When is it Bad to Run with Pain?

We've all seen the images of marathon runners grimacing and potentially collapsing at finish lines. While pushing through pain is sometimes celebrated, it raises the question for everyday runners: should they stop if experiencing pain while running?

Know the Difference

As sports medicine physicians treating varied patients from elite runners to casual joggers, we address this question frequently. The key is understanding the difference between normal exercise discomfort and pain that signals a potential injury.

Normal exercise discomfort — the burning sensation in your muscles during a hard effort, general fatigue, or mild soreness — is typically safe to push through. This type of discomfort usually resolves shortly after you stop or reduce your effort.

When to Stop

However, sharp or sudden pain, pain that causes you to alter your gait, pain that gets progressively worse during your run, or pain that persists after you stop running are all warning signs that something more serious may be going on. In these cases, it's important to stop running and seek evaluation from a sports medicine professional.

Running through injury pain can turn a minor issue into a major one, potentially sidelining you for much longer than if you had addressed it early.