Yesterday's weather provided the first spring like feel to the Wheaton area. Sunshine, 70 degrees, joyous locals, and also the sound of running shoes slapping the payment and trials could be seen and heard. With warmer days ahead of us, many individuals leap to the outdoors and enjoy the 5 months of ideal weather the Midwest has to offer. Especially those in the Wheaton area. I have noticed that individuals and families lead a very active lifestyle within the community; taking full advantage of the Prairie Path, parks, sidewalks, and trials.
One of the most common and enjoyable activities is running. Being able to get outside, stretch the legs, and get a nice dose of "frische Luft."(Swiss-German for Fresh Air). However, with the more people hitting the pavement and trials, the greater the chance of injuries occurring. Injuries can range from muscle soreness and pulled hamstrings to stress fractures and plantar fasciitis. Taking proactive steps to injury prevention and knowing how to properly treat an injury can keep you running throughout the season.
As far as gear goes, running is one of the least expensive sports. Shorts, t-shirts, socks, and shoes are all that is needed. However, buying shoes is the most important investment that one can make. A lot of people go on-line, find the color of shoes that look the best, and buy. The number one rule in buying running shoes is don' buy based on color, buy based on fit. First you need to determine what is your foot type? Is it normal, low arch or high arch? Then based on that, do you need neutral, motion-control, or a stability shoe? Your best bet is to go to your local running specialty store such as Dick Pond Athletics or Run Today and get properly fitted through a proper gait analysis.
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Next, comes injury and injury prevention. One other investment I highly recommend to a patient is purchasing a foam roller. This is one of the best tools to help treat tight and sore muscles. The foam roller really helps the muscle release and helps break up any muscle adhesion that may develop post run. Now, if an injury occurs, where do you turn to? The most common injury to occur is a pulled or strained muscle. Your local chiropractor or physical therapist can properly access the injury, perform the treatment, and provide you with the necessary stretches and/or exercises to successfully rehab the injury. My recommendation is locate a chiropractor or physical therapist that is certified in Active Release Technique(A.R.T.) or Graston Technique. A.R.T. is the gold standard in soft tissue treatment and can help speed up recover time and get you back running sooner than later. Over training or too many miles ran in a short amount of time can lead to overuse injuries such as plantar fasciitis or stress fractures. Chiropractors, physical therapists, and podiatrist are all fully capable of treating plantar fasciitis. However, if a stress fracture is revealed, a podiatrist is your best bet for treatment. If your knee or ankle starts to swell or retain fluid after every run there may be some internal damage of the joint such as torn cartilage or ligaments. If this is the case an orthopedist is your route. If you feel you may have injured yourself, contact your local chiropractor, physcian, or physical therapist for an evaluation.
Spring time is one of my favorite seasons of the year. It is a sense of new energy awakening from a long winter’s nap and enjoying the warmer weather, sunshine, and increased Vitamin D levels. Being a runner myself, I look forward to hitting the trails, getting active, and improving my health and fitness. Best of luck to you this running season, and I hope to see you stretching out those legs along the Prairie Path.
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Dr. Scott Hallums is the owner and chiropractic physician at Wheaton Chiropractic Spine & Joint Center located at 340 W. Front St., Wheaton, IL. (630)580-9457
Wheaton Chiropractic Spine & Joint Center was founded on the principles of RELIEF. RECOVERY. RESULTS. Our number one goal is to get you out of pain and back doing the activities that you enjoy. A combined approach of chiropractic manipulation, soft tissue work such as instrument assisted and Active Release Technique, and functional rehab, will allow the body to heal and recover at a quicker rate than traditional care. The treatment and care at Wheaton Chiropractic Spine & Joint Center will allow the body, joints, and muscles to move more efficiently and function at their optimal level.
