Injured Runner

 

There are two types of running injuries. 

• Stress Injuries - These are the most common. There are people just predisposed to running injuries and those who get their trading balance wrong by running too much at tempo or faster and not enough slow and easy. I personally can count on one hand the number of stress related injuries in my years of running. 
• Impact Injuries - these are less common. Trail runners get them often when they hit a rock, root or anything else at an odd angle and hit the dirt. For me it takes two hands and maybe more to count the number times I have been injured this way. 

The picture shows my latest one. I was in Tennessee helping our son and his wife move to North Carolina. We had eaten dinner and watched a movie when my son said “Dad, do you want to go for a run?” By the time we got to the parking lot where we would run it was almost 9:30 pm. We headed out down a a bike path without lights (Next time I will choose to wear a light). The trail lead into the dense forest where it was just the two of us and the bugs that frequent the dark. We were having a glorious run, just chatting about life. We hit the turn around at close to 3 miles and headed back. There were two obstacles on the path. There was a bridge and at each end there was a poll in the middle ensuring nobody would drive a car on the bridge. That was it, stay in the middle of the path and all would be good until the polls. Early after the turn around I some how ended up on the left edge of the path. Without warning, my left foot hit the edge of the path which was raised 3-5 inches off the ground. My ankle gave way and like a rag doll I went down. 

I twist my ankle often enough to know I bend but rarely enough to hobble me. I got right up and started walking. My son told me not to rush it. I walked a bit and although I knew it wasn’t minor I started running. It felt ok over the final 2.8 miles but by the end of was throbbing really good. Aside from that I was bleeding down my right leg and left hand. Later I would find road rash on the front of my right hip. 

I was partially right on this one. I did bend and for sure did not break any thing and also did not snap any tendons or ligaments. What I did do was heavily strain the lateral side from my foot to just above the ankle bone. 

By Wednesday morning as I helped load the U Hall (that I drove to NC) my foot ankle and calf swelled to almost tripped their normal size. Over the next 4 days and we work driving and finally unloading the truck all I could do was manage the amount of swelling. 

Home now I can feel the healing process at work. In general I heal fast. Only time will tell how fast from this one. 

It was a dumb mistake on my part. That said I would not change a thing about it. The opportunity to run with my son far outweighs the pain in my ankle. If he asked me to run today with my ankle the way it is I would go. I am grateful every chance I have to run with him.