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We know, we know, this beautiful weather has you itching to dig out your running shoes and hit the pavement or the trails. We are excited too!
Did you know that increasing your training load too much, too fast is often associated with running related injuries? Or that your pesky achilles pain from last year may come back to haunt you in a couple of weeks?
One of the easiest and most effective ways to PREVENT these injuries is to meet with a professional to be sure that you have a successful running season, free of setbacks. Our very own Dr. Pat Grabowski gives us some insight into how to make this running season your best year yet!
Dr. Grabowski's tips to prevent running related injuries:
The time to start prepping for spring events/races is NOW so that your tissues have time to adapt. Thats right, there is so much more to running than just feet on the ground! Your ankles, knees, hips, core and even your shoulders are a huge part of your running form and need to be mobile and stable in order to prevent overuse injuries.
The biggest risk factor for running related problems is previous injury. This doesn't just include previous RUNNING related injuries, but rather past sprains, strains, surgeries or even a past respiratory illness that lingered for a bit too long. Pain during or after a run is an obvious sign of an imbalance and a potential for problems in the weeks ahead. If something was hurting last year or even if you had a change of health status over the winter, now is the time to address it!
A number of mechanical factors may elevate your injury risk and many of these can be modified including:
strength (helloooooo weak hips!)
joint range of motion
foot strike patterns (shoe wearing out too soon?)
other related altered body mechanics (too much trunk rotation?)
footwear (just can't find that perfect pair?)
Don't know where to start? We've got you!
Whether you are just climbing off the couch or you have already put in a few miles, we will meet you where you are and help you sprint into running season with confidence and feeling strong! We want to acknowledge the importance of a safe (return to) running program for all bodies at any level!
Schedule a running assessment with Dr. Pat Grabowski - and BONUS! we have a special promotion in coming up in March (our patient appreciation month! 🙌🏼) that you will not want to miss!
What to expect:
Health and injury screen
Discussion on running experience and goals
Baseline functional movement screen (i.e. strength, flexibility, balance)
Recorded treadmill running assessment analyzing various components of your running form
Shoe wear history
Based off of this assessment, Dr. Grabowski will go over results and develop a plan that fits your needs. Whether you need to increase your cadence, choose a different shoe or work on your hip mobility, you will leave feeling that you have actions steps that you can immediately implement into your runs!
We will also discuss if there is a need for further evaluation prior to introducing programming. If needed, this will be completed by one of our highly skilled Orthopedic Physical Therapists Erica Champlin or Dr. Pat Grabowski, Pelvic Health Physical Therapist Dr. Jill O'Brien or our Functional Nutrition Expert, Chelsea Barnes.
Future evaluation or programming may consist of the following:
Running program progression (increase volume, intensity or speed)
Introduction or progression of strength or mobility training
Pelvic health assessment
Shoe recommendations and/or orthotic fitting
Nutrition recommendations, meal planning
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