No one wants to be injured. And when you’re injured, you don’t want to be told not to run. Today I’m joining Erika @ MCM Mama Runs, April @ Run the great wide somewhere and Patty @ My no-guilt life! to talk about alternative treatment for running injuries.
My brother-in-law is a chiropractor, but ironically it was a running injury that took me to see my first chiropractor (not my BIL, who can no longer practice, ironically due to injury).
I have a tendency towards hip/knee overuse injuries. I go along, running just fine, until I come to the end of a training cycle & BAM! I have a painful race. It seems to come out of nowhere, although of course it doesn’t.
Last fall was just such an occasion. I had seen a chiropractor for a running analysis that summer, but she hadn’t actually found much wrong with me. Of course I wasn’t injured at the time I had the analysis done.
By the fall, though, it was a different story. My hip started bothering me after a 12 mile run. I saw the chiropractor a few times, but I have to admit it didn’t really seem to help. Too little too late, no doubt.
Thankfully that summer I’d begun to use KT Tape Pro (that’s the pink tape on my knees in the picture above). If you have knee, hip, achilles, or back problems (and more), run – don’t walk – to try it. I can’t say that fall half was pain free – far from it – but I finished it running and I bounced back in just a few days & I know it’s mostly due to KT Tape.
One of my resolutions for this year was to see the chiropractor on an ongoing basis. Mostly every other month. So far, so good. Not too long ago my shoulder was bothering me (not running related). It was about time for an appointment. And yes, my shoulder feels a lot better.
I’m not sure it qualifies as alternative treatment, but I do strength train. And I’m pretty religious about doing preventative exercises for my knee/hip, too. I use quie a few from Strength Running. You’ll find many of the routines I routine use under the “Get Strong, Prevent Injuries, Start Running More” heading on this page.
What have you turned to when injured? Did it work?
Chocolaterunsjudy 
OMG, I could have wrote this post! This is exactly the situation I have been in.
Unfortunately KT tape has not helped me, but I have found Rock Tape to help with my knee. It stays on better.
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I use KT Tape Pro, which works well for me. I do want to try Rock Tape, because KT Tape doesn’t always stay on as well as I’d like.
Sorry that you have the same problems!
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I’ve been fixed by a chiropractor twice but I don’t go for regular treatments. I do strength train regularly. I just discovered KT Tape this spring and love it!
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I tell EVERYONE about KT Tape. I don’t know what took me so long to try it.
I strength train regularly, too, but knees & hips can still be an issue. Maybe I need to hire a personal trainer. But then I’d have to stop buying running shoes & clothes. 🙂
The chiropractor is oddly enough one of the few things our insurance actually pays for! Well, they do pay for drs & dentists but it always seems to end up costing more; the chiro is just the copay. So I started to go regularly.
But I don’t actually go to a primary care dr. I see a gyno but I know I really do need to find a primary care dr too. My husband is much better about that than me, oddly enough.
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I’ve seen a chiropractor every four or five weeks for 24 years. I religiously do the exercises he prescribes. Before I starting seeing him, when I had an episode (for me it started with lower back) I’d be bedridden for two weeks. Now, with regular adjustments and exercise, when I have an episode I bounce back quickly.
Lately I’ve had issues with base of neck and shoulders. It was recently diagnosed as collapsing disks and arthritis, due to aging (I am sixty-two). Even for these, adjustments make a big difference.
I am a fanatic about stretching, daily, before running, after running. So far, the only issue I’ve had, a couple of weeks ago (This is my fourth year running) was some discomfort in my knees. I think it was from running down a long steep hill. I felt it then. It’s much better, but I’ll be avoiding that hill from here on out.
So far, knock on wood, no difficulties with hips or IT bands.
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I see a chiropractor regularly and I definitely think it helps with treating and preventing injuries. I have used KT tape a bunch of times but I felt like it worked better on some areas more than others. Strength training is a great way to prevent and recover from injuries!
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I’ve only used tape on my hips, knees & Achilles – for me it helped on all.
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KT tape helped me get through my first Half with PF in the arch of my right foot. It still bothers me now and then and I love the KT tape, ice and ibuprofen!
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I’ve heard about the wonders of KT tape but have never tried it…maybe it’s worth a try?
I agree strength training is so often overlooked…I need to step it up myself!
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Well, if you have an injury that it can be used for, I totally recommend it. If you don’t you don’t need it. Most of the time I don’t, but I thank God for it when I do!
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Chiropractor and sports massage usually. I’ve had to resort to PT, though.
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I kind of wish I was referred to PT sometimes. Just because I feel there must be something I’m missing.
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Is ignoring it an alternative treatment?? LOL
Never been to a chiro or had a massage or used Tape. I may try it on my feet, though.
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Tape won’t prevent blisters, unfortunately. Heck, I’ve been taking my animals to holistic vets for yrs but it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I tried chiropractic myself.
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I like Rock Tape better than KT Tape, but either brand is wonderful! Whenever I have a tweaky injury, I tape it up and it almost always helps!!
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Yup, taped my knee last night – thankfully first time on pain almost 2 months. I’m getting low on tape & have been wanting to try Rock Tape.
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