For Runners | Pennell Family Chiropractic

A Structural Approach to Running Injuries

Plantar fasciitis, achilles and patellar tendonitis, shin splints, Iliotibial band syndrome, hamstring and calf strains…just a few of many common running injuries. What do they have in common? They are all soft tissue injuries. Outside of a fracture, most all common running injuries involve soft tissues such as muscles, tendons, ligaments and cartilage.

These are typically chronic injuries related to overuse. From a medical standpoint the recommendations are usually rest and anti-inflammatory meds. Although this may help in the short term, many avid runners become frustrated when the symptoms return after running is resumed. A quest ensues to find the cause. Is it the running shoes? Running technique? Lack of stretching? Although these may be a factor, rarely are they the root cause of the problem.

The medical model of healthcare teaches us to wait until symptoms develop before seeking treatment. The doctor usually examines the site of pain and the whole goal of treatment is to just get rid of the pain. X-rays or an MRI may be obtained to rule out something more serious. 97% of the time musculoskeletal pain is secondary to structural imbalance in the skeletal system. Only 3% of the time is it related to more serious issues like a fracture or pathology.

Here at Pennell Family Chiropractic, we utilize an approach that is not only unique to the medical profession but also that of a typical chiropractic office. It involves analyzing the entire skeletal system for biomechanical imbalance. The illustration shows a balanced skeletal system compared to one that is imbalanced. Looking at the imbalanced skeletal system as a whole it is easy to understand how soft tissues could become inflamed or break down after logging many miles of running. Great running shoes, proper technique and plenty of stretching will not address these problems.

The evaluation process takes about an hour and includes the following evaluations and tests:

Digital foot scans
Assessment of the knees
Checking hip, pelvic and shoulder levels
Posture pictures
Computerized muscle tests
Computerized center of gravity and balance tests
Spinal x-rays

Once these tests have been analyzed, recommendations to address any structural issues can be made. We have had great success working with the running community and our goal is to work in partnership with you to get you back doing the things you enjoy. This evaluation is covered by most insurance companies. Give our Cranberry Township chiropractic office a call or click on the email links below if you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment. We look forward to hearing from you!