After taking several years off running due to an arthritic injury in my foot, I've recovered enough to start running again and working my way toward a half marathon at the end of this month, I feel like I've been given a new lease of life. However just 10 days before the event I've pulled something in my lower back and am having difficulty even walking and standing. I'm applying heat packs regularly and its easing day by day but my wife reckons the half marathon would be a crazy idea now, no matter how much better it feels. The idea of missing it makes me feel gutted. Anyone had experience of running soon after this type of injury and any words of hope?
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Initially I rested the back but tried a shortish (4 mile - that's short for me currently) run on the Thursday. Back hurt a bit but I got through it. I have a TENS device so I strapped that on when I was resting and took some ibuprofen.
Did some yoga on the Friday and deliberately backed off of the positions most likely to irritate but even so, my back didn't like it much so that was probably a mistake.
Saturday was a rest day but I was marshalling at parkrun and standing for an hour in the cold left me hurting and I thought that there was absolutely no way I'd make the start of my half. However, I'd been really looking forward to it, so I determined to do as much as I could to try and fix it. I spent a while lounging around with the TENS on, took more ibuprofen and did a little stretching. Then around lunchtime, I went out for a stress test - just a jog around the block with a couple of sprints thrown in. This seemed to go OK so I ate, chilled out for the afternoon and then went out again at 6 to repeat the stress test. After that I decided I probably could run the next day.
I did so, but rather than take the train all the way to the race, I walked two miles to the station where I'd need to change trains as a bit of a warm-up.
The race itself went really well and I got a PB.
Now I'm not saying you should do the same. I'd see someone - a physio or sports masseur if you can afford one - to find out what the problem is. Maybe get a massage to release anything that has tightened up. If it's disc related rather than muscular, you may well need to cancel your race, but if it's muscular, there's a chance you could sort yourself out in time. Good luck.
Hope yours is similar and you have a speedy recovery.
A one sided foot problem, indicated assay entry in your gait, possible caused buy a functional leg length discrepancy.
why don't you go and see a osteopath, physio or chiropractor.