Running has been on my mind a lot lately as my high school son is running in the District meet this week. If they do well, they move on to state finals! I’ve watched and monitored his training very closely. I leave the specifics of his running training to his coach, but his training program also includes regular Chiropractic checkups, stretching, strength training and nutrition.
One issue that comes with a lot of running is “wear and tear” injuries. These injuries can affect different parts of the body including feet, knees, hips, and upper back. Unfortunately, our team has seen some of these injuries this season.
When most people think about Chiropractic, they don’t think about getting their feet adjusted. I adjust feet everyday and it’s amazing to see how many people can get back “on their feet” without pain or restrictions. It also let’s them get back to doing the thing they love, running!
There are 26 bones in each foot, 52 total. 206 bones in the body mean that ¼ of all the bones in your body are in your feet. They need to be addressed! If the bones in your feet become stiff and rigid, this directly affects your gait which in turn will create a cascade of events. These events can eventually affect your knee, hip, or lower back. Symptoms can show up anywhere but may not be the actual CAUSE of your symptoms.
With all our patients we check everything head to toe. One simple test we look at is the weight differential from one side to the other. If your body is shifted, you’ll be carrying more weight on one side. This means every time that foot strikes the ground when you run, the pressure and force is greater than it should be. We know that if the feet are “off”, it affects the alignment of the lower back/pelvis which in turn affects how you walk. Now you’re in a “negative feedback cycle” where the feet affect the lower back, then the lower back affects your feet, and the cycle continues….
Some approaches to treat this are rest, ice, PT, inserts, even RX. The only way to fix the actual cause is to have a Chiropractor who works on the spine AND the feet. Both areas need to be addressed to break that cycle and create a new healthier one. By first adjusting, then stabilizing the foot and spine will get you back running and enjoying one of the things most important to you. If you’re sick and tired of these nagging lower body injuries affecting you, call us, we can help.