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3: Running Injuries -- Starting Off on the Right Foot-- Part II

Summary: In addition to a biomechanical evaluation and running injury history, the chiropractic physician must thoroughly investigate the runner's style and training habits. Optimal conditions would facilitate a video recording of the patient. In lieu of this, the patient should be observed running in usual shoes and on typical surfaces. The runner's daily mileage, frequency, and speed must be assessed. The neophyte that begins an aggressive training program is highly susceptible to overuse injuries. Running surfaces must also be assessed. Concrete sidewalks may provide safety, but also represent the hardest surfaces to run on. Asphalt is less hard and man-made tracks are generally preferable. The forces generated at heel strike are dissipated through the musculoskeletal system. Harder surfaces result in increased pounding and subsequent deleterious effects. Many runners do not have access to a track or treadmill and the irregular surfaces of cross-country running provide obvious hazards; therefore, most take to the roads. These surfaces are typically asphalt, and less hard than concrete, but are often crowned or banked like some indoor tracks. Banked surfaces result in overpronation and should be avoided. As this may be impractical, runners on banked surfaces should run on the same side of the road on their way out and on their return. This effectively alternates the foot subjected to the more banked surface. Full Article: Chiroweb