Now that the weather is warming up, runners are hitting the streets, training for races, long and short. You may be looking to prepare for a marathon, or perhaps just wanting to stay healthy with a mile or two of cardio in the fresh air. Whatever your reason for running, the stresses can be a little much for your body to tolerate. This is certainly no reason to steer clear of your outside exercise. A physical therapy analysis from a physical therapist early into your training can save your body from excess strain, which could enable you to reach your fitness goals with fewer injuries.

Why Analysis is Important

No two people are built the same. This means mechanically everyone moves differently. Activities that may be pain-free for one person may be uncomfortable to someone else. Though a person may know what movement causes their pain, it’s difficult for an untrained eye to understand why. A physical therapist can examine the muscles, both large and small, that are used during activity to determine what imbalances, weaknesses, or restrictions could be causing the issue. Often times, the true cause of the pain is located in an area far away from where it is actually being felt. This makes self-diagnosis tricky.

Additionally, an assessment before your training begins can reveal potential dysfunctional movements and preventative measures can then be taken.

How We Help

After analyzing your pattern of movement from top to bottom while you walk and run, we can make suggestions to correct problems that may potentially lead to pain. Our findings may lead to a recommendation for a different type of shoe, or advice on areas to strengthen and stretch. If your running issues stem from old injuries, we can address those also. Whatever your needs, our goal is to help you run this spring without aggravating old injuries or causing new ones.

Before you lace up those shoes, contact us to discuss healthy running! We’re here to help. Call (615) 444-1408 to schedule your assessment.