As runners, there’s nothing more frustrating than an injury that stops you from doing what you love every day. Injuries can come in all shapes and sizes, but they generally fall into two categories. The first—and by far the most common—are overuse injuries, which happen when we push too hard, too soon. The second type is acute injuries, like sprained ankles. Today, we’re focusing on overuse injuries. Rather than diving into rehab specifics, we’ll talk about how to tune into your body’s signals, so you can get back to running smarter and stronger, overcoming the all too common overuse injury cycle!
Case Study: The chronic twinge and the pain-weakness-injury cycle
Picture this: You’re out for a run, and that tiny twinge in your calf you’ve been ignoring suddenly forces you to stop. You rest for three days, and when it feels better, you lace up again. Everything seems fine, but then the pain creeps back. You take a full week off this time, and when you return to running, you feel great—for a while. But then, the pain comes back worse than before. Sound familiar?
This is the classic pain-weakness-injury cycle that so many runners find themselves stuck in when dealing with overuse injuries. You run until something hurts, so you rest. When you finally feel better, you go back to running. But even though the pain’s gone, the tissue is now weaker than it was before, and eventually, the pain returns. Resting doesn’t mean you’re ready to run again—it just means you’ve hit pause on the problem. Breaking this cycle is the goal, and the secret lies in gradually reintroducing movement without overdoing it. The challenge is finding that sweet spot, and let’s be honest—no one knows your body better than you.
What to do next?
Let’s take a look at this “Goldilocks” dilemma with three different runs.
In Scenario A, you head out for a one-hour run. Your calf feels a bit tight for the first ten minutes, but then it loosens up and you finish pain-free. A few hours later, though, it stiffens up, and the next day the pain is worse than ever. That’s a clear sign you pushed too hard.
In Scenario B, you keep it super safe and only run for 20 minutes. You feel fine both during the run and the next day. But while this cautious approach keeps you pain-free, it doesn’t do much to help you move forward.
In Scenario C, you run for 45 minutes. You feel a little soreness afterward, but it’s nothing major, and you’re not limping. The next day, you wake up feeling back to normal.
Scenario A was definitely too much, and you’re now facing more downtime to recover. Conversely, Scenario B kept you safe, but it’s not helping you make any real progress. Scenario C, though, is the sweet spot for breaking the injury cycle. You gave your calf just enough of a challenge to help it adapt, without causing more harm.
Keys to managing overuse injuries effectively
The trick here is to introduce a little stress to the injured area. Your body needs to know that a bit of discomfort is okay—it doesn’t mean you’re about to get hurt again. After an injury, your pain response can get overly sensitive. This doesn’t mean the pain is “all in your head.” It means your body is trying to protect you, so it sends pain signals before you’ve done any actual damage. If you can learn to navigate those warning signals without triggering a full-blown injury, your body will start to trust the process again. However, if you stop running at the first sign of pain, you teach your body that’s what it’s supposed to do. By interpreting those signals correctly and easing back into running the right way, you’ll find that your pain-free running time starts getting longer and longer.
When to seek professional help
That said, if your calf is still acting up after every run, it’s a sign that something’s not quite right. Instead of just hoping the pain will go away, or resting endlessly, it’s time to add something new to help your calf handle running better. This is where a coach can be a huge help. They can suggest simple exercises that target those problem areas—muscles and tendons that need a little extra support. It doesn’t take much—just a few minutes of specific work each day can make a huge difference in how well your body handles the demands of running.
And if you’ve tried all this and the pain just won’t go away, it’s time to see a professional. A physical therapist or chiropractor who specializes in working with runners can help you get to the bottom of the issue and give you a plan that’s tailored to your body’s needs.
Don’t let overuse injuries steal your joy for running—listen to your body, trust the process, and you’ll get back on track.
Guy Love is a coach with Team RunRun based in Boulder, CO. He is a long time ultramarathon runner and physical therapist assistant here to coach the whole athlete on the roads and trails.