Is All Running Pain Connected?

Runners can often be experiencing pain in multiple locations at once. It's important to consider whether or not these pain points are all connected.

I love running because it's a simple and accessible sport. All you need is a pair of shoes! (And then a watch, seasonal gear, long run fuel, race registrations and another twenty pairs of shoes.) 🤭

However, after years of studying the biomechanics of running, patterns of pain are often a complex series of events...

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Hey Runners of Richmond, VA!

If you’re in need of flexible physical therapy to address your running injury (or any orthopedic rehabilitation concern), I’m currently taking on patients for mobile concierge care. I come to you! Respond to this email or get in touch with me via: [email protected].

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If your pain started off in one location and then you began to notice more tender areas popping up, it could be that both pains are linked. And it's not usually just because of that one pair of shoes.

It's usually because there is an imbalance in the chain. 

Your body works in an efficient, repetitive motion while running. These thousands of repetitions can shine a harsh light on any weak link in the chain. 

As a running physical therapist, my job during an assessment is to isolate each weak link and make sense of how it impacts the rest of the system.

Some of this can be seen during a running gait assessment. Many runners believe their form is the most important (just behind the right shoes). However, only looking at the running gait is like only reading the front cover of a book. It gives a lot of information, but the details come out in the fine print. 

 That “fine print” shows up when we look at how your body moves outside of running. Can you balance on one leg? Does your hip stay level when you squat? Do your calves have the strength and spring needed to absorb impact thousands of times during a run? These small tests often reveal more of the story. 

Along with your actual story. 

How long have you been running? What has your training been like? Are you on top of your fueling? How about sleep? All these factors are just as important as your running gait.

The good news is that once you identify the weak link, the solution is usually much simpler than most runners think. A few targeted exercises, done consistently, can restore balance to the system and make running feel smoother and stronger again.

If you're a runner who keeps chasing new shoes, foam rollers, or temporary fixes but the same aches keep showing up, it may be time to look deeper.

So if you're dealing with pain while running and in the RVA area, reach out to me via email today and we can get to charting your road to recovery. [email protected].

Or, if you're ready to return to run after an injury or time off, you might be appropriate for my Virtual Return to Run Program!

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!