Physiotherapy for Running Injuries - Downtown Vancouver
Running is an amazing form of physical movement for many of us; yet its high-impact nature means that many runners are prone to injuries and conditions such as sprained ankles, plantar fasciitis, piriformis syndrome, IT band syndrome, tendonitis, and much more. These conditions can hinder your running performance, especially if they are left untreated.
Running injuries are incredibly common, with 1 in 4 runners dealing with an injury at any one time. The most common causes for running injuries include poor form and biomechanics, as well as increasing your training load too quickly, by too much. Injuries occur when the structures meant to support our stride and speed (our tendons, muscles, bones, and ligaments) begin to break down. This is a result of the high-impact nature of the sport, which means that runners’ feet strike the ground less frequently, but more intensely than if they were walking. This puts strain on the ligaments, joints, and muscle fibers and, when combined with improper form and technique, is a recipe for injury!
For running injury physiotherapy, we recommend the following:
Fortunately, with the right treatment, and education on your form and training, running injuries are easily fixable! At Vancouver Physiotherapy Hub, our physiotherapists can do exactly this: through a unique approach to treatment and education, they not only treat your symptoms but prevent them from recurring altogether. At our clinic, our physiotherapists can back up and running (literally!) in no time.
How Physiotherapy Can Help Running Injuries
At your first session, our physiotherapist will perform a comprehensive running assessment. This takes into account a detailed medical history, your training intensity and schedule, and an assessment of your biomechanics and running form.
During your one-on-one session, our physiotherapist will use a combination of manual therapy and stretching and strengthening exercises to alleviate your acute symptoms and support proper running form. Our physiotherapists are trained in many techniques, such as IMS and acupuncture, and depending on your injury and symptoms, they may recommend additional techniques for your injuries.
Your physiotherapist will also review your training schedule with you and will make suggestions to tailor your routine to support proper training and form. You will also receive a complete treatment plan, which includes any additional treatments that you need, an exercise prescription, homecare strengthening, and stretching exercises, and any additional running tips to support your routine.
In some instances, our physiotherapists may recommend other types of treatment – such as chiropractic care, massage therapy, and acupuncture. Because Vancouver Physiotherapy Hub is part of a larger multidisciplinary clinic called Electra Health, getting access to these treatments comes with no hassle to you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Running injuries vary from person to person, but some of the most common running injuries are the following:
- Shin Splints
- IT Band Syndrome
- Achilles’ Tendonitis
- Runner’s Knee
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Stress fractures
Every running injury is unique and as such, it’s difficult to provide a generic treatment plan. However, our physiotherapists always recommend the following after a running injury:
- Rest
- Ice and cold therapy to reduce inflammation, swelling, and pain
- Compress the affected area by wrapping with a tensor bandage
- Elevate the affected area, especially if it’s in your knee or ankle.
- Physical therapy
Again, this depends greatly on the type of running injury that you have. However, most of our clients see results at the outset of their first appointment, especially when it comes to alleviating acute symptoms.
At your first session, your physiotherapist will give you a treatment plan and will provide you with an idea of how long he or she expects your recovery to take.
For running, we recommend the following:
- Planks
- Russian twists
- Squat to Overhead Press
- Forward Lunge with Overhead Press
Yes! If you have extended health insurance, our physiotherapy sessions are covered. We always recommend that you follow up with your insurance provider to find out the extent of your coverage.
We also offer direct billing, which means that you do not have to pay for these sessions out of pocket!
At Vancouver Physiotherapy Hub, we know how frustrating running injuries can be for your running routine. That is why our physiotherapists approach running injuries differently: through a combination of education and therapy, our aim is to not only treat your injury but to ensure that it never comes back. At Vancouver Physiotherapy Hub, our goal is to get you back up and running as quickly as possible!
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What Our Clients Say About Us
Google Reviews
Melanie PrietoOctober 4, 2023.Great experience and very professional!
Bryant GroveSeptember 13, 2023.I was dealing with a rare condition causing some facial paralysis. Christina Wong is so helpful and caring about her patients. She helped me understand the road to recovery, massage techniques and ways to activate my facial nerves and facial muscles and what to expect with the symptoms I felt as I healed. My condition made me anxious and I found that few people in medicine understand it fully. Thankfully I talked with Christina who specializes in facial muscular nerve retraining so I could relax and allow myself to heal without stress. God bless her.
isi obohAugust 24, 2023.Great experience with the practitioners at Electra health. Saw Karim for some Physio related concerns and he was able to identify the root cause and propose treatment options that i could perform by myself.
manuel gallegosJuly 22, 2023.Good attitude and very professional Helped me alot
Zahra AskaryMarch 29, 2023.Had my first osteopath appointment with Thibault and he was very knowledgable and helpful. Would certainly recommend.
Julia MacDonaldMarch 11, 2023.My rotator cuff was absolutely the angriest and Chris helped it to calm down and gave me a lot of pain relief right away. I would highly recommend this place for all your injuries!
Jennifer HalindaMarch 1, 2023.In need of vestibular therapy for vertigo ( BVVP). Electra Health has two physiotherapists who specialize in this treatment. Met with Raj Singh who was able to educate me on my recovery and is helping me rebuild my balance. Grateful to have found you!
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