Is It Ok to Run with Sore Legs?

[@williyuh1170]

It's kind of hard to take a break and my pain makes me run weird but I have to do it for school

[@Boarddirector]

I appreciate this. As an older basketball player, I get really sore after playing. I need extra days off to recover.

[@thepsychologist8159]

Completely agree. Last year I developed (although I didn't know it at the time) a really bad shin splint. Most times I can train through 'little niggles' which tend to go away with no issues. But one day at the end of a long run I felt an aggravation in the inner calf muscle (behind the shin). I ignored it as a 'little niggle'. Progressively it got worse, which I tried to manage with self-massage (it helped a bit) but at the start of a run I could already feel it. It got to the point where I needed to get an MRI and a PRP injection, then I had to stop running for a few months. Looking back, I know I had increased my mileage (and effort) too soon. On the flip side, when I have sore legs, I just go out for an easy run the next day (doesn't matter how slow). As Kipchoge says "running on sore legs helps you understand and tolerate the pain that's often required during a race".

[@Solpri]

Trying to discern the different types of pain and whether they're tolerable or require rest/rehab is a skill that is often slow to learn and hard to master and easy to forget or lose, but required to get the most out of yourself long term. I wish I had a magic way like downloading programs in the matrix to share knowledge of what different kinds of pain feel like so more people could avoid issues. Thanks for sharing your story.

[@thepsychologist8159]

@@Solpri Ah, The Matrix, one of my favourite movies. For sure, being able to discern soreness, from a little niggle, to pain, takes years to master (and for sure, runners soon forget). When it comes to those 'little niggles' I have a range of stretches I do to target those specific niggles. Often they work. But my lesson from last year's shin split is, if the niggle persists then it's off to the sports doctor (lucky I have one that can administer cortisone and PRP injections without referral).

[@Hello-hn9kq]

*african American 🙄

[@matthewmullin2000]

I need to get faster sprint wise. My hamstrings today are still pretty sore from doing leg day 3 days ago. Is it okay to sprint today.

[@MrMalicious5]

I just started running 2 miles everyday to build up my cardio for a physically demanding job. My leg soreness went away after about 4 days but about a mile into my run my legs start feeling heavy. Am I doing too much too soon?

[@Solpri]

If you're feeling heavy legs then likely it's a sign of fatigue. Typically starting out I don't recommend people do more than 5 days a week. Try building a couple completely off days into your week and see if you start recovering well enough to not feel so heavy on the days you do run.

[@MrMalicious5]

@@Solpri Should I take the two off days in a row or spread them out? Thanks for the quick reply.

[@Solpri]

@@MrMalicious5 That part is up to you. Many people take the weekend off whereas some people will take say Saturday off and then Wednesday. I would suggest splitting them up generally speaking, but if your schedule makes more sense to just do weekends go that route.

[@vamshikrishnasurabhi9521]

Recently I sprained my ankle, it's been one week I still have slight pain should run or take rest for somemore days?

[@Solpri]

A sprain is a bit different than sore legs from a workout. I would take more time off to feel normal so you can run without feeling pain.

[@ajdexter4195]

Gotta do 1.5 miles in 12 minutes by Tuesday haha 😂 I did it in 9 minutes and now my hams are saw, I’m gonna smash it but I was just curious if I should take a break 🤷🏼

[@Solpri]

Assuming you're doing a military PT test of some kind - you're well under your time at 9 minutes. No need to do it over and over leading up to the day next week. I'd either take an easy run or rest personally.

[@CSWells-uq4jx]

What about running with shin splints?

[@Solpri]

I can say I've personally run with shin splints, but it depends on how painful they are. Typically it's an indication that your larger muscle groups are too fatigued and are pushing off the work load onto the little guys. Or that your running form is off so your shins are taking a beating. If you're going to continue running I'd highly recommend picking softer surfaces (grass, trails, track surface) to run on until things have improved.

[@CSWells-uq4jx]

@@Solpri well what’s weird is that, my shin splints don’t actually bother me when I’m running.( unless I’m doing down hill running. Then just kill me now.) They mostly just hurt on one side also. Then they hurt when I stretch that calf, or foam roll, or when I’m walking. Once I start running, they seem to clear up until I start walking again or I encounter a decline. Foam rolling, massage, and stretching does seem to help a ton, if I can force myself through the pain in doing them. But resting doesn’t seem to help. Which is frustrating.

[@Solpri]

@@CSWells-uq4jx Are you doing any kind of exercise for them? My first go-to after what you're already doing (stretch, foam roll, massage) would be 1. Calf raises and bent knee calf raises plus if possible 2. Ice massage (look up cryo cups). Since they don't hurt while running we can pretty much rule out any skeletal issues and know it is almost certainly soft tissue/muscle problems which is good. For the calf raises try something like 2 or 3 sets of 10 on each leg of both variations. Do them as single leg calf raises as possible (stand on one leg), but if you aren't strong enough to do that start out with both legs on the ground. Just depends on your strength level right now where you start and how many reps you do - I can't make that call for you from afar. You can do that every day as long as it doesn't feel super hard to complete. Run and non run days.

[@gudboyngdisyerto]

shin splints is also the one always giving me problems. i would start almost limping 😂, then it starts to get better after km 4-5, finish my 15k run feeling good, only for the shin to start bothering me again in few hours. but i know it's the result of me being greedy. plan says 3:45-3:55 per km pace,feel good, went for 3:40/km instead. was going for 25km run,feel good in the middle, went for 35km. then back to only easy runs when it starts hurting again

[@TheAmazingJoleeta]

You’re very handsome 😊

[@edjoultz9678]

youre nice to look at, no homo!

[@TheOminiz1]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@dann5480]

Yea you probably are one 😂