So the other day I’m 5 miles in to a 15 mile run when my left foot smacks into the curb, bending my pinky toe backwards until it popped, cracked, and otherwise cause a great deal of shooting pain.
Wait, let me back up. I run barefoot or in minimalist footwear. On this particular day I was wearing my Vibram Bikila LS.
I was running a new route, taking in the sights, picking up quarters, and not really paying attention to what was going on. Anyway, I crossed a street in a residential area and that’s when I hit the curb and my toe went crack. It didn’t hurt all that bad so I went the distance.
At home, I slid off my VFF to assess the damage.
I remember my first track practice in high school. It was still winter, so my team ran laps on the hard cement around the school’s upper floor. The next morning, it felt like someone tore my shins out and replaced them with burning knives. I will never forget that feeling, and never run on cement again.
Runners are no strangers to injury. Every now and then, we feel a twist or a ding. If you feel intense pain, or see part of a bone sticking through your leg, you probably want to seek immediate medical attention. If your injury is not that severe, you can try this simple plan to treat minor injuries.
Ever take a pain reliever before running so you could dull the ache in your back or the pain in your leg? If you have, you probably took a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) as they are the most commonly used OTC medication; not just because they relieve pain, but because they decrease inflammation.