Prolotherapy for Running Injuries

Summer and fall are peak times for marathon training. As mileage increases so does the risk for injury. Many runners are forced to pause their hard work due to common injuries such as runner’s knee, plantar fasciitis and shin splints. The causes are many and range from increasing mileage too soon, running in old shoes, weak muscle strength or structural weaknesses in the hips, knees and ankles.

No matter the cause, the solution is usually the same – rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE) coupled with anti-inflammatory medication and a possible brace or splint. Every runner knows that the last thing he wants to do during training is sit out due to an injury. Thankfully, Prolotherapy offers a successful, non surgical alternative to the common treatments for running injuries.

Runners’ injuries respond well to Prolotherapy because Prolotherapy addresses the root cause of the pain, which usually stems from structural weaknesses or cartilage degeneration from overuse.

Runner’s Knee

Runner’s knee is often diagnosed as chondromalacia patella or patallefemoral syndrome. Prolotherapyto the knee induces inflammation to stimulate the immune system and bring in healing factors to the knee cartilage and surrounding knee ligaments. Runners are encouraged to cycle and cross train throughout the course of treatment. A good Prolotherapy doctor can give specific guidance on resuming running, along with a nutritional program to maximize healing, thus many athletes are able to get back to training and run race they have their hopes set on.

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis involves painful inflammation on the bottom of the foot, usually in the heel. It can occur due to improper training, weakness of the foot, or running in old shoes. Prolotherapy injections are given to the bottom of the foot to strengthen the fascia and relieve pain. Additional recommendations to strengthen the fascia such as walking barefoot, wearing sandals, or using toe stretchers are often given to a patient, as well as guidance for cross training and running.

Shin Splints

Shin splints are known as medial tibial stress syndrome and can plague runners in their dominant leg. The common treatment involves rest and use of sports cream to relieve pain. Resting from training is hard for any athlete, and it often does more harm than good. As with other injuries, shin splints result from specific ligament weaknesses and cartilage degeneration in the shin. The only way to strengthen these ligaments and generate cartilage growth is through Prolotherapy. This is one of the most common running injury that is easily addressed through the regenerative properties of Prolotherapy.

Traditional treatments for running injuries often miss the root problem, causing the runner to cease training and risk dropping out of the race. Prolotherapy addresses the real problem, leading to safe and effective healing, allowing runners to get back to what they love. If you are plagued by injury or you are starting to feel an injury coming on, don’t rest until you have sought a Comprehensive Prolotherapy practitioner.

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