Today on the Doc On The Run Podcast we’re talking about the 3 reasons I love working with injured runners.
I was just invited to give a lecture at the International Foot & Ankle Foundation’s 42nd Seattle Seminar. This is a medical conference where Sports medicine podiatrist and foot and ankle surgeons get their continuing medical education. I was asked to give a lecture entitled “Potential Complications of Returning Athletes Back to Activity After Injury.”
At the end of the day there was a question and answer period for all of the instructors and panelists. The very last question of the entire weekend seminar was directed to me. The question that the doctor in the audience asked was…
“Dr. Segler…How can you work with injured runners all day?”
The truth is all doctors have difficulties they have to accept as a component of their chosen practice.
I don’t understand how cancer doctors can look patients in the eye all day long and tell them they’re going to die of cancer.
I don’t understand how some doctors to treat diabetic patients and have to watch them decline when those patients just won’t follow directions.
And some doctors don’t understand how I can work with runners because it seems like runners really just want to keep running.
But the fact is I do like working with runners. And it really boils down to three specific reasons:
1. I understand running is an essential activity. Your entire view of the day, the world, your life can change in a single run.
2. Being injured with an overtraining injury does not always mean you have to stop running. Telling you so is a cop out. It isn’t fair. It is lazy.
I have spent many years trying to figure out how athletes with specific types of over training injuries can continue training and maintaining their fitness without making the injury worse.
I have watched athletes who have stress fractures PR in Ironman races. I’ve worked with athletes who have landed on the podium in state championships. That doesn’t me if you get injured you’re going to be stronger but you will have a new challenge in front of you.
Working with runners who want to figure out how to get past those challenges and still succeed it is certainly gratifying.
3. I like to see hope grow. It is a privilege to work with healthy, motivated thoughtful patients who happen to like to run.
No matter where you are, and no matter what stage of athletic training you are in, if you are a runner, you deserve to have help that is actually helpful to you! Telling you to NOT run is not really helpful in most cases.
So whatever you do when you’re injured, make sure that you get help from someone who understands who you are, what is important to you and how you can continue to improve, heal and get stronger so you really can achieve your running goals.
If it seems like your doctor doesn’t understand how to do that it doesn’t mean your doctor isn’t a good doctor.
It just means you need a different doctor with a different perspective.
Pain is the best tool to help an injured runner decide when run. You don’t have to figure out what to write down. We made a simple Pain Journal PDF for you.
To print out your copy of the pain journal, Download here:
If you have a question that you would like answered as a future addition of the Doc On The Run Podcast, send it to me PodcastQuestion@docontherun.com. And then make sure you join me for the next edition of the Doc On The Run Podcast!
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