Does Pain while Training Mean it’s Time to Stop? – Part 1

Exercise can hurt for a variety of reasons – some are nothing to worry about, and others are a sign to stop immediately. The trick is to know the difference, to know when to quit and when to push on. Part of this knowledge comes from experience.

With regular training, you will get to know what feels ‘normal’ for you, and what kind of discomfort you don’t need to worry, and more importantly, you’ll learn when something new or different comes along that may be a sign to stop.

Learn To Train Differently

Many people – it seems like a lot of runners – get used to regular twinges and aches. I had a form of compartment syndrome that caused me shin pain when running – I could tolerate it for a while, I soon learned for how long, and I knew it would go away when I stopped. I simply adapted my training to cope, until I could get a surgical correction. I didn’t stop training; I just learned to train differently.

Many people are the same. They have old injuries that ache, pains that ‘go away’ when they get warmed up, and they are accustomed to pushing on through stomach cramps, stiffness, sore shins, or even blisters. Over time, all active people build up a few of these little niggling troubles, and most adapt to keep on training.

That said, you still need to know how these old aches behave so you know if they are getting worse. Any old pain that gets suddenly worse or different needs to be checked out.

When Exercising, Any Sudden, New or Different Pain Could Be a Sign of Injury

When Exercising, Any Sudden, New or Different Pain Could Be a Sign of Injury

Know When To Stop!

Any severe or debilitating pain always means stop, especially if it connected with chest pain, sudden headache, numbness, or difficulty breathing. If you simply can’t keep going, every step hurts, or you feel dizzy, STOP! See your doctor, and get yourself checked out. It may be nothing to worry about – you may be fine, but it’s better to get an expert opinion.

If you started a training session when you knew you weren’t feeling well, such as if you have a cold or recently been sick, don’t overdo it. You may have felt okay at the start, but your body will tell you if you’ve gone too far.

If you’ve recently been unwell, it’s wise to be more sensitive to discomfort, and be prepared to quit sooner than you otherwise would.

Not only would pushing on risk serious immediate consequences, you are likely to aggravate, reinstate, or prolong your illness. With minor head colds, you can probably keep training, but tone it down or stay close to home just in case you aren’t as healthy as you think you are!

Any sudden, new or different pain could be a sign of injury. Even minor injuries, with mild pain that you probably could endure long enough to finish a session could turn into much longer term or serious injuries if you keep going. A sharp twinge in a tendon or ligament, even if it goes away, is still a warning sign, and you should stop training until you get it checked out.

Sudden sharp pains from muscle, tendons, ligaments, or bones should be seen to as soon as possible. The commonest form of treatment is R.I.C.E. which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. If swelling or pain persists, or bruising or other visible signs of serious injury persist, get it seen by a doctor. Take it from me – I had what seemed like a cramp in my calf that turned out to be a muscle tear – I finished my run, made it worse, and ended up taking two months off. If I’d only stopped early and iced it, I might have been back to training after only a few days.

Now you know when pain is a sign to stop – but what about pain that is just a normal part of fitness training? How do you recognize that, and how do you deal with it? See my next post in this series “Does Pain while Training Mean it’s Time to Stop? – Part 2″ for advice!