Running into pain? What runners should know about injuries and recovery

Whether you track negative splits, practice fartleks (IYKYK), log miles for mental wellness or simply enjoy putting one foot in front of the other at a faster-than-walking pace, a runner is a runner. And that designation raises the risk for common overuse injuries like tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, stress fractures and foot pain. “I see patients with running injuries every week,” says Roper St. Francis Healthcare’s Dr. Scott Sauer, who followed in his father’s footsteps as an orthopaedic surgeon.

While Dr. Sauer doesn’t consider himself a runner (preferring to train with weights, rowing, and a treadmill), he’s covered significant ground in his 20-plus-year career, from medical school at Georgetown University and residency at Drexel University to a fellowship with Texas Orthopaedic Hospital and the Foundation for Orthopedic, Athletic and Reconstructive Research before joining Roper St. Francis Physician Partners Orthopaedics last summer. And that marathon has honed his expertise in treating complex foot and ankle conditions, including sports injuries like those he often sees in his pavement-pounding patients.

Choose your course

Dr. Sauer recognizes that many runners sweat the idea of slowing down to care for an injury but explains that a patient’s early actions when facing injury can decide how far away the finish line for healing is set. “Minor conditions such as straightforward ankle sprains can be cared for at home with RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation), but if an injury is debilitating or doesn’t respond in a day or two, you should see a doctor.” Deciding next steps becomes a bit like a game of “Would you rather?”

Take a stress fracture, for instance. Would you rather catch this sort of microscopic crack early and spend two to four weeks resting or push through the pain and risk a true fracture that requires surgery and six weeks of recovery time? “Bone is pliable to a point, but manipulating it multiple times in a repetitive fashion causes it to weaken and, eventually, break,” explains Dr. Sauer, likening the scenario to bending a paperclip back and forth until it snaps. Pausing that repetitive action and following a treatment plan allows the stress fracture to heal before a full fracture occurs.

Pace yourself

Also common in runners, shin splints manifest as pain along the inner lower leg. If this inflammation of the muscles and tendons covering the tibia (shinbone) is ignored, the injury can progress into a tibial stress fracture. “With shin splints, physical therapy, stretching and activity modification could have you running again a week or two, but a tibial stress fracture is much more complex,” says the surgeon. That injury could have you sporting a boot or cast for eight weeks or require surgery, which would sideline your running for up to three months.

Tendonitis follows a similar path: early cases can often be treated with a couple weeks of anti-inflammatories and rest but, if allowed to worsen, may result in a tendon tear requiring long-term immobilization or even surgery.

Strong finish

Noticing a pattern? “Don’t ignore the pain,” says Dr. Sauer. “You’ve already gone to the trouble of caring for your body, so get injuries evaluated early in order to keep moving.” With the help of a trusted orthopaedic expert, you’ll be able to reach the finish line that much sooner.