Stuck in the Medical Maze - How to Save Time, Money, and Sanity

Here’s the truth:

Most running injuries aren't medical mysteries. 

You don't need more 15 minute doctor appointments.

You need a plan.

Right now too many runners are getting trapped in a system that isn’t built for them.

Absolutely there is a time and place for quality medical care. That is why we are trained as physical therapists to spot red flags such as energy deficit disorders, acute injuries, sudden swelling, neurological symptoms, and so on. These absolutely need to be evaluated by a physician who teams with a physical therapist or other relevant health provider to best treat an individual's concerns.

Trusted sports physicians, nutritionists, and mental health providers can be invaluable assets to help navigating difficult cases.

But the majority of running-related aches and setbacks are simple training-load issues. They respond best to strength training, modified programming, and a progressive return-to-run plan.

Yet here’s the path many runners unintentionally fall into:

• You notice a nagging ache.
  
  

• You book an appointment with a primary care doctor or orthopedic specialist “just to be safe.”
  
  

• You’re told you need imaging.
  
  

• You wait for the MRI or X-ray.
  
  

• Then you wait another few weeks to see the in-network physical therapist.
  
  

• You finally get in… only to work with someone who doesn’t specialize in runners at all.
  
  

By the time all of this happens, you’ve lost fitness, lost confidence, and gained zero clarity.

And EVEN worse, you walk out with a diagnosis or label that feels big and scary, yet gives you no actionable plan to actually get back to running.

A Real Example

Someone I recently spoke with shared her medical care journey with me and it’s a perfect illustration of this.

She went into an orthopedic doctor with one concern about her running.

She walked out with three proposed causes for this issue and orders for imaging. After getting the imaging results, her doctor decided the issue was:

“Pinched nerves in the spine leading to poor glute activation.”

This phrase is recycled nonsense.

Did I mention that her first concern was foot pain? And by her description was more consistent with a bone stress injury? No physical symptoms of back pain or nerve pain or nerve-related muscle weakness.

All that aside, what she should’ve heard was…
“Here’s how to address this.”
“Here’s what matters.”
“Here’s how and when you can safely run again.”

Instead of leaving with clarity, she left with fear, more questions, and zero direction. Trust in a provider that will continue poking and prodding and when that doesn’t work will stand back and go … “Hmmm, that’s odd. You should take a break from running.”

I hear this all the time and try to keep a straight face against the internal rage.

Appropriate Screening Is Required

When runners come to me, one of the first things I do is determine what requires further attention and examination and what is consistent with traditional running related injuries.

Who may need further imaging.

Who may need a specialist to screen for underlying issues or diseases.

Who may need to build a team of trusted doctors, physical therapists, nutritionists, or mental health providers.

Some do need these things, so that’s my job is to ensure you’re getting the most appropriate care. 

My job before I prescribe a single exercise is to distinguish between:

“This needs further medical evaluation”
vs.
“This needs training modification and strength work.”

This alone saves runners an incredible amount of time, money, and mental energy.

Most running related injuries are not medical mysteries. They’re load-management problems, strength deficits, or mobility restrictions combined with training errors. And when addressed correctly, they resolve faster than most people expect.

Helping to Sort Through the Noise

I’d love to help and be a resource to you in order to help sort through the noise of the medical system. I’m here to listen, ask questions and provide a game plan. 

You can do this by emailing me or hopping on a Discovery Call to sort through your present concerns. 

Email: [email protected]

Just last week I spoke with someone over the phone who sounded more appropriate for in-person care than my virtual Return to Run Program and I was able to refer her to a trusted clinician nearby. 

However, if you are currently running ~5-10 miles a week but dealing with pain or worried about increasing your distances, then you’d do well in my Return to Run Program which provides you with a personalized run and strength program to shoot for long distance running.

It’s for runners who:

• Have persistent aches or recurring injuries directly related to running
  
  

• Have been given vague explanations but no plan
  
  

• Feel lost, dismissed, or overwhelmed
  
  

• Want to progress mileage and return to running safely and consistently
  
  

If you're interested in the program or just interested in having an experienced running physical therapist hear your story and sort through what's important, feel free to schedule a free Discovery Call to help you undersatnd:

• • What actually may be going on
    
    

  • What information matters
    
    

  • What can be safely addressed with exercise
    
    

  • What truly needs medical evaluation

Thanks for reading and Happy Thanksgiving! Good luck to all the Turkey Trotters out there! 🎉

Questions about this topic? Reply to this email and we can talk more about it. 

 ➡️ Reply to me directly at [email protected] to ask your questions or share your experience while dealing with running related injuries.

👟 Unsure how to balance it all? Reach out to me for 1:1 Run Coaching for your half, full or ultramarathon! We talk about nutrition, race, and training plan strategies that'll work for YOU and YOUR goals. 

❤️‍🩹 Currently dealing with an injury?: Check out my Return to Run Program - a personalized strategy for you written by a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Run Coach. 

✉️ Share with a running friend who you want to help stay injury-free this season!