Running Injury

Chiropractic Care for Runners in Portland OR

Running injuries can stem from many factors: uneven terrain, worn-out or unsuitable shoes, insufficient training, or tackling steep hills. One key factor we often see is misalignment in joints, especially in the spine. At Chiropractic Healing Hands For You, we want to help you understand the most frequent injuries tied to these misalignments and how chiropractic care can support your recovery.

6 Common Injuries for Runners

Running places extra pressure on joints like your feet, knees, hips, and back. It’s no surprise that runners may suffer from a variety of injuries. However, some are more common than others. Here’s a breakdown of six injuries we often treat at Chiropractic Healing Hands For You.

1. Stress Fractures:

Stress fractures cause pain anywhere from your foot to your lower leg and can account for up to 15% of runner injuries. They often begin when muscles don’t work properly—either due to weakness or overuse—which places added strain on bones. Typically, this muscle imbalance links back to spinal misalignments that disrupt nerve signals. Our team at Chiropractic Healing Hands For You uses specialized equipment to diagnose and treat the root cause, not just the pain.

2. Achilles Tendonitis:

The Achilles tendon connects your calf muscles to your heel and is crucial for foot movement during running. Tendonitis means inflammation, often caused by overworked or weakened calf muscles. You might notice pain around your heel, swelling near the ankle, and stiffness—especially at the start of your exercise. Like many injuries, spinal misalignments can disrupt nerve signals affecting these muscles. Our chiropractors focus on realigning your spine to reduce this stress.

3. Shin Splints:

If you feel aching or dull pain along your shin, particularly after starting a new running routine, shin splints could be the culprit. They’re common when you ramp up activity too quickly. Poor footwear, flat feet, and sudden intense workouts contribute, but often nervous system imbalances from spinal misalignments play a big role. At Chiropractic Healing Hands For You, we help restore proper nervous function to ease your pain.

4. Runner’s Knee:

Runner’s knee causes an achy feeling around the knee, worsening with bending or twisting. Causes range from direct trauma to overuse, weak thigh muscles, and joint misalignments. Many think chiropractic care focuses only on the spine, but our skilled team also treats knee misalignments, helping many patients find relief.

5. Plantar Fasciitis:

The plantar fascia is a thick band supporting your foot’s arch, running from heel to toes. Repetitive stress, poor shoes, hard running surfaces, and foot misalignments like flat feet can inflame this band, causing sharp heel pain—especially first thing in the morning. Early treatment is key. While medications offer short-term relief, spinal and foot adjustments at Chiropractic Healing Hands For You often provide longer-lasting benefits.

6. Ilio-Tibial Band Syndrome (IT Band Syndrome):

The IT band stabilizes your knee, running from hip to knee. Pain and inflammation can occur anywhere along this path and may be mistaken for knee problems. Misalignments in the spine and leg bones can irritate this structure. Our thorough examinations at Chiropractic Healing Hands For You identify and address these underlying causes.

As you can see, many running injuries connect back to misalignments in joints and the spine. Chiropractors are uniquely trained to work with the entire body system. For runners, maintaining proper alignment is essential—not just after injury, but proactively.

If you think you might be developing any of these conditions, contact Chiropractic Healing Hands For You in Portland, OR for a complete evaluation.