sports physiotherapist like Richie Lynch here at Run Ready. He can fully evaluate your injury, perform initial tests or imaging if needed, and provide individualised recommendations on if and when advanced imaging like an MRI becomes necessary. Getting their input helps ensure appropriate, effective care tailored to your situation.