Joint pain

Question
Hi

I am running a 14k race this Sunday and am experiencing joint pain during my 8k runs (3-4 times a week).  The pain extends from ankles, knees and hips, I have let up on running since Wednesday as my recovery period usually takes a couple of days and I am concerned that I will not be in shape for the race on Sunday.  

Can you recommend something that I can take prior to the race that will help elliviate the aches and pain?

For my long term runnig do you have ideas what might be causing the problem and have suggestions on therapy of treatment.

Thanks a bunch

Answer
Hi Bonnie,

How long has the pain been present?

From experience, if you are usually healthy and don't experience pain and then suddenly have knee pain and foot pain, it most likely is due to the following:

1) Your shoes are worn past their time, therefore not absorbing the shock of running and causing pains, or they are worn and your body is trying to compensate for them causing your form to shift a little thus causing pain

2) You twisted or strained something (whether you know it or not) and by running on it, your body compensates to avoid hurting it further. However, when you compensate, often another area starts to hurt as the stress is shifted.

Secondly, as long as you have been training well and consistently a few days off will not affect your race. If you train very hard, it may actually help. I would recommend jogging a little on Sat though. The reasons are to see how your leg feels first, and the second is just to loosen up and stride a little. specially after 5 days off due to injury, you don't want the first movement to be a race!

You could try to take an ALEVE or two before your race for the pain. I did this in college once. I hadn't run for about a week, as I had two torn tendons in my knee. It hurt to walk even, but I had a big 5k coming up. I took I think 2 ALEVE beofre the race, didn't feel a thing, ran great and was happy. However, when the pain medicine wore off, my knee hurt like hell. You should think about the race if you have severe pain. It is not worth running and getting hurt further.

I would look at your shoes firstly or have a shoe store check them out. If they are ok, then take it easy for a week or so and see if the problem gets better.

Hope this helps.

Ryan