Running Injuries

Runners have the tendency to allow their running injuries to build up over time until they become serious and take them out of the sport. Sideline running injuries with sports Chiropractic care. When we adjust patients mechanics throughout their training we can keep them reaching towards their running goals. Regular Chiropractic adjustments to the spine and nerve system allows the body to recover quicker as well, naturally.

Your body has an amazing ability to adapt which a runner can identify with being able to run further and faster over time. In order to accomplish this the body needs repetition, perseverance, and time to change and to meet your running demands and goals. If your body running mechanics are off even slightly, the compounding impact will start to take shape as the miles are added up. These mechanical faults may not be noticed when not running, but when looking for performance from your body over many miles they will start to impact you.  The impact on your running can be in speed, distance, efficiency, or injury.

Spine

Subluxations in the spine, nerve system, and pelvis are common hindering factors to running injuries and performance. Chiropractors are specially trained to identify and adjust subluxations in your spine and nerve system. All too often, a person’s running goals will be put aside due to injury. Being sidelined because of injury could have been avoided if they had just addressed subluxations in their spine and nerve system throughout their training.

Sacroiliac Joints

A common subluxation which impacts runners is in the sacroiliac joints of the pelvis. These joints connect the sacrum with the ilium and make up the pelvis. There is only a few degrees of motion at these joints, but if that small amount of movement is lost, restricted, or subluxated – running and healing performance is greatly decreased. Fortunately, Chiropractors are experts at treating this common running problem and can even identify it before a runner is forced to stop running because of pain.

Shin Splints

Shin splints are characterized by pain along the front / side of the lower leg and are usually developed through pushing your legs beyond what they are ready for with improper biomechanics in poor shoes. We talked about the body having an amazing ability to adapt earlier. If you push your body beyond what it is capable, it will stop you dead in your tracks with an injury like shin splints. This injury will sideline you as it becomes increasingly painful. Address this running injury prior to it occurring by:

• Working with a Chiropractor on the biomechanics of your spine, pelvis, legs, and feet.
• Get proper running shoes for the running you are doing.
• Work with a foot specialist like a Chiropodist to get orthotics specially made to support your foot mechanics.
• Stretch your lower leg muscles when you are warmed up

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is essentially wear and tear throughout time on your joints. This can happen to any joint in the body. With runners we tend to see this occur through the knees and hips. Just because you are a runner does not mean you will get osteoarthritis. Actually, running can help minimize your chance of getting osteoarthritis. It is my opinion that there are many factors that will contribute to potentially running into osteoarthritis. These include:

• major injuries to the joint
• improper body mechanics or biomechanics
• not appreciating the time needed to heal through an injury
• not appreciating the time needed to recover from training
• and diet.

If you are a runner, you must appreciate your body and address the above points if you want to run long into your life.  Nothing can be done to change an injury in the past that has happened to your joints. But through Chiropractic care an incredible amount of good can be done to improve and address your biomechanics and running mechanics.  Some of these things include:

• regular Chiropractic check ups and adjustments to address the mechanical and neurological faults in your spine, pelvis, and legs (subluxations)
• one legged squats to fine tune your muscle control focusing on your foot, knee, and hip. These can be done in many different ways. For my chiropractic patients I teach them to make this a habit throughout their daily routines so that they are always improving their running mechanics. These can be done statically where no one would even notice you were practicing them if they saw you. But they can also be done with more intensity through jumping and landing on one leg to bending lower on the one leg. Remember that the focus is more on the mechanics of the movement than it is on the strength.
• Lunges also can help you practice your running mechanics. Remember to focus on the direction the knee is moving but to impact it you will need to address your foot and hip positioning.
• proper footwear with the help of a chiropodist to address and mechanical concerns through your foot, knee, hip, spine mechanics. This may include orthotics or maybe you just need a new pair of shoes. Remember that shoes do wear out! It is easier to replace them than your joints!

An important thing to know is that osteoarthritis impacts people differently and can affect you differently daily as well. Once you are aware that you have osteoarthritis, you must realize that just because there is no pain, does not mean that the problem is gone. Pain is an indicator to take action on your health, but is not the only indicator. By addressing your joint health through chiropractic care you can get the most out of your body well into the future. Proper maintenance will extend the life of your joints and allow you to accomplish more with your body.

Make Us Your Running Partners!

Your Chiropractor may not be able to run alongside you every mile, but that doesn’t mean the two of you can’t still be team!

Call our office today to schedule a full physical and learn how Chiropractic care can keep your body running at peak performance while avoiding being sidelined from your running injuries.

Dr. Callum Peever