Osteopathy for Running Injuries
Can Osteopaths Contribute to the Rehabilitation Process of Running Injuries?
Whether you're a seasoned marathoner or a weekend jogger, running takes its toll on the body. That rhythmic pounding on pavements and trails puts your joints, muscles, and ligaments under repetitive stress, and even the most well-trained bodies can struggle to keep up. At our clinic, we regularly support runners during periods of intense training, particularly in the lead-up to races, when aches and niggles can escalate into serious injuries.
But can an osteopath help with running injuries? The short answer is: absolutely. Osteopathy offers a whole-body approach that not only targets the pain but also uncovers the root cause, whether that’s poor biomechanics, muscular imbalances, or postural issues. In this blog, we’ll explore some of the most common running injuries and how osteopathic care can support your recovery, get you back on track, and even help prevent future setbacks.
Let’s start by understanding what injuries runners are most prone to, and why they’re so common.
What Are The Common Running Injuries
It is estimated that 70% of all recreational and competitive runners, will sustain an overuse injury in any given 12-month period.
The most common running Injuries
Knee injuries 42%
Patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner’s knee)
Iliotibial band friction syndrome
Patellar tendinopathy
meniscal injuries
Foot/ankle 17%
Plantar fasciitis
lower leg 13%
Tibial stress syndrome (shin splints)
Achilles Tendonitis
Source (SMA)
To achieve your optimal performance, it is important to find the right balance. It is repetitive and demanding, so injuries are common. In this blog, we outline some of the most common running injuries and how we can help. This is just one of many conditions that our Osteopaths can help with.
Runner’s Knee or Anterior Knee Pain
This is a very common running injury. The repetitive, demanding nature of running will cause additional forces through your knee. If there is a muscular imbalance, this will irritate the tendons on one side of your knee through the knee cap (patella) maltracking.
What Part of the Knee is Damaged in Runner’s Knee?
You’re patella, caused by prolonged running strain. Symptoms of this injury are dull aching-type pain around the kneecap (maybe swelling). The pain will be worse upon loading the knee, so walking up and down stairs, running a short distance (maybe 5 miles) and after a run, either that evening or the following morning. You can find more in-depth details on this in our blog Osteopathy and knee pain.
Can an Osteopath Treat Knee Pain?
Yes, seeing an osteopath can help you determine the cause of your pain and assess how your whole body is functioning. Your Sports Osteopath London should assess your ankles, knees, Osteopath for hip pain, pelvic levels and spine, identify muscular imbalances and give hands-on treatment and give specific rehab exercises.
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis can be caused by a sudden increase in running intensity, mileage, or particularly tight leg muscles (such as the calves and hamstrings) that add additional tension to the plantar fascia. Additionally, a change in running surface results in an increase in compressive forces through the foot and ankle. Moreover, suppose you have a history of inversion ankle strains or ligament strains. In that case, it is also important to consider your footwear and whether it has insufficient or excessive cushioning or support.
Can Osteopathy Help with Plantar Fasciitis?
Yes, it would be worthwhile seeing an osteopath for Plantar fasciitis an assessment, advice and specific exercises to optimise the recovery process. Fascia tissue heals relatively slowly compared to muscle, due to its distinct tissue composition. Therefore, having a rehab plan to reduce your foot pain would be beneficial for your recovery.
Shin Splints
A dull, achy pain down your shins that becomes progressively sharper and aggravated by weight. Muscular imbalances, tightness and technique can cause shin splints. If you are new to running and the compressive loading through the feet and ankles, this could increase your risk of experiencing pain.
Do Shin Splints Go Away?
No, if you experience shin pain, do some gentle stretching for your shin muscles (tibialis anterior) and calf muscles. Rest and book an appointment with a specialist to get it checked out. Do not ‘push through it’ in this case, as you may damage the shin bones with stress fractures.
How do I Stop Getting Shin Splints?
Get expert advice to address the cause of your problem, as it may be related to issues with your ankles, knees, hips, or posture. An Osteopath can give hands-on treatment to lightly stretch the muscles and articulate the joints, and advise you on a rehabilitation plan to aid your recovery.
Achilles Tendonitis
Your Achilles tendon (AT) runs from the back of your heel to your calf muscles. Injury to the area may be caused by poor running technique, increasing your mileage and/or speed too quickly, and poor function of ankle, knee or hip joints. Tight calf and hamstring tensions are also known to aggravate AT. If you are experiencing pain and tenderness to touch along the back of the foot or above the heel (sometimes accompanied by swelling), these are typical symptoms.
