Are you a runner? Are you concerned about wearing out your joints or that pain might stop you from running or exercising? Or, maybe the minor pain during your runs is getting worse and not better. Are you limiting your running miles or worse not running at all? Ever want to hit the trails or just go for a run around the neighborhood but are worried or frustrated about the pain it will cause
We find that nearly all the runners we treat for running injury at our Tallahassee physical therapy clinic have a specific hip muscle weakness. Unfortunately, this shows up in a long list of problems and types of running injuries that can result from this weakness including everything from plantar fasciitis, IT band syndrome, knee pain, runner’s knee, arch pain, Achilles-tendon issues, shin splints, and even hip and low-back pain. Many of these issues can get so painful and get bad so quickly that runners have to significantly limit their mileage or stop running altogether. But it doesn’t have to be that way!
In the video below you will learn a simple movement test to detect if you have this extremely common-but-preventable weakness that often leads to such painful running injuries.
So, why is this one thing likely to be a major source of running and fitness injuries and pain? The hip is the protector of the knee and also controls much of the movement going into the foot and ankle(and vice versa). The stress placed on the leg and foot from instability, or better put, lack of control at the hip can lead to overpronation at the foot, knee pain both on the inside of the knee and at the kneecap, IT band pain (the outside of the leg above the knee, as well as pain throughout the hip whether that is a pinch in the front of the hip, soreness to the back side and glutes, or even low back pain.
So, what to do now? If you’ve tested yourself and didn’t do so well on the test-maybe you’re not currently in pain and limiting miles but you did have that knee bowing towards the other and you would like more information-you can contact us for your free Running Injury risk assessment. In it, you’ll have the opportunity to ask a running injury expert and doctor of physical therapy learn what your specific injury risk is and how it may impact your running in the months and years to come. Just click on the link in the blog post to request yours free. Did you have pain during the test or are limiting your exercise or miles because of foot and ankle pain, plantar fasciitis, knee or hip pain, runners knee, IT band pain, or low back pain? Would you like answers on how to treat it naturally, without shots, surgery, or dangerous painkillers? Request your free Total Body Diagnostic Test here you can get your personal questions answered, receive a free head to toe examination and find out the true cause of your pain or limitation.