Running is a great form of exercise, but, over time, it inevitably subjects our bodies to wear and tear – and I’m talking about more than just the occasional blister or calloused skin. Ankle sprains, plantar fasciitis, and tendonitis are all common issues that I frequently address at Acupuncture Pain and Stress Center. These are common injuries that runners get because running is a repetitive sport that’s hard on the feet, ankles, and legs.
In this article, I’ll shed light on some of the most prevalent running injuries and how acupuncture can offer relief. But, before that, let me elevate your perspective – acupuncture isn’t just a remedy; it’s also a powerful preventive measure. Instead of seeking treatment post-injury, consider coming in beforehand. My goal is always to optimize your body’s condition and make it as resilient as possible. That way, if an injury does occur, your body is better equipped to heal efficiently. So, let’s get into this article – and remember, you don’t have to wait for an injury to crop up to see me!
What Injuries Are Associated with Running?
Running can cause a variety of different injuries. In this next section we’re going to address the leg, foot, heel, and ankle-related injuries associated with running.
Shin Splints
In the medical community, shin splints go by the name medial tibial stress syndrome. They present as pain along the inner edge of your shinbone and occur due to inflammation in the muscles, tendons, and bone tissue. The tenderness and pain of shin splints are very noticeable during or after running, which is why they’re the number one ailment on our list.
Plantar Fasciitis
If you’re dealing with plantar fasciitis, you’ll know by the discomfort it causes. Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the band of tissue that connects your heel and toes. It causes intense heel pain and stiffness that you’ll feel especially when you first wake up and start walking around in the morning. Accurate diagnosis is crucial. A Denmark study conducted in 2018 revealed that 44% of individuals still experienced symptoms 15 years later. You certainly wouldn’t want to fall into that category. This is why you need to have the muscles in your foot, calf, legs, and hips properly looked at to identify weaknesses. A proper evaluation not only addresses immediate pain – it also corrects imbalances. Acupuncture is a great solution. So give me a call and we’ll plan our first session!
Achilles Tendinitis
It’s said that Achilies was the greatest warrior in all of Agamemmnon and his heel was his only downfall. Don’t let achilles tendinitis be your downfall! So, what is it? It’s pain and stiffness in the Achilles tendon and it can be caused by many different things. The achilles tendon is especially prone to injury because it links your calf muscles and heel. So, in other words, it’s an important tendon during running.
Stress Fractures
You’ll know stress fractures by the localized pain, swelling, and tenderness that suddenly appear and never seem to go away. Stress fractures happen because of repetitive stress and overuse. To recover, take it easy, reduce high-impact activities, put running on pause, and address contributing factors like nutritional imbalance and improper training.
Ankle Sprains
Ankle sprains cause swelling, pain, and limited mobility. These sprains are the result of overstretching and tearing of the ligaments that support your ankles. Sometimes these come from a sudden movement, twist, or turn, and sometimes it’s overexertion over a period of time.
How Does Acupuncture Help with Running-related Injuries?
Acupuncture is an excellent way to deal with running-related injuries. Let’s take a look at the common injuries above and examine how and why each injury can be helped with acupuncture.
Ankle Sprains
At Acupuncture Pain and Stress Center, I am here to assist you if you’ve recently had an ankle sprain. Through the gentle placement of fine needles at specific points, we’ll tap into your body’s natural healing abilities. This process will help alleviate the pain, swelling, and inflammation of the sprain and make your ankles stronger and less susceptible to future injury.
Stress Fractures
If you’re dealing with a stress fracture, consider acupuncture as a way to assist bone health and blood circulation. Enhanced blood circulation means more oxygen gets to the wound. In other words, I’ll help speed up the fracture’s natural healing process and make it so that your body is stronger and more prepared in the future. Additionally, acupuncture can alleviate pain and inflammation.
Shin Splints
For shin splints, I’ll target specific points related to muscle and tendon health, thereby easing your pain, reducing inflammation, and enhancing your blood circulation to the affected tissues. The result is faster recovery. When you combine our sessions with proper rest, stretching, and strengthening exercises, shin splints are no match!
Tendinitis
The benefits of acupuncture for tendinitis are many. Not only does acupuncture reduce pain and reduce inflammation, it also triggers your body’s natural healing response. That is always my goal with acupuncture. I want to see that your body is naturally progressing so that you don’t have to come back for the same issues.
Plantar Fasciitis
At Acupuncture Pain and Stress Center my aim is to ease the discomfort associated with plantar fasciitis. After the first treatment, it’s very common for my patients to experience less foot pain. Treatment not only alleviates pain in the affected area, but it also allows me to be able to diagnose and uncover the imbalances that are stopping you from healing.
How Can Acupuncture Pain and Stress Center Help?
Runners participate in one of the best, least expensive, and most body-intensive workouts known to man, but on the flipside, they put their body through lots of stress, discomfort, and injury. The good news is, acupuncture can help with any of the foot, heel, and ankle-related issues that crop up because of running. At Acupuncture Pain and Stress Center, I will always give you world class diagnosis coupled with acupuncture plus cutting-edge hands on treatment to quickly ease your pain. Once the pain levels in your feet and heels are down I will guide you through a graduated movement strategy so you don’t have to keep coming back for the same issues. We can also discuss proper warm-up techniques and stretches you can do at home before and after running. At Acupuncture Pain and Stress Center, I will piece the parts of your story together using our unique assessment that looks at your body as one. Here is how I do it.
- Discussion: I will investigate the cause of your problem and explain it in simple terms.
- Assessment: This will reveal the underlying dysfunction(s) and show why you are suffering from your pain.
- Treatment: I will ease your symptoms quickly using acupuncture and other hands-on techniques that quickly relieve your pain and improve function.
- Rehab: I will give you simple movements that you easily can fit into your busy day to improve recovery and give lasting relief. Your graduated movement strategy and pain treatments continue as needed to help you build your confidence in your body again so you can quickly get back to thoughtless, fearless, movement. Through this phase of treatment, I can add to the rehabilitation by focusing on specific things like working on speed, agility, flexibility, or strength.
- Freedom: I plan to make you so happy that you’ll actively tell your friends and family about us. You see, I have built our clinic on word of mouth referrals and I expect my clients to be so happy with the results that they tell their friends and family about me, so they too can get the help they need.
