Why Injured Runners Should Just Say No to Needles

One of my greatest pieces of advice for injured runners is to ALWAYS REMAIN CONSERVATIVE in managing any running related injury. In all the years I've been working with injured runners, a needle has never played a decisive role in expediting an injured runner's return to training and racing. Furthermore, in nearly all cases in which an injured runner has gone against my professional advice and opted to receive an injection, it has only made their situation worse while prolonging an otherwise timely recovery by engendering the false notion that it's safe to train simply because the pain may have subsided. I'm writing this post specifically because in just this last week, I have spoken to three runners, who elected to receive a corticosteroid injection and are still dealing with the adverse effects and sequelae of this intervention and still are unable to run. While favorable research by Gunter and colleagues does exist pertaining to the use of corticosteroid injections in managing symptoms associated with recent onset Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITBS), this study only assessed runners at 7 and 14 days following the intervention so no definitive conclusions can be drawn. Although I fully appreciate that being sidelined by injury isn't fun, never opt for a needle as a viable fix to address a running related injury. Rather, take the time to connect with a running injury expert, who can systematically evaluate you and get to the root of the problem. In the event this message is getting to you late and you have already received an injection for a running related injury, please make sure to afford at least 4-6 weeks before you even entertain the idea of running considering the iatrogenic effects of an injection. My ultimate goal is to help you make better decisions to foster a healthy running career while protecting you from yourself.