At one point or another in your triathlon journey, you may hit a bump in the road – an unexpected injury. While it can be hard to determine when to get your injury treated, it’s important to be on the cautious side of things. After all, you don’t want to make a minor injury major by not taking some time off to rest, heal, and ultimately recover.
So how do you know when to push through the pain and when to stop and give your doctor a call?
Take a look at these helpful tips to better distinguish when it’s time to pick up the phone:
1. Know the Difference Between Soreness and Pain
If something is so painful that you can’t walk on it, don’t try and run on it. Perhaps try taking a low impact day and have a short bike ride or swim. As you move forward in your triathlon journey, you’ll learn to recognize signs of pain versus just being tired – for example, you may feel tired after a tough workout, leaving your legs feeling heavy. There’s a difference between having heavy and tired legs versus an actual injury that needs time to heal.
2. RICE
If you do feel something is off after training, try to use RICE on the injured area. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation. If the pain hasn’t subsided, take some additional time to rest.
3. Know When to Call Your Doctor
If taking time off doesn’t help, it’s time to pick up the phone and give your doctor a call. Even if your current injury isn’t a big deal, pushing through the pain and continuing to train could create a larger problem in the long run. Best case scenario, your doctor says that you need some more time to heal and you’re back to training ASAP or worst case scenario you have something major causing you pain and you need extended time off for treatment or surgery.
4. Use Low Impact Exercises Once Given the OK
Once given permission from your doctor choose alternative ways to exercise while you heal, such as swimming or cycling. Ice and cold therapy can help by applying ice packs to reduce pain, inflammation, and swelling.
Whether you’re new to triathlons or a veteran, always remember to listen to your body. You’re the only one who truly knows how you feel. It’s better to stay on the safe side of things and rest than burn yourself out or make a minor injury major. While it’s important to typically have your eyes on the finish line throughout triathlon training, it’s also important to listen to your body and understand that the journey to the finish line means treating an injury.
Looking for smart and safe ways to train post-injury? Contact me today!
Train Right, Tri Right!
Coach MJ
