How Can Osteopathy Help With Running Injuries?

Whether you are running marathons, using running as a training aid for other sports or just jogging for general fitness there is always room for improvement in performance, injury prevention and rehabilitation.

While there are many avenues for those seeking help and advice with their running, in this post we will cover the basics about how Osteopathy can help you with your running technique, the benefits of using Osteopathy as a runner and what an Osteopath can do for you.

How An Osteopath Can Help You

An Osteopath is focused on taking a holistic (or whole body) approach to helping you achieve your running and rehabilitation goals. An Osteopath has a strong knowledge of the anatomy including the bones, tissues, joints and muscles and how they work together to help you run at optimum functionality.

If you are a runner often plagued by reoccurring injuries or even just niggly little pains this can sometimes be due to dysfunction in the muscles and joints of the back, hips, knees and ankles. If these things are not functioning together at their best, the repetitive forces placed upon them while running and the body’s desire to compensate for any imbalances can lead to pain and injury.

Every runner knows how frustrating it can be to have to take a time-out from training due to injury and pain. An Osteopath will help take a look at bigger picture, seeking the real cause of the injury rather than just treating the symptoms.

The therapeutic techniques used by your Osteopath will not only be carried out around the specific area causing you pain, but also in other related points on your body and will vary from patient to patient.

Common Osteopathic Techniques For Runners

The general methods used in Osteopathy revolve around certain techniques, some of the techniques an Osteopath might use during your consultation are briefly summarised as follows. If you have any questions regarding these techniques don’t hesitate to ask your Osteopath.

• Biomechanical And Functional Movement Analysis. Effectively this means carrying out an assessment of your gait – both walking and running. This assessment of the way you move will include analysing the back, hips, knees and feet and how they are affected while you run.
• Soft-Tissue Massage. This process focuses on increasing blood flow and releasing and relaxing muscles through deep pressure massaging and trigger point therapy.
• Rehabilitation Exercises. Your Osteopath will recommend specific stretches and/or exercises and designed to both injury recovery and day to day training methods.
• Joint Mobilisation. Using gentle manipulation and articulation to increase joint mobility and range.

5 Benefits Of Using An Osteopath

How can Osteopathic treatment help you with your running? Here are our top 5 benefits of using and Osteopath.

1. Gaining an edge over your competitors
2. Prevention of future injuries
3. Improvements in muscle strength and mobility
4. Faster rehabilitation
5. Treatment of underlying problem, not just injury
6. Holistic approach to healing – helping your body to heal itself
7. Natural healing therapy – not medication based.

4 Common Running Injuries

The reasons for running injuries are varied, ranging from pushing too hard and doing too much too soon through to a lack of warming and stretching. What are some of the most frequent running injuries that can be treated with Osteopathy? Here are our top 4.

1. Patello Femoral Pain Syndrome. Sometimes known as ‘runner’s knee’, pain is centralised near the kneecap, commonly associated with long distance running
2. Plantar Fasciitis. Inflammation of the plantar fascia ligament located between the toes and heel, commonly associated with prolonged training on hard surfaces.
3. Patella Tendinopathy. Sometimes referred to as “jumper’s knee”, this injury involves damage to the patella tendon which is located just below the kneecap. It is commonly associated with prolonged running.
4. Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome. Also known as ‘shin splints’, this injury stems from excessive strain on the tibia. Runners with this condition generally feel pain anywhere along their inner shin area.

If you are struggling with pain when running or a running injury – please do not hesitate to contact Lorraine Herity at Better Health Osteopathy in Christchurch today. Call 027 7555700 or book online.