Prehab vs Rehab for Runners and Lifters: How to Train Smarter, Move Better, and Stay Pain-Free

That tight spot in your low back that flares after long runs.
The hip that always feels “off” no matter how much you stretch.
The ache you write off as “just getting older” even though you know better.

It’s not quite an injury. But it’s also not nothing.

For most athletes—especially masters and menopausal athletes—this is the zone we live in. Just functional enough to train, just uncomfortable enough to be frustrated.
So we stretch. Foam roll. Pop in for massage. Maybe hit up the chiropractor.
Sometimes it helps. Sometimes it doesn’t.
But rarely does it solve the issue.

And here’s why:

Doing the right thing at the wrong time can still keep you stuck.

What you might be missing is knowing when to use prehab, when to switch into rehab, and how to use recovery tools and training modifications to actually build long-term durability.

Let’s break it down.

What Is Prehab, Really?

Let’s get one thing straight: prehab isn’t just stretching. And it’s not something you start after you’ve been hurt.

Prehab is proactive care. It’s the movement, mobility, and strength work you do to build joint control, fix asymmetries, and keep your body resilient. It targets imbalances before they become flare-ups.

Think:

• Controlled mobility (like Jefferson curls or 90/90 hip mobility)

• Low-load stability (like deadbugs or banded glute bridges)

• Symmetry-focused strength (single-leg work, offset carries)

It’s often subtle. Sometimes boring. Almost always skipped when life gets busy.
But it’s what keeps you training consistently without chasing pain around your body.

So What’s Rehab Then?

Rehab is reactive care. It’s what you do when something already hurts, your body is compensating, and you need to reduce irritation before you rebuild.

Rehab isn’t about aggressive fixes or just taking time off.
It’s about:

• Calming the system

• Restoring trust in movement

• Reintroducing load without reinforcing dysfunction

You’re in a rehab phase when:

• Pain lingers for more than 48 hours

• Daily life is affected (sleep, walking, sitting, stairs)

• Movement feels guarded, compressed, or unsteady

• The same issue keeps coming back—no matter what you stretch

The rehab window is when your body is asking for a reset. If you ignore it and push through, it will usually ask louder next time.

Where Athletes Get Stuck: The Gray Zone

Most athletes don’t know whether they’re prehabbing or rehabbing—they just know something feels off.
So they stretch tight areas. Foam roll what hurts. Book the occasional massage.
And they wonder why they never feel fully right.

That’s the trap: we treat symptoms instead of patterns.
Relief feels good, but relief without reinforcement leads to recurrence.

If you keep chasing tension without addressing the underlying movement, your body just finds a new way to compensate.
Which brings us to...

Doing Both, Smarter

The best athletes don’t rely on just one tool.
They learn how to pivot between prehab and rehab as needed—and they train accordingly.

1. Know Your Phase

Be honest about where you’re at.
Pain or instability = rehab.
Tightness or imbalance = prehab.

2. Use the Right Tools at the Right Time

• Rehab: breath work, positional resets, low-load strength

• Prehab: banded activation, single-leg work, controlled mobility

3. Pay Attention to Patterns

Flare-ups after hills? Stiffness after sleeping? One-sided discomfort during squats? These are breadcrumbs. Follow them back to the root.

How Chi Running Keeps You Moving Through Rehab

One of the most powerful tools I teach athletes—especially runners—is how to stay moving without making a flare-up worse.
And that’s where Chi Running changes the game.

Chi Running is a form-focused running method that blends movement efficiency with body awareness. It draws from Tai Chi principles (Chi meaning life-force energy) to reduce impact, improve posture, and eliminate unnecessary tension while running.

When pain flares up—especially in the low back, SI joint, or hips—you don’t always have to stop running. You just need to change how you run.

Chi Running Supports the Rehab Process by:

• Helping You Keep a Neutral Pelvis: Reduces shearing and compression forces on the lumbar spine.

• Teaching You to Lean from the Ankles: Minimizes braking forces and ground impact.

• Encouraging a Shortened Stride and Midfoot Landing: Lessens jarring on sensitive joints and tissues.

• Reinforcing Cadence Awareness: Prevents overstriding and encourages smooth, low-impact movement.

It’s not about running through pain. It’s about creating conditions where movement feels safe again.
That’s how you keep training while your body rebuilds.

Bonus: Chi Running Reinforces Prehab Work Too

The stability and alignment work you do in prehab? It shows up in your form when you run with intention.
So Chi Running doesn’t just help you get through rehab—it also makes your strength and mobility work more functional out on the road or trail.

It becomes a feedback loop: better movement creates better training. Better training reinforces better movement.
That’s how you get durable.

Where Recovery Tools Fit In (and What They Don’t Do)

This is the stuff we all love: massage, CBD, Epsom salt baths, chiro, cupping, foam rolling, massage guns. And yes—these tools are helpful.
But they’re not solutions on their own.

They give you relief. Your job is to follow that up with reinforcement.

Let’s break them down:

Manual Therapy (A.R.T., Graston, Cupping, Chiro)

• A.R.T.: Breaks up tissue adhesions

• Graston: Stimulates blood flow and reduces neural tension

• Cupping: Decompresses fascia

• Sports Chiropractic: Restores joint alignment

Use these to create space. Then fill that space with smart movement.

Passive Recovery (CBD, Epsom Baths, Heat/Ice)

• CBD Cream: Reduces localized pain signals

• Epsom Bath: Relaxes tissue and supports magnesium absorption

• Heat/Ice: Calms inflammation and modulates pain

Use these to feel better. Then move better.

Activation Tools (Bands, Foam Rollers, Peanuts)

• Resistance bands: Great for re-patterning

• Foam rollers/peanuts: Prep tissue for movement or help it settle after

Use these as bridges between relief and performance.

Quick Reference Table: When to Use What

Prehab Builds the Buffer. Rehab Restores the Trust.

You don’t have to wait until you’re sidelined to take better care of your body.
You just need a plan that respects where you are right now.

Relief is valuable—but without reinforcement, it fades fast.
Strength is powerful—but without stability and awareness, it breaks down under pressure.
Movement is medicine—but only when you use the right dose at the right time.

When you layer all of these pieces together—smart rehab, consistent prehab, and form work like Chi Running—you stop chasing injuries and start building durability.

Want Help Putting This Together?

This is the exact work I do with athletes every day—especially those navigating hormonal shifts, age-related changes, and the realities of still wanting to push while doing things smarter.

If you're looking for a custom prehab + rehab toolkit, help troubleshooting a recurring issue, or a coaching plan that actually respects where your body’s at, I’ve got you.

Coaching + Training plan options can be found here.