Back and Neck Pain

A running evaluation is a systemized method used to locate areas of weakness, determine whether your current running movement patterns are putting you at risk of injury, and address any performance issues. During your individualized session, the therapist will review your history and running program, and complete a brief physical evaluation to assist in identifying potential causes of injury or pain while running.

During your run assessment, you will undergo a thorough exam of strength, flexibility, movement patterns, and running form, combining current technology with other assessment techniques. Your run assessment will start with a video run analysis that will give us insight into your current gait and posture and will help us identify any areas that are at risk of injury. We’ll assess how you make your initial contact, how much your shock absorption is placed on your knees as you bend them, and how you toe-off. For example, if you lean forward 20 degrees or have too much flexion between your knee joint angles, we’ll help you make adjustments to your run form to decrease the possibility of injury.

Running analysis can be performed in preparation for a race, to return to sport following injury, or for injury prevention. Some of the things that we look at when treating a runner include:
• Strength evaluation: Ensure proper running form is maintained to avoid overstraining muscles.
• ROM and joint evaluation: Many runners injure themselves because they stretch or strain certain ligaments due to poor flexibility. This can help individualize a plan for each runner to prevent injury.
• Footwear evaluation: Many runners complain of blisters or other foot problems, but most of the time the issue lies not within the mechanics, but the shoes an individual wears. We suggest runners bring their gear to their treatments so we can perform a proper evaluation of the support and wearability of an individual’s footwear.

After reviewing the findings with your physical therapist, you will receive a custom assessment and exercise training plan. Whether you’re a competitive athlete looking for the next endurance challenge or brand new to the sport of running, our running assessment is customized for runners of all levels.