Are You Running Yourself Ragged?

By Dr. Steven Warfield

Running is a great way to stay in shape.  It promotes heart health and muscle tone, while decreasing blood pressure and even spurring weight loss.  On the flip side, it can also result in a number of injuries brought about by the fact that the human body was never designed to run on concrete.  So on today’s blog I thought I’d cover the pluses and minuses of running.

Have a Heart

Without a doubt, running is one of the best things you can do for your heart.  It not only strengthens the heart muscle, but it also lowers your blood pressure and increases HDL cholesterol levels which helps stave off heart disease. As your cardiovascular system becomes stronger, it will pump more blood and oxygen to the rest of your body, which results in increased endurance and deceased body fat.

Studies have also shown that rigorous exercise strengthens the bones and stimulates the production of white blood cells that are crucial to fending off disease.  Improved circulation helps deliver these microscopic disease fighters faster to the places where they are most needed.  It is also known that cardiovascular exercise such as running can significantly reduce your risk of cancer.

Now for the flip side of the coin.  Many runners suffer from repetitive motion injuries caused by running on unyielding or uneven surfaces, inadequate running shoes, and running up steep slopes.  Statistics tell us that more than 70% of runners (whether professional or amateur) will sustain some kind of injury at one point or another in their lives. Some of the injuries will be the result of stress to their legs or joints, while others involve their backs.  Everything from shin splints to tendonitis and/or stress fractures are common complaints with runners.

Break a Leg

Stress fractures as the name implies are characterized by a crack or break in the bones of the leg or foot  that are caused primarily by repetitive stress. (In older patients it can also be caused by Osteoporosis.)  That is the definition of the term.  However the causative factors can be a bit more complicated.  Stress fractures while affecting the bones are in many cases triggered by an imbalance of the muscles. For instance, a weak or overworked muscle can cause increased stress on an adjacent bone.  Sometimes an imbalance of the back can interfere with the nerves that actuate the muscles of the legs or feet.  As the runner continues on his or her way, the miscommunication combined with the repetitive nature of running can ratchet these stresses up to the point where the bone can no longer sustain the load. 

Are You Pulling My Leg?

Another common source of pain in the lower leg, particularly one that begins nearly as soon as you start running is shin splints. Typically this condition begins as a dull ache in the front of the lower leg. Upon closer inspection the knee may appear swollen and inflamed as well.  Also known as medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), shin splints can be caused by a number of triggers, including everything from worn-out shoes, running on rough or uneven terrain or even not running for a long period of time.  In short, anything that causes a sudden increase in muscle activity in the calves can result in shock that the tibia is forced to absorb.  If left untreated, shin splints can result in stress fractures. (Women are two to three times more likely to have stress fractures resulting from shin splints then are men.) 

Treatment of MTSS includes rest, as well as putting ice packs on the affected area.  It is also important to allow any swelling to subside before returning to full activity.  Your chiropractor may also recommend a number of exercises that strengthen the lower leg and hip muscles.  It is also imperative that individuals stricken with shin splints gradually return to full activity in order to avoid a relapse. 

Tendonitis Anyone?

The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscle to the heel of the foot. When this tendon becomes stressed and inflamed, people (particularly runners) will experience everything from pain in their heel, to swelling and tenderness in the ankle, along with stiffness of the joint.  Like stress fractures, Achilles tendonitis can be brought on by misalignments in the back.  Unlike them, the pain associated with tendonitis is worst at the start of exercise only to lessen as the workout progresses.

Treatment for the condition revolves around resting the ankle and applying cold to reduce inflammation.  Just as with MTSS, it can take months to heal Achilles tendonitis, during which time you need to gradually ramp up your activities in order to avoid relapse and/or complications.

Run Away

Icon Runners MillaSagradaFamilia2005 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Runner’s knee is a painful condition that can develop in anyone that overworks their knee joint.  Typified by a dull ache that develops around the knee, the pain is most pronounced when either bending or twisting the leg.  This condition can be caused by a number of factors, including direct trauma to the knee (such as that caused by a fall), misalignment of the kneecap, overstressing of the tendons, or even flat feet.  While the being predominantly relegated to runners, runner’s knee can also strike any athlete that does a lot of knee bending or jumping, such as cyclists, soccer players, football players and basketball players.

Typical symptoms of the condition are pain around or behind the kneecap, pain when bending the knee, or pain when walking, squatting, kneeling, running or sitting.  While in severe cases surgery is needed to remedy this condition, the good news is that in minor to moderate cases, resting, icing and elevating the knee along with stretching and strengthening exercises can help speed recovery.  Along with treatment, your chiropractor may also recommend wrapping the knee and/or adding arch supports to your shoes.

While running can be a terrific way to ward off illness and stay in shape, the most important thing to remember is not to overdo it.  By pacing yourself and dealing with any aches or pains that crop up during or after a run you can maximize the benefits of running and minimize the damage done.  Because the last place you want to run to is the doctor’s office.

Dr.’s Steven Warfield and Dave Edenfield offer the most advanced treatments forback pain, sciatica, neck pain, whiplash and headaches. They also treat autoaccident victims with state-of-the-art technologies. If you or anyone you know suffers from herniated discs, degenerative discs or spinal stenosis,visit http://chiropractor-orange-park-fl.com/ & http://chiropractic-jacksonville-fl.com