Running is one of the most popular and simplest forms of exercise, but with its repetitive impact and physical demands often leads to running injuries. Whether you’re training for a marathon or just jogging around your neighbourhood, it’s common to face some aches and pains along the way ranging from nagging knee pain to sharp foot pain or lower back discomfort.
Fortunately, chiropractic and physiotherapy care offer effective and non-invasive ways to help you get back on the road or trail. But how do you choose the right option? Let’s explore both.
Common Running Injuries
Before we talk about the treatment strategies, here are some injuries runners often encounter:
- Runner’s Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)
- Shin Splints (Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome)
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Achilles Tendinopathy
- IT Band Syndrome
- Hamstring Strains
- Tibial Stress Fractures
- Lower Back or Hip Pain
Many of these issues arise from faulty running techniques, muscular imbalances, improper footwear, over-training, or inadequate warm up/cool down. This is where chiropractic and physiotherapy care step in by addressing your body’s mechanics to get you running stronger and pain-free.
Chiropractic care for Running Injuries
Chiropractic care focuses on aligning your spine and joints to support overall neuromuscular health. Chiropractors believe that when your spine and joints are properly aligned, the body’s natural healing ability works better, thus helping you heal faster and enhance your performance.
Chiropractic Techniques for Runners:
- Spinal and joint adjustments
- Soft tissue therapies (e.g., Active Release Technique, Dry Needling)
- Postural correction and gait analysis
- Stretching and light mobility exercises
How Chiropractic Care Helps Runners:
- Improves joint mobility and alignment
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- Just like a car runs better with proper alignment, well aligned joints help you move freely and pain-free, allowing you to run comfortably without breakdowns.
- Relieves pressure on nerves and joints
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- Misalignments can put stress on our nerves causing numbness, tingling or pain. Proper spinal alignment helps relieve this pressure.
- Enhances body balance and coordination
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- Balance and symmetry are key to injury prevention and running efficiently.
- Speed up recovery and enhance performance
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- When your body moves better from healthy alignment, it’s less prone to injuries. Thus, building your confidence to push yourself further.
Physiotherapy for Running Injuries
Physiotherapy focuses on movement, function and rehabilitation. It aims to restore strength, flexibility, and correct faulty movement patterns that may cause or worsen injuries.
Physiotherapy Techniques for Runners:
- Tailored rehabilitation exercises
- Manual therapy (mobilization and soft tissue massage)
- Movement retraining (such as running form correction)
- Modalities like shockwave therapy, Tecar therapy, sports taping, or dry needling therapy
How Physiotherapy Helps Runners:
- Strengthens weak muscles and improves mobility
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- Despite running on two feet, muscular imbalances can still occur if you’re an avid runner. This can affect your running form (for example, weak glutes may cause other muscles such as your quads and hamstring to overwork leading to knee pain).
- Prevents future injuries through education and movement correction
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- Physiotherapists analyze your running gait to identify issues such as overstriding or hip collapse. Subsequently, you will be introduced to running drills to help improve your form and cadence and combined with appropriate footwear advice.
What’s the Best Treatment for Running Injuries?
COMBINE BOTH OF THEM!
Just as training includes both strength and stamina work to improve your performance, your body benefits most from a combination of therapies. Chiropractic and physiotherapy care complement each other, providing a powerful approach to treating and preventing running injuries.
Think of chiropractors as your body’s “hardware” technicians as they focus on spine and joint alignment and nerve function. Physiotherapists, meanwhile, are the “software” experts who improve muscle function and movement patterns.
Many sports injury centres have chiropractors and physiotherapists working closely together, sharing assessments, tracking progress and customising care. This integrated approach leads to faster and complete recovery with fewer missed issues, especially for runners whose injuries often stem from complex biomechanical imbalances and repetitive strain.
Take your running game to the next level!
Our experienced team of chiropractors and physiotherapists are here to help you perform at your best, whether you’re an elite athlete or a casual runner. We’re committed to helping you heal from running injuries, run stronger and pain-free, so you can enjoy every step.
“I’ve worked hard over the years with my chiropractor to help me get my body in top condition. I don’t think I would have been able to achieve my personal bests without it.”
Book your consultation today and discover how chiropractic and physiotherapy care can enhance your sports performance.