Pain and injury can be incredibly frustrating as a runner, especially when it feels like the pain came out of nowhere. In this episode, I’m sharing the three-part framework I’ve used throughout my 20 years as a physical therapist to understand pain and determine what to do next: Evaluate, Assess, and Treat.
We’ll look beyond the painful body part and consider the bigger picture, including training load, mobility, strength, sleep, stress, fueling, hormones, and previous injuries. I’ll also walk you through how I decide when to modify running, how much pain may be okay during recovery, and why complete rest usually isn’t the answer. The goal is not just to get you out of pain, but to help your body become stronger and better able to handle the demands of running long term.
00:00 Understanding Running Pain and Injury
03:00 The EAT Framework: Evaluate, Assess, and Treat
06:00 Understanding Your Pain Story
08:00 Running Injuries and Your Training Load11:00 Sleep, Stress, Fueling, and Recovery
00:16:00 Pain and Injury Red Flags
18:00 Screening for Bone Stress Injuries
22:00 Testing Mobility, Stability, and Strength
26:00 Assessing What Needs to Be Addressed First
29:00 Making Your Nervous System Feel Safe
32:00 How Much Pain Is Okay?
33:00 The 24-Hour Rule
35:00 Mobility, Stability, and Strength
40:00 Modifying Your Running During Recovery
43:00 When to Return to Running
45:00 Fixing the Root Cause
47:00 Building Your Body’s Capacity to Handle More Load
49:00 What’s Next in the Injury Series
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Don't forget: The information on this website is not intended to treat or diagnose any medical condition or to provide medical advice. It is intended for general education in the areas of health and wellness. All information contained in this site is intended to be educational in nature. Nothing should be considered medical advice for your specific situation.
