I’m not acquainted with how the old (16th century) Scandinavian root of this word –niggle – evolved to mean a near-injury or discomfort for us athletes. However the evolution was, there is nothing uncertain about what the Sports Injury Bulletin labels a niggle:
“a cute word designed to diminish the importance of what the body is telling an athlete so that they will return the field. Make no mistake; niggles are injuries. When an athlete reports a niggle, it means …discomfort, pain, or the inability to execute…”
This same bulletin advises, “The prevalence of (an individual’s) niggles is 20-40% in most sports…” I suspect that the percentage of niggles for weekend warriors and recreational athletes may be on a par, or even higher, than for the higher-level athletes cited on this Sports Bulletin.
I also commend to you this fine article about the differences between chronic injuries and our subject niggles.
Are there downsides to “playing through” discomfort? Ya sure, you betcha. In perfect worlds, you shouldn’t listen to throwback adages like “pain is fatigue leaving your body.” You should listen to the resounding quote of John Wayne who asserted that life is tough enough without being stupid. Period.
As I often pen, surround yourself with resources and become a student of your endeavor. Addressal of niggles is such a time to tap those supporters around you, “Physios and trainers are keenly positioned to play a role in injury prevention by identifying and managing niggling injuries when they first appear.”
Don’t wait! I speak experientially that trying to row through an elbow niggle resulted in 4 months of physical therapy.
You may not be aware of how long some muscle niggles or tissue injuries take to heal. Please take a gander at these lengthy healing timelines – – –
| Tissue types: | Range of time for healing: |
| Muscle | Grade I: 2-4 weeks Grade II: 8-16 week Grade III: 9-12 Months |
| Tendon | Acute: 2-6 weeks Sub-acute: 2-4 Months Chronic: 3-9 Months Surgical repair/Tear or rupture: 4-12 months |
| Bone | 6-12 weeks |
| Ligaments | Grade I: 2-8 weeks Grade II:2-6 Months Grade III: 6-12 month ACL Graft: 12+ months |
| Cartilage | 9-24 months |
| Nerve | Regrowth rate: 3-4 mm/day |
In closing for today, howz about a flash of the obvious from the Physio Company that I cited earlier in this inevitable post?
“when it comes to your health, if you’re unsure, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.” Period.