As the saying goes, "no pain, no gain". But this might not always be the best mindset when it comes to running, according to Dr Michael Soon, consultant orthopaedic surgeon of Atlas Orthopaedic Group at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.
"It's normal to have pain during a run," he said at the final running clinic for The Straits Times Run in the City 2016 at the Land Rover showroom at Leng Kee Road yesterday.
"If you can run through it for a few minutes and it goes away, that's fine. But if the pain gets worse, don't push it. There's no point. Live to fight another day."
With the ST Run in the City to take place two weeks from now, runners are entering the final phases of their training.
Medical experts believe it is important to follow proper running practices during the run itself to prevent injuries.
Said Dr Chua Soo Yong, consultant spine and orthopaedic surgeon at Atlas Orthopaedic Group: "Running posture is important. A lot of times when we get tired, we will start to hunch or slouch. So try to keep your posture correct when you are running so as to prevent erroneous loading on your spine, which could cause back issues."
While it is important to stay hydrated and wear proper shoes, runners should also ensure they are sufficiently prepared and physically able to take on the race.
Dr Soon added: "You need to be able to run two-thirds of the race distance comfortably before the race itself. For example, if you are taking part in the 10km category, you should be able to run 7km."
Both he and Dr Chua shared tips about common running injuries and methods to prevent them, as well as detailed some ways in which they can be treated.
The clinic, which was fully subscribed and attended by 50 people, was the fourth and final clinic before the ST Run flags off at the F1 Pit Building on May 22.
There was also a demonstration on sports taping techniques, and participants were shown some simple warm-up exercises.
Said participant Adeline Mah, 44, "I did try sports taping on my own by watching YouTube, but after watching the physiotherapist, I realised I have not been doing it very well. So the extra tips actually help a lot."
