As a runner, you've no doubt heard of all the common ailments in your sport. Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, and knee pain are all known hazards of running. The good news is, most of these injuries are preventable with proper care and regular wellness exams with your chiropractor. Here are three ways that a professional chiropractor, like those at Gehrig Family Chiropractic Center, can help make you a more efficient, injury-free runner:
1. Realignment
The first thing you might think of when you hear the word "chiropractor" is spinal realignment. However, chiropractors can realign more than just your spine. For instance, if you experience pain in one or both of your hips while running, your hips may be misaligned. Your chiropractor can assess the problem area and, if necessary, align your hips. One sign that your hips are misaligned is the feeling that one hip is higher than the other while running. Your knees, neck, and back can also be adjusted, so talk to your chiropractor about any pain you are experiencing.
2. Active Release Technique
Some chiropractors, especially those who specialize in sports medicine, are trained in Active Release Technique, or ART. According to Performance Therapy, ART is a type of massage technique used in conjunction with the patient's stretches. Both of these things combined serves to break up old scar tissue along muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This allows for less pain and a restored range of motion critical to running. ART can help to prevent or correct some overuse injuries.
4. Self-care
A good chiropractor can work wonders on your feet and legs, but injury-prevention ultimately starts with you. In order to protect your feet, you need to wear the right shoes when you run. Ask your chiropractor for advice in finding your perfect running shoes, which will depend on the shape of your feet and the way your feet hit the ground while running. When possible, run on grass or a track instead of on harder surfaces like concrete. Softer surfaces, such as grass, are easier on your feet and joints, making alignment problems less likely. If running on grass isn't a possibility, opt for asphalt over concrete.
These are just a few of the ways that your chiropractor can treat your running ailments. By visiting your chiropractor regularly, you're less likely to develop chronic conditions due to misalignment of your bones. Proper care is an important part of being a runner, and if you take good care of your feet and joints, you'll be able to stay healthy and injury-free.
Share18 June 2015
Do you remember the first day you woke up with back pain? If you are like most folks, you probably tried to write off the problem until you realized that the issue was impacting your mobility. Back pain is serious, but not everyone takes the issue seriously at first. Not only can a little back spasm make it hard to shower, walk, or even sit comfortably, but back pain can also be a symptom of a deeper problem. The goal of my blog is to educate the public about back pain, so that you know how to tell when you are really in trouble.
