I apologize if this is a bit esoteric. Due to vagaries of my excretory system, I'm prone to the occasional anal abscess, basically a swelling around the anus that's itchy and painful to the touch. They develop and disappear within about a week. The catch is that I was starting to get up to a decent 5k pace lately and the last time I ran with an abscess, it got much worse for a few days, presumably because it was getting rubbed by the repetitive motion. I'd prefer not to take time off, particularly since sometimes this does last weeks. I'm using a cream to reduce swelling, but I would appreciate any input on how I could reduce the impact of the running on my ailment.

I found some useful advice at How to run with hemorrhoids?, but it largely seemed to be about preventing hemorrhoids rather than how to cope with them.

I apologize if this is a bit esoteric. Due to vagaries of my excretory system, I'm prone to the occasional anal abscess, basically a swelling around the anus that's itchy and painful to the touch. They develop and disappear within about a week. The catch is that I was starting to get up to a decent 5k pace lately and the last time I ran with an abscess, it got much worse for a few days, presumably because it was getting rubbed by the repetitive motion. I'd prefer not to take time off, particularly since sometimes this does last weeks. I'm using a cream to reduce swelling, but I would appreciate any input on how I could reduce the impact of the running on my ailment.

I found some useful advice at How to run with hemorrhoids?, but it largely seemed to be about preventing hemorrhoids rather than how to cope with them.