Running Away from the Pain

Running Away from the Pain

Running can be a great stress reliever.  People who have caught the “running bug” claim that they don’t feel happy or normal without getting their daily run in, or at least getting out a few times per week.  The benefits of running are many: increased cardiovascular health and endurance, endorphin surges, lower blood pressure, better physical fitness…. The list is long! 

However, running also takes its toll on our feet and ankles.  There are many injuries that happen to peoples’ feet and ankles when they are regular runners.  Are you amongst the running wounded?  At the office of Dr. Joseph Stuto, we treat many runners who are suffering from running inflicted injuries.  The five most common running related injuries we treat are:

  • Plantar Fasciitis: symptoms are a tight, painful sensation, sometimes sharp in nature at the base of the heel.  It can be slightly annoying to downright excruciating in nature!  The pain often comes and goes, but we’ve been told it is comparable to having stepped on a nail heel first!! 
  • Achilles Tendinitis:  inflammation of the Achilles tendon. Unfortunately, Achilles Tendinitis is a slow healer, and usually manifests itself as a pain at the back of the lower leg (at the Achilles tendon, just above the heel). 
  • IT Band Syndrome:  inflammation of the tendon that connects your knee to your hip.  This has been explained to us as feeling like being stabbed in the side of the knee when you run!!  This annoying and painful injury can quickly become crippling if not addressed and corrected in a timely manner!!
  • Shin Splints:  Pain in the shin area.  In minor cases, the muscles in the shin may be tender and inflamed, but in severe cases, the shin splints can be extremely painful and turn into a stress fracture along the tibia… this results in searing pain with every stride!!
  • Runner’s Knee:  Constant aching underneath your kneecap when running… aka “runner’s knee”.

The treatments and “fixes” for these varying problems range from orthotics to stretching and strengthening calves, to movement based treatments for soft-tissue injuries (Active Release Technique), to resting, icing, and various stretching and strengthening exercises. 

Whatever the treatment required, we are here to help at either of our two convenient locations in Brooklyn, NY.  Relief is simply a call away!  Contact us to make an appointment and run away from the pain!

Contact Us