"Don't Be So Nosy"

A dear friend of mine ask me to blog about this because it is an area of concern for that person.  The question posed was, "If someone [just recently] fractured their nose, could they run in a half-marathon?"  I don't think many of us are concerned with this because most people haven't been afflicted with this problem; however, this is important information for the "just in case" in life. 

  According to Milo Dakota, whose work encompasses articles in the "Journal of the American Medical Society" and has won several accolades with The New York Times," it is critical to avoid exercise for six weeks after receiving treatment for a broken nose -- this includes rhinoplasty surgery.  If you have fractured your nose but it is not serious enough to require surgery, she suggests to seek advice from your doctor before starting to go back to your exercise regime.

Now if you are me -- bullheaded and stubborn -- I would suggest giving your nose a test run before trying to accomplish such a daunting feat.  See what your nose feels like with heaving breathing; check for any unwanted mucous drainage.  Start with a one-mile run, then jump to a three.  If all is well, you should be good for a half.  

I have checked some running forums to see what other people have experienced and the consensus seems to be that whether you broke or fractured your nose, you may experience a difference in your breathing.  None of the posters really elaborated on that so I can't give much more info. 

For all the followers, I will check up with the person that asked me the question and find out what type of sensations -- if any -- he or she experiences during the run and I will post them in the comment section.

So to all you runners:  be careful!  :-)