Let's face it, runners are odd ducks. We wake up early to log more miles than most of our counterparts may see on their feet all week long. And we do it often enough that staying on top of our recovery is a must. Even when you stay on top of your necessary "to-do's" to stay injury free, things can still happen. What if you woke up one day and felt a bit of a niggle? You know, that muscle that is kind of tight, loosens up after a while, and can be annoying most of the time. Yea, that's a niggle.

A niggle can be described as a mild pain or discomfort that doesn't keep you from running. Basically, a niggle is  a warning sign before it turns into a full blown injury. So, what does a niggle look like?

It can be a tight or sore muscle that just doesn't seem to go away. Does it keep you from running? No. Is it annoying? Yes. Does it need some extra love and TLC? It sure does. Is it consistent? Typically no, but it can be.

So what are some things you can do to help treat your annoying niggle?

1. Keep up with your mobility work. Muscles can get sore and achy, workout after workout. If you don't keep them moving with stretching and mobility work, soreness can turn into stiffness and make the situation worse.
2. Heat or ice. If you notice that you might have some swelling, ice is going to be your go-to treatment. Heat will help increase blood flow to the affected area, promoting quicker healing.
3. Replace one run a week with an extra strength workout! When your body is aggravated from a particular activity (running), it's a good idea to swap those miles for an extra strength session that will likely help you return to running stronger than you are right now. Remember, a strong body is able to run longer, faster, and without pain!
4. Use your recovery tools! If you have access to recovery boots, a massage gun, lacrosse ball, or anything else that can help aid your recovery, USE IT! Don't let these items collect dust. Make sure you're utilizing these tools to give your body the best chance at recovery.
5. Take a few days off. There's this common misconception that if you miss a run multiple days in a row, you're going to lose fitness really quickly. And that simply isn't true. To really lose fitness, you need to take off close to 3 weeks. By giving your body a few days of no activities, this can allow fatigue to leave the body and recovery to truly begin.

If your discomfort turns into pain and none of these remedies seem to be helping, it might be time to seek help from a professional. Visiting a running technique specialist or a physical therapist can be a great option to get your niggle checked out. Remember, the last thing you want is an injury. Keep yourself healthy and address any issues you might have sooner than later!