5 Health Professionals to add to your Running Team

It’s no secret that pounding the pavement for long periods of time can be taxing on our bodies – it’s part of the challenge that makes running so addictive. If you’re running regularly or for long periods of time, it’s important to be conscious of the strain that puts on your body and how you can address any niggles to prevent serious.

If you’re an avid runner, it can be useful to have some experts in your corner. Our friends from Queensland Country Health Fund have helped us compile a list of some of the healthcare professionals that are worth having on speed dial when you’re training for a big run.

Chiropractor

Chiropractors deal with the misalignment of joints. Often when people think of chiropractors, they only think of the spine; however chiropractics extends to all the body’s joints and ligaments including the knees and ankles. Chiropractors can help runners treat sprains, strains and trauma to help the body heal faster and get back on the road sooner.

Physiotherapist

Physiotherapists make great allies for runners because they can help to diagnose injury, identify what might have caused injury in the first place and prevent future problems. In addition to treating any running injuries you might have, your physiotherapist can help with proactive injury prevention by looking at the biomechanics of your running technique; ensuring you have the most suitable running shoes for your body; perfecting the balance in your training load; and helping you to improve your joint range, flexibility and muscle strength.

Podiatrist

A runner is nothing without healthy feet and Podiatrists are the quintessential experts in assessing, treating and managing all foot conditions. From bunions and hammertoes to shin splits and stress fractures, a Podiatrist can help you sort out any niggling issues – or larger concerns – to ensure your running is the best it can possibly be.

Remedial masseuse

Remedial massage is a targeted massage that aims to treat damaged, knotted, tense or immobile muscles. Many runners like remedial massage because it can help to improve joint mobility and speed up recovery times for sporting injuries, muscle cramps and many other common ailments.

Exercise Physiologist

Exercise physiologists study the body and how it works. They can help you to maximise performance by proving insight into the mechanical, chemical and physical processes that occur during exercise, and what repeated physical activity – like running – does to the body over time. Exercise Physiologists work with their patients to treat and manage common conditions such as obesity, diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, arthritis and osteoporosis. They also aid with injury or illness rehabilitation and in achieving healthy body functions including musculoskeletal, metabolic, cardiac, pulmonary and neuromuscular function.

 

For all runners, it is important to listen to your body to avoid injury. Aches, pains and persistent soreness can be an early warning sign of bigger problems to come. Seeking the advice of an accredited health professional can help alleviate issues, reduce downtime and prevent injury altogether.