Running is one of Americans’ favorite forms of exercise. The reasons for its popularity are simple — it can be done almost anywhere, takes no special equipment, and burns lots of calories. Running also offers a great many health benefits such as weight control, decreased blood pressure and cholesterol, and relief from stress.
Everything with running is fabulous, right up until the time you hear a snap, crack, or pop. The downside of all the wonderful benefits is that running causes its share of injuries to the body.
The Ohio State Chiropractic Association presents an alarming statistic that two-thirds of runners will be injured in some way. Tendonitis, shin splints, ankle sprains, hip pain, and knee strains are a few of the many injuries brought on or exacerbated by a regular running routine.
What is a runner to do?
It’s important to take common-sense precautions not to get injured in the first place. Purchasing high-quality shoes and respecting the body’s limits are two excellent choices.
Another great choice is committing to chiropractic care. Regular runners can reap many positive results from visiting a chiropractor. Three significant benefits chiropractic care offers for runners are the following:
Increased Range of Motion
Loose and relaxed joints allow for greater flexibility and movement, all of which benefit a runner’s gait and time. You can easily loosen your joints by performing some stretches before you start to run. Ideally, you’ll want to stretch your calves, hamstrings, glutes, and groin as these will be under the most stress when you run. Stretching also helps avoid injury while you run.
Another way to avoid injury would be to seek out chiropractic care. A study published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine found evidence that a chiropractic treatment regimen increased mobility in the hips over time.
While chiropractic care does not guarantee an individual will experience an increase in speed, unrestricted joints and better range of motion will definitely help a person move more freely and stand a better chance of avoiding running injuries.
Decreased Healing Time for Injuries
Unfortunately, runners frequently deal with injuries, some of which take weeks or months to heal. For dedicated runners, a serious injury is terrible news.
The first action for runners after they have been injured is to stop running so it can heal. Most runners do not want to risk losing the stamina that interrupting their routine brings on.
Some ways to avoid losing stamina while you’re recovering include continuing to eat healthy, drinking lots of water, and performing weight training exercises. Remember that you need to keep off of any injured muscles. It can be frustrating at times, but keeping a positive attitude goes a long way. For the best performance recovery, though, you’ll want to visit a chiropractor.
Chiropractors can work with runners who have injured themselves from the repetitive motion of running regularly. By using chiropractic adjustments, chiropractors can promote healing in the body as a whole. Runners love this because they want to get back to hoofing it as quickly as possible.
Minimized Instances of Becoming Injured
A spine out of alignment can cause other parts of the body to be weaker and more susceptible to injury. One part of the body compensating for another that is off-kilter is one common way runners end up hurt.
Ways to avoid injury include stretching (as mentioned earlier) and eating well (also mentioned previously). Strength training is also valuable to avoiding injury by ensuring your muscles not only have the right flexibility but strength to run. On top of stretching before and after your running session, you’ll need to warm-up and cool-down. If you don’t, you’ll shock your body and be left with some very sore muscles. One of the best ways to avoid injury from running includes regular chiropractic treatment.
Chiropractic treatment helps to keep the spine in alignment, which can have a ripple effect through the body. Regular adjustments can reduce the negative impact the jarring motion of running has on a person’s body, and help avoid running-relating injuries on the front end.
Running is a popular exercise routine for many, and yields a multitude of positive results to a person’s health and well-being. By taking proper steps to minimize the chance of injury, runners can enjoy the good points running brings to the table and steer clear of the bad.
Chiropractic care can be an effective part of making certain your body is in prime running condition and resistant to injury. If a person ends up dealing with an injury, chiropractic treatment may be able to boost healing time.
Ready! Set! Go!
There’s indeed nothing quite like running. Whether you like to be outdoors with the sounds of nature or the city surrounding you, or whether you prefer to track your goals on a treadmill vigorously, running is simply exciting.
Making sure you take care of your body goes a long way towards keeping what you love to do possible. While you may not naturally think chiropractic care can help, it actually provides great benefit for runners and athletes. A surprising fact is that many Olympic athletes seek frequent chiropractic treatment.
If you are a runner and would like to talk further about the benefits chiropractic care offers you, contact us today for a consultation.