A Running Assessment: A Must for Any Runner at Any Level

 

 

“I don’t think I have the mileage on me to really complain of any injuries yet.” 

 

Do you have pain with running? Are you just starting out or thinking about starting a running program?  Do yourself some good and get a running assessment.

 

I perform running assessments on anyone who tells me that they run or are thinking about running.  Most of the time, they may feel pain and tightness and have no idea how to fix it.  It is also important to correct imbalances and flaws before they have a chance to create a problem.

 

Here is an example of a running assessment I did recently.  I could see the biomechanical flaws immediately but it is very apparent when you slow it down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch her right lower extremity as it is loaded.  She has what is called a trendelenburg pattern as her right hip muscles (mainly gluteus medius but also hip external rotators) are weak and this causes her pelvis to drop on the left and raise on the right.  This leads to internal rotation of her femur, knee valgus, and increased ankle/foot pronation on her right leg.  Look closely at the differences between her right and left leg.  This also causes abnormal lumbar and thoracic side bending and rotation. You may never notice unless we slow down the video. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She reported that she has had right anterior knee pain (patellofemoral pain) for many years.  Now you can see why.  In her case, she has a weak right hip for who knows how long and she never realized the stress that she was putting on her knee. 

Other potential problems that could occur would be cervical, thoracic, or low back pain, lateral hip and knee pain (proximal or distal IT band syndrome), trochanteric bursitis, medial tibial stress syndrome (shin splints), posterior tibialis tendinitis, calf pain, and/or plantar fasciitis.

As you can see, it is imperative that a running assessment be performed in order to address current musculoskeletal pain/dysfunction and to prevent future pain and dysfunction.  Based on the running assessment and the rest of the physical therapy evaluation, exercises should be prescribed to correct the muscular imbalance and weakness.