Patients who come to our office with symptoms such as foot, shin, or back pain are often surprised by what I can learn about their running style from their flexibility and running times. Years of working track and field events helped me understand runners better than any hours spent in a classroom with didactic facts and figures. I remember standing with the judges by the local Hubb Stein field in Plainfield one Saturday morning in May several years ago and seeing a 10-year-old who was so far ahead of everyone else, and yet, this boy was shorter, too. The middle of the pack was crowded by runners in that age group vying for second place, and way behind was a runner who seemed to be working harder than everyone else but was dead last. My comment to the judges was that we needed to keep our eye on this one in the next few years because they were not only fast, but also their bodies were extremely efficient in how they ran. Someone running 11 or 12 minute miles is usually inflexible, and cannot stride properly. Their running gait is a trot which is rough on the body. Improve this, and improve efficiency, you reduce pain of impact, improve running style and reduce the risk of impact injuries. What a 30-second treadmill evaluation can tell us about how you walk and run. For those who have experienced our treadmill evaluations, there is one common problem that I see in the general public and in runners as well. It is a lack of symmetry. The lack of symmetry can cause us to have back, neck, shoulder, and other chronic problems, and these problems began when we were young and were poor adaptations as we grew into adulthood. The problems worsen over the years and are the major cause of plantar fasciitis, shoulder problems, neck problems, and back pain. Screenshot In our small treatment rooms, we can evaluate and treat many common mechanical problems. There is so much you can see from manual care and evaluation alone. On the other hand, a 30-second video of you walking or running at a comfortable pace. The most common poor adaptation is…..? Over and understriding. The most common cause is….? How do we move our upper body? Surely it cannot be so simple, or is it? Changing bad habits through symmetry can eliminate many running problems related to impact; here’s why. While performing a treadmill eval, the second part is instruction and showing the person being evaluated how their gait changes by improving their running habits. The common changes they will see are; Symmetry in their gait. Improved upper body movement. Reduced ground impact. They walk and run more erect with better posture. I then place them on a program over 6 months to retrain both mechanically and neurologically poor gait habits. Treadmills are ideal for this as they can maintain their pace for a set period of time. What are the benefits of gait retraining? Better efficiencies in walking and running. Reduced ground impact resulting in less leg, foot, back and other pains. Patients with vertigo often see improvements in fewer episodes, as vertigo is often a whole body problem resulting in the condition, rather than just a problem that can cause debilitating problems related to the condition. Better overall balance from improved striding while walking and a reduced risk of falling. It’s all about the stride. Poor gait mechanics will, over time, result in many problems related to balance and ground impact. That impact can damage joints of the ankles, feet, toes, hips, lower back, and more. Better movement of the arms through the thoracolumbar region improves stride length because your stride is now from your ankle through the opposite shoulder, vs. being from the shoulder and the hip. This adjustment to how you walk will take months until your body memorizes these patterns as just normal. This is the most common reason for so many problems affecting the general population. Often, it begins with the feet and we adapt. Sometimes, an old injury affected this. Start when you are younger and your joints are healthier. Better movement results in healthier joints, less pain, and a more active life. A sports certified or diplomate chiropractor who specializes in runners can help you figure this out. Having back pain, foot pain, rib pain, shoulder pain, etc. Think mechanically first. Think holistically since movement is not about the part, but about the person. Think chiropractic sportsmedicine first. Need help now? Book online or call our offices today.