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Summary
On episode 51 of 40+ Fitness, Coach Allan breaks down how to tell the difference between normal training discomfort and a real injury, and what to do about each one.
He walks through the muscle burn and soreness (DOMS) that come with normal training, the running “stitch,” and common injuries like shin splints, pulled muscles, and flat foot, then gives clear guidelines on when to train through something and when to see a doctor.
Links
- https://40plusfitness.com
Key Takeaways
- Muscle burn during training is normal, good pain, not injury. Working a muscle tears the fiber down slightly, and with the right protein and rest the body rebuilds it stronger, so the burn you feel is a sign the process is working.
- DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) is common, especially early on, and generally needs about 72 hours to resolve. Allan tells clients over 40 to give a heavily worked muscle roughly three days of recovery, though soreness can occasionally linger past that without being a problem.
- A running “stitch” comes from a breathing and stride mismatch, not an injury. The sharp side pain happens when the diaphragm’s rhythm falls out of sync with your running stride; slowing down and refocusing on breathing settles it, then you can build pace back up.
- Real injuries like flat foot, shin splints, and pulled muscles need to be treated differently than normal soreness. Continuing to train through these, especially repetitive-stress injuries like plantar issues or shin splints, risks making the damage worse.
- Explosive, dynamic movements carry a higher risk of pulled muscles than slow, controlled training. Allan says sprinting, jumping, and moves like a power clean carry more pulled-muscle risk than a slow jog or basic lifting without big dynamic movement.
- Minor injuries can be self-treated, but wounds need airflow to heal. Cuts, scrapes, bruises, and minor sprains generally respond to cleaning, rest, ice, and elevation, and Allan warns against sealing a wound under plastic since it needs air to heal properly.
- Use a simple rule to judge severity: if it’s clearly serious, get medical care right away; if it’s uncertain, give it a couple of days and watch how your body responds. That short observation window helps separate something you can manage yourself from something that needs a professional.
- The recovery path for a real injury runs doctor, then physical therapist, then trainer or coach. The doctor stops the injury from progressing and sets direction, the PT rehabs you back to function, and a trainer or coach then helps modify and rebuild your training safely.
- “No pain, no gain” is only half true. Allan’s summary: challenging your muscles is necessary, but so is the rest, recovery, and nutrition on the other side of that challenge, and getting both right is what actually builds fitness.
“We’ve heard no pain, no gain, but that’s only half true.”
Coach Allan