What Causes Achilles Tendonitis to Flare Up?
It can be caused by excessive hill running or speed work, both of which stress the Achilles more than other types of running. If this happens, please rest from training first to allow the tendon time to recover.
Can Osteopathy help with Achilles Tendonitis?
Yes, an Osteopath can help with Rehabilitation after a sports injury and will give hands-on therapy to optimise your recovery. We will look at all the possible causes before providing you with a solution for recovery.
Less Common Running Injuries
Hamstring Tendonitis
Typically, you feel hamstring injuries straight away while exercising. You will feel a sudden pain whilst running in the back of your thigh or a deeper pain in your buttock. It will then be difficult to walk, and straightening your knee will be painful. You may experience weaknesses, and your hamstrings will be tender to the touch. Squats, lunging and prolonged sitting will aggravate pain.
Is Tendinopathy the Same as Tendonitis?
No, tendinitis is where your tendon becomes inflamed from movements that overload your tendon suddenly. This causes micro-tears to the tendon (Bass 2012). Tendinopathy is the degeneration of your tendons due to chronic overuse, such as repetitive strain injuries. When this happens, it is essential to rest and allow the body to recover and heal.
How do you Treat Hamstring Strain and Tendonitis?
A combination of muscular strengthening, light stretching and hands-on therapy. Everybody is different, and so their rehab plans should be too. However, typically we suggest continuing to move, but try non-weight-bearing activities like a cross-trainer or swimming for 2 weeks after the injury onset. It may also be beneficial to incorporate muscular strengthening and tendon loading exercises, and then gradually return to activity. To optimise your recovery, we offer hands-on osteopathy, massage and Pilates exercises. Additionally, nutrition can optimise healing by facilitating the synthesis of collagen. Adopting an anti-inflammatory diet or talking to our nutritionist would be worthwhile. At Wellthy Clinic, we want to take proactive steps to prevent a recurrence by questioning why it happened in the first place. Could your hip mobility be improved? How is your core, hamstrings and glute strength? How is your upper back and ankle mobility?
Does Hamstring Tendonitis Go Away?
Yes, you will recover, but it will take time to heal. Recurrence rates are high (approximately 30% of people), and your tendonitis could also develop into a tendinosis, which has longer healing times. Therefore, it is essential to have an effective rehabilitation plan.
How Long Does a Hamstring Tendonitis Last?
Typically, a tendonitis can take anywhere from a few days to 6 weeks to heal, depending on the individual. However, it is essential not to repeatedly strain the tendon, as this could lead to tendinosis, which can take between 6-10 weeks (early stage) or 3-6 months (chronic stage) to heal. A tendonitis is where your tendon becomes inflamed from movements that suddenly overload your tendon. This causes micro-tears to the tendon. Tendinopathy is the degeneration of your tendons due to chronic overuse, such as repetitive strain injuries. When this happens, it is essential to rest and allow the body to recover and heal. Therefore, seeing an Osteopath to get diagnosed correctly and formulate an effective rehab plan is important for effective healing, preventing recurrence and stopping progression into a tendinopathy.
Is it OK to run on a Sprained Ankle?
Not really. We recommend resting (stop running) for the first two weeks to allow the body a chance to recover. In our experience, hands-on Osteopathy, including ankle and foot articulation and muscle stretching, will optimise recovery in addition to ankle strengthening rehabilitation exercises, stretching, and non-weight-bearing exercises.
Do Ankle Sprains Ever Fully Heal?
Once you have sprained your ankle, the risk of reoccurrence is significantly higher, so it is essential to take proactive steps to rehab effectively. At Wellthy Clinic, we provide a structured rehab plan to help you recover as quickly as possible while building a stronger foundation to reduce the likelihood of injury recurrence. For a more in-depth explanation of foot pain, please visit this link.
How Do You Know if you have Pulled Your Hip Flexor?
It’s typical of athletes who engage in a lot of forceful flexion movements. You may feel pain while exercising or afterwards. Hip flexion will be painful, and your muscles at the front of your thigh will be tender to the touch.
Can I Exercise with a Hip Flexor Strain?
Yes, but initially it may be better to do some light stretching and rest for a week before returning to activity. Having a rehabilitation plan to prevent future recurrence would be advisable. Improving your core strength through Pilates and addressing hip mobility through hands-on Osteopathy would be beneficial.
