A few days ago I posted about all the lovely, useful people there are in the world who are really good to talk to when you’ve got a running injury. Today, I redress the balance with the people best avoided.
1. GP.
It’s a terrible thing to say, but I’ve never actually had much joy with my GP when I’ve been injured. Their advice has been so general, it was next to useless – ‘rest’ being the main recommendation. They’ve not actually understood the referral processes to the physiotherapy service, and so have falsely raised my hopes and wasted both my time and the physiotherapist’s. And their prescriptions sometimes felt more like a token gesture so I’d leave the consulting room, rather than an effective treatment. That’s purely my own personal experience, and apologies to all the brilliant GPs out there, but that’s how it’s been so far.
2. Running Friends.
Are at least as ill-informed as you are, and their suggestions can range from inappropriate to downright damaging. If I’d only gone to a qualified professional physio or podiatrist when I first injured this ankle of mine back in January, rather than taking a friends advice to ice it, rest a day or so, then run through any ongoing pain… Well, I might not be in the state I am, and I might’ve been fit to run two marathons as planned this year, instead of the big fat zero I’m left with.
3. Running Shop Staff.
Some running shops are staffed with your bog-standard, non-running sales staff, who don’t give a damn about your injury but do give a damn about selling you something, anything, right this minute while you’re in the shop. Be careful, or you could get palmed off with any old rubbish.
4. Podiatrists and Physios.
This is a stretch, but there are a tiny minority who aren’t that great at their job… Try to find one who’s recommended and has good reviews from local runners/sporty types who’re in-the-know, so you don’t waste your time and money on a sub-par professional. Plus, certainly among NHS physios and podiatrists, waiting lists can be so long and prioritising so brutal, that it’ll take months to get an appointment anyway.
Who would you advise to steer clear of if you’ve got an injury? Has anyone ever tried to help, but actually made your injury worse rather than better?
Image by kirainpdx
