If you are a runner, you have probably at some point in your career experienced pain or injury. You may have even completed physical therapy to help treat those symptoms. As a runner who has also experienced injuries during training, I know it is often easy to ignore the pain, take a rest day, and go right back out there a day or two later. Until 2 months later when the pain is still there… As a running technique specialist who happens to be a Physical Therapist, I know there are some fundamental things we can do to treat, prevent, and train biomechanically to accelerate healing and avoid injuries.

As a Certified Running Technique Specialist, I am trained to analyze a client’s everyday functional movement, as well as movement components of the running gait. At the time of initial running consultation and after an orthopedic assessment it may be determined that your goals can be met through a formal bout of Running Academy Sessions. I thought I would break down and simplify the steps that a Running Academy Physical Therapist might go through with you.

· An orthopedic or movement screen is performed to see how you move statically, as well as testing your balance, strength, and assessing your flexibility and mobility.

· The clinician will discuss running goals, routines - current and suggested, review questions, and concerns.

· Patient will perform a series of running drills and mobility exercises to warm up the tissue and prepare the patient to undergo a video analysis.

· The patient will be filmed from 3 planes: lateral, front, back. Each session a pre and post-video will be take to assess change and progress.

· Together with the therapist, the client will review their current running form and will be educated visually and verbally on correct running form.

· The client will be instructed through running drills and exercises to assist in training the parts of the running gait found to be inefficient during the video analysis portion.

· The client will be provided handouts and videos to work on at home that mimic correct running form.

· It is recommended in most cases that the clients be seen a few times typically spaced out 1-2x a month for about 2-3 months for the most efficient transition to good running form.

· Throughout the sessions, individualized drills, exercises, and routines will be given tailored to help the client reach their potential and running goals.

· Other areas that will be addressed and reviewed will include running specific strength exercises, mobility, agility, soft tissue management, and balance.

If you are a runner looking to run farther, faster or run without pain this assessment could be for you. If you are a runner who suffers chronic, yearly injuries that either never fully go away or travel up the chain, this assessment may be for you. Or if you are just wondering whether you run with good form, this assessment could be for you. Are you transitioning from walking to a running program? This assessment is definitely for you! Are you training for your first marathon, or your 20th marathon and you just can’t seem to stay healthy throughout the entire training or you just can’t seem to make the qualifying time for Boston? This assessment is definitely for you!

Still have questions?           Contact us at 815-893-9075       www.smithptrun.com

Locations: St. Charles, Crystal Lake, and Kenosha