Does It Hurt During or After Your Run?

 

 

 

 

Running is an activity that comes naturally to us as kids, but did you ever really learn to run?

 

There has been tremendous amounts of research and education recently on running gait and its effect on running performance (including speed and endurance) and its link to pain and injury.  We assess all aspects of running mechanics, including strength, flexibility, gait pattern, shoe wear, orthotic inserts, and the effect of the shoe itself to determine your susceptibility to injury and your performance limitations caused by those mechanics.

 

We offer a full running consultation and intervention program that will assess your running mechanics and relate them to any, and all, underlying factors in your running pattern that are causing your pain, performance limitations, or fatigue.  By using video analysis, flexibility testing, muscle strength assessment, stability testing and joint assessments, we are able to determine the cause of your pain/injuries due to running and develop an intervention plan to combat those causes.

 

Strength, Stability, and Flexibility Assessment

 

You will complete a series of tests and measures designed to identify your muscle and flexibility asymmetries and imbalances that may increase your risk of injury and limit your performance.  We will then develop a recommended intervention plan based on those impairments.

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Shoe Wear and Orthotic Assessment

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We will review the wear pattern on your running shoes and compare the wear to the live running analysis and analysis of the running gait video to compare landing and push off pattern, and how it relates to your pain or risk of pain.  We will then, discuss the shoes you wear, alternative shoe options, your replacement pattern, and any need for an orthotic.

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If you currently wear an orthotic to run, we will review your running with and without the orthotic to assess the continued need for the orthotic, the appropriateness of your current orthotic and any needs for modification to the orthotic.

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Live Running Analysis

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Through the use of digital video analysis and live expert running analysis, we assess every phase of your running gait to determine proper landing technique, step length, cadence, dynamic stability, swing pattern, push off, flight time, and stance quality from all angles, in slow-motion, and at full speed to comprehensively assess all aspects of your running pattern.  This assessment, combined with the strength, stability and flexibility assessment will give the full picture of your running and any improvements that can be made.

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Intervention Planning

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Our highly experienced physical therapists will discuss all the musculoskeletal deficits that may be affecting your running, and develop a treatment plan to address those deficits.  This may include a home strengthening and stability program, stretching program, a joint specific endurance program and/or soft tissue treatments.  Follow-up treatment visits in our office may be discussed.

We will, also, discuss any modifications to your running gait pattern that will be beneficial to you that will limit risk of injury, improve ability to increase distance/speed, and improve overall running efficiency.  This may include shoe discussions, orthotic recommendations, and training programs.

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This comprehensive intervention plan will be designed based solely on your assessment and will include strengthening, flexibility, balance, stability, endurance training and gait modifications to address the deficits found in your complete assessment.  This plan will include frequency of each type of exercise, specific modification cues, and any recommended follow ups.

 

Running Analysis and Physical Assessment Report

 

A full report of your running analysis and all physical assessment findings with the recommended interventions will be sent to you via email following the initial consultation.  You may be given a written exercise program at the consultation if appropriate.

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Follow Up Visits

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While this consultation is designed to be a single visit assessment and self-intervention discussion with recommendations, occasionally follow up visits may be recommended based on the information received in the full assessment.

The follow up visits may include an updated exercise program, additional running analysis, manual therapy, and further recommendations to improve your ability to run.  All follow ups are designed to progress your program and combat any new or lingering issues that you may have.  If additional treatments are needed, we will discuss the options for physical therapy treatment, transition to the performance training program, recommendation of a personal trainer/runner’s class, or a referral to a physician.

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Please contact us at 845-675-8444 or info@empiresportspt.com with any specific questions or to make an appointment.