 You’re a running machine. And machines that work as hard as you do may break down. In fact, most running injuries occur from the cumulative effects of the sport. This is particularly true when runners ramp up their mileage in preparation for an upcoming event, such as a marathon. The added mileage can take its toll. Aches and pains escalate.
These types of "overuse" injuries tip the scale to the point symptoms are felt. It's as though a weak link awaits attention. Examples include muscle strain, tendinitis, or even worse a stress fracture. That's why it's important that you listen to your body, particularly during times when you're beefing up your mileage.
Finding a qualified team of practitioners to address your condition can make the difference in your future performance as a runner. Clients of the Runner’s Clinic at Alpine Physical Therapy work with experts in the field who know and understand your sport.
We pride ourselves in the fact that Alpine Physical Therapy is a yearly and exclusive physical therapy sponsor of the Missoula Marathon. This puts us face-to-face with runners of all skill levels and gives us opportunities to provide consultation, along with numerous training seminars for their participants.
Join Angela for a detailed discussion on the ins and outs of the Runner’s Clinic at Alpine. If you’re a runner and want to address lingering pain or catapult your performance, this video podcast is vital for you. Click on the video below to view.
Whether you need answers, advice, or treatment, the Runner’s Clinic at Alpine Physical Therapy is here to help. We use the latest technologies and treatments to help you in all phases of your training and rehabilitation. Along with expert clinicians holding numerous certifications, we are one of only a few clinics in Western Montana to utilize cold laser for sport injuries.
Our expert physical therapists perform a comprehensive physical therapy evaluation, including a biomechanic assessment of your running style.
Based on our evaluation, our treatment plan may include the following:
- biomechanical orthotic assessment and fabrication
- specialized taping techniques
- footwear assessment
- cold laser treatments
- hybresis application
- core progressions
- muscle balance strategies
Gaining knowledge about your injury and what you can do to resolve it puts you ahead of the pack. We invite you to peruse this section of our website for information on various injuries common to runners. For additional information, be sure to visit the Patient Resources section of our website for news and information on these and other conditions runners face.
For runners just starting out and for those ramping up their mileage, stress fractures are likely the most common and yet the most dangerous of overuse running injuries. Think of a paperclip that you bend back and forth to the point that it eventually breaks. That's sort of how a stress fracture occurs. Repeated stresses eventually weaken the area to the point that an actual crack forms in the bone. The challenge in treating a stress fracture is that doctors will typically have you use crutches so that you don't put any weight through the area for four to six weeks. Common areas for stress fractures from running include the pelvis, hip bone, shin bone, and metatarsal bones (the column of bone that forms the toes). For additional information read the following informative patient guides:
Stress Fracture of the Hip
Shin Splints
 Pain felt along the outside bump of the hip bone may be from a bursitis. A bursa is a fluid filled sac that often sits between two moving structures to reduce friction, such as a between a muscle and a bone. An inflamed bursa is called bursitis. Muscle imbalances around the hip, particularly due to a weak gluteal muscle, are commonly responsible for the development of a hip bursitis. It often involves tightness in the outer band of tissue that stretches from the hip to the knee, called the iliotibial band. This tightness rubs on the bursa on the outside bump of the hip, leading to a bursitis. Physical therapy treatments address the muscle imbalance through strengthening and stretching along with the use of specialized modalities such as cold laser. For additional information read the following informative patient guide:
Trochanteric Bursitis of the Hip
A common malady affecting runners involves the iliotibial band, or IT band for short. The IT band is a thick sheet of ligament that runs along the side of the thigh from the hip to the knee. Problems arise when the IT band becomes tight, causing it to rub against either the bursa along the side of the hip or against the bursa just to the side of the knee. Hip muscle weakness can contribute to the problem, as can alignment problems in the leg or foot that influence the knee to angle inward. The friction caused by this tightness irritates the bursa of the hip or knee leading to a bursitis. In either case, treatment involves addressing the hip muscle imbalance as well as correcting alignment in the lower leg and foot. For additional information read the following informative patient guide:
Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Changes in the way the knee cap (patella) glides along the front of the knee joint can lead to pain in the front of the knee, a condition known as patellofemoral syndrome. Normally, the knee cap glides up and down in a groove within the thigh bone (femur). When the knee cap slips too far to the outside of the knee, extra pressure builds behind the knee cap, which can lead to pain and inflammation on the inside edge of the knee cap. Common causes include hip muscle imbalances, along with alignment changes in the leg and foot. Physical therapy treatments include specialized taping techniques to reduce pain and improve your ability to perform your activities, including running. Additional treatments include possible use of foot orthotics, muscle balancing strategies and modalities such as cold laser. For additional information read the following informative patient guide:
Patellofemoral Problems
 There are two types of shin splints, both of which are common to runners. Anterior shin splints produce pain along the front side of the shin. People who are just getting started running and those doing long downhill runs are commonly affected by anterior shin splints. Posterior shin splints result from high mileage running and from altered foot mechanics, which lead to fatigue in the muscle on the inside edge of the lower leg. The fatigue eventually leads to inflammation and pain along the inner edge of the shin bone. In both types of shin splints, there is the risk that working through the pain could lead to development of a stress fracture in the shin bone. Anterior shin splints are dealt with through proper training in beginning runners and by avoiding long downhill runs. Posterior shin splints oftentimes require arch taping, orthotics, or potential changes in footwear. For additional information read the following informative patient guide:
Shin Splints
Pain that develops in the back part of the heel in the Achilles' tendon can be troublesome. This condition often becomes chronic, leading to changes in the actual cell structure of the Achilles' tendon. This condition is now called a tendonosis. Muscle weakness, altered foot alignment, footwear, and running surfaces can all contribute to the development of an Achilles tendonosis. Treatment may involve fabrication of orthotics, obtaining new footwear, or applying various modalities such as cold laser. Advanced treatment may also include specialized strengthening called eccentrics in which the calf muscle works in a lengthening fashion. It is believed that this form of exercise helps strengthen the tissue that makes up the Achilles tendon. For additional information read the following informative patient guide:
Achilles Tendonitis and Achilles Tendon Rupture
 Pain felt along the bottom of the heel may be from a condition called plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia is a sheet of tissue that runs along the sole of the foot from the front of the heel to the ball of the foot. Blunt trauma or a prolonged stress to the plantar fascia can produce pain were the plantar fascia connects just in front of the heel. It is commonly caused by having tight calf muscles, though altered foot alignment can also be a cause. People often describe the feeling of a “stone bruise” in the heel, which is particularly painful when getting out of bed and putting weight on your foot first thing in the morning. Treatment commonly requires hands on stretching to the sole of the foot, along with calf stretching. Some people benefit with a change in footwear, foot orthotics, or arch taping. For additional information read the following informative patient guide:
Plantar Fasciitis (Heel Pain)
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