Pace Setter : April 2026

Can I run through this?

Can I run through this? By Megan James, PT DPT, USATF-L2 Immersion PT, PLLC

If you’re reading this article, it’s probably because you (a) are a runner; (b) live/work/are friends with someone who’s a runner; or (c) coach or work with runners in some professional capacity. Given that, you probably know that runners can be … enthusiastic :) about their running; which means you probably also know that injured runners are not very fun to be around. So let’s dive into the question that I hear from just about every patient: “can I run through this?”

An injury occurs when load exceeds capacity. Load is the strain on our tissues and entire system; looking at metrics like volume, intensity, frequency clues us into the total load. Capacity is our body’s tolerance for load, including our prior histories & medical conditions, nutrition, sleep, external stressors, strength & mobility deficits. Running injuries are multifactorial, meaning we can rarely point to one specific thing and confidently say “yes that was it!”; however, prior injury and inadequate recovery consistently come up as the two highest predictors of future injury.

Generally speaking, we can sort our running injuries into two buckets: soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments), and bone. Soft tissues tend to respond better when they have some load applied – this load is what stimulates healing and adaptation, by improving circulation and allowing for the tissue to repair and rebuild. With an active injury, we will likely need to modify the load by altering our training and incorporating rehab strategies, which is where a physical therapist / chiropractor / athletic trainer comes into play.  But this injury, at its root, will likely not go away simply by resting it. So to answer this question: YES, soft tissue injuries are generally run-able, with some modifications. Bones, on the other hand, need time to “catch up” and require an immediate de-loading period. If you or your healthcare provider suspect a bone injury, running is off the table until it’s ruled out (via MRI, not just an x-ray). The return to running timeline varies widely based on the location and grade of bone injury, as well as the individual athlete profile with consideration for nutritional status, sleep habits, stress, and hormones (note: women and men can have hormonal disruptions!). Answer: NO, you can not (should not) run through this type of injury.

I like to use the “traffic light” approach for determining when it’s time to seek more care with a potential injury.

●      Green = good to go: pain <2/10 & doesn’t linger, minimal (or no) disruption to training, transient/sporadic. Keep it on the backburner to monitor.

●      Yellow = proceed with caution: pain 3-5/10 and returns to baseline within 24 hours; no change to stride; symptoms may change with speed, terrain, etc. This is a good time to check in with a rehab professional, especially if it’s been more than a few days, as modifications are going to be your friend here.

●      Red = stop: pain >6/10 or continues beyond 24 hours; noticeable change in your stride; pain at rest, with daily activities, or waking you up at night; or you suspect a bone injury. You definitely want to reach out to a healthcare provider if you are here.

If you are unsure, consult a healthcare provider, ideally one who is athlete-oriented – bonus points if they’re specifically runner-oriented! An athlete-oriented provider will explore all of the variables with you, and do their best to keep you running if it is safe to do so. Missing a few days while you sort things out and determine the best course of action will not derail your training … but pressing on when something doesn’t feel right could take you out for longer. It never hurts to explore things and find answers!

Megan James, PT DPT, USATF-L2 Immersion PT, PLLC is a physical therapist and coach. To learn more reach out megan@ptimmersion.net or visit www.ptimmersion.net