How Do You Treat a Strained Hip Flexor?
A combination of core strengthening and light stretching of your hip flexors and hamstrings is always a good place to start. That said, everybody is different, so hands-on Osteopathy and Pilates rehab exercises specifically for the individual will lead to the best results and speed up your recovery.
You can recover from all these injuries given a well-structured sports injury rehabilitation plan and time. At Wellthy Clinic, we will assess your posture, joint and muscle movements to identify imbalances and leg lengths. Give hands-on therapy to stretch the muscles, articulate joints, and manipulate joints (only if appropriate and with consent).
We will advise on the best warm-ups and cool-downs. Also, structured training programs that don’t progress too quickly (in terms of time, intensity, or distance). Build up your core strength and flexibility. Also, discuss your running technique and get your race ready!
What You Can Do To Prevent Running Injuries
If it has been a long time since you last participated in physical exercise, we recommend consulting with a professional first.
Always warm up before running (increased muscle viscosity reduces the chance of injury)
Start with small distances and gradually build up in speed and distance (no more than 10% a week)
Hydrate before running (hydrate whilst running once you reach greater distances)
Allow 24 to 48 hours of rest between runs at the beginning
Do not run during the hottest parts of the day (this will lead to dehydration). Dehydration results in tighter muscles and an enhanced chance of injury.g
Start by running on smooth, even surfaces (you can slowly add different terrain once you have built up strength and technique)
Invest in shoes that are specifically designed for running
Begin to recognise the difference between ache and pain (ache means you have worked the body and muscles well, pain points more towards injuring the body)
Stop running when you feel any sharp pain and seek professional advice
Join a running club, and the wealth of experience and advice will be invaluable to your progression as a runner.
Pilates is highly beneficial in supporting and enhancing your running performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an osteopath help with a pulled muscle? Yes, osteopaths can help relieve pain and improve mobility in pulled muscles through manual therapy and targeted rehabilitation. They also address any underlying imbalances that may have contributed to the injury.
Can osteopathy reduce inflammation? Osteopathy supports the body’s natural healing response, which can help reduce inflammation by improving circulation and lymphatic drainage. However, it complements rather than replaces medical management of acute inflammation.
Can an osteopath help with ligament damage? Osteopaths can support recovery from ligament injuries by reducing tension in surrounding tissues, promoting joint stability, and guiding a gradual rehabilitation process. They also help identify and correct movement patterns that could delay healing.
Can I run after an osteopath? Yes, many runners feel looser and more balanced after a session and can return to running soon after, depending on the condition treated. Your osteopath will advise you on the optimal timing, tailored to your case.
Do osteopaths treat sports injuries? Yes, osteopaths frequently treat a range of sports injuries, including those from running, such as tendonitis, shin splints, and knee pain. They take a whole-body approach to restore optimal biomechanics and prevent recurrence.
What is the best muscle relief for runners? Osteopathic treatment, combined with stretching, hydration, and adequate recovery, can be effective for muscle relief. Hands-on techniques improve blood flow and reduce muscle tightness.
Should you massage a ligament tear? Direct massage on a torn ligament is not recommended in the acute phase. Osteopaths instead work on surrounding tissues to reduce compensatory strain and support the healing process.
Is osteopathy good for runners? Yes, osteopathy can help runners prevent and recover from injuries by improving alignment, flexibility, and muscle function. It also supports performance by addressing imbalances and movement efficiency.
Who helps athletes recover from injuries? A multidisciplinary team often helps, including osteopaths, physiotherapists, and sports doctors. Osteopaths offer a holistic view, focusing on the whole kinetic chain rather than just the injured area.
How long does it take for osteopathy to work? Many people feel an improvement after 1–3 sessions, but full recovery depends on the type and severity of the injury. Your osteopath will tailor a plan to your needs and training schedule.
References
Bass (2012) Tendinopathy: Why the Difference Between Tendinitis and Tendinosis Matters International Journal Therapy Massage Bodywork 5 (1) 14-17
Goom et al (2016) Proximal Hamstring Tendonpathies: Clinical Aspects of Assessment and Management Journal of Orthopeadic and Sports Physical Therapy. 46 (6) 1-32
Mason et al 2007 Rehabilitation for injuries Cochrane review
Matthew Glithero
Matthew Glithero is the Clinic Director: an Osteopath (MOst) & Pilates instructor with a background in Sports Science (BSc).