Hitting the Ground Running this Spring
With the weather warming up many of us are hitting the pavement for outdoor running season. Along with increasing our weekly mileage or changing terrain we are more likely to get sidelined due to an injury. Unfortunately if you have suffered from a previous running injury, you are twice as likely to become reinjured.
An effective way to prevent a running injury is to have a video running gait analysis performed. At Premier Physical therapy we provide video analysis and a functional screen for runners of any skill level. Our running analysis consists of two-hour long sessions aimed to improve your efficiency, speed and prevent injury.
We use your functional screen and gait assessment to find any weaknesses, asymmetries and evaluate your running pattern. With our video analysis, our gait specialists will assess your strike pattern, symmetry and single leg control. Depending on how your foot strikes the ground, you may have more forces to your foot or knee, making you at risk for certain injuries. Runners most commonly suffer from achilles/calf or knee pain and your strike pattern can be a major contributor. Our trained gait specialists can make recommendations for small changes to your running form that will help you to run efficiently, avoid wasting energy and prevent injuries.
You will be given tips to immediately improve your running gait pattern to become a more effective runner and specific exercises to assist in improving any deficits. You will leave understanding what exercises are best for your running needs.
Our program is a proactive way to help prevent injuries and eliminate pain. Running analysis can be performed for those that are just getting into running and looking for pointers to improve their gait or for experienced runners training for a specific race. Our physical therapists are passionate about running and helping you to achieve your best run and meet your specific running goals.
Authored By: Dr. Katie Meibers, PT, DPT, OCS, COMT
References
Almeida, Matheus O., et al. “Biomechanical Differences of Foot-Strike Patterns During Running: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis.” Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, vol. 45, no. 10, Oct. 2015, pp. 738–755., doi:10.2519/jospt.2015.6019.
Van der Worp, Maarten P., et al. “Injuries in Runners; A Systematic Review on Risk Factors and Sex Differences.” PLOS ONE, vol. 10, no. 2, 2015, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0114937.