Running is the cheapest and most available form of exercise; you just need some shoes! Most people start for health and fitness reasons, or as part of a weight loss plan. Some meet in groups or clubs and enjoy the social aspect or as part of training for other sports and activities. Some run to compete or just switch off at the end of the day.

Do you carry on regardless? Do you rest from running for a while and then return, then rest again when the pain comes back – because it usually does! Do you see your doctor or Therapist, take some anti-inflammatories, and do some stretches then go back to running to find that the pain comes back – because it usually does! Or, do you give up running altogether?

The most likely answer is no-one. Even talented and elite runners with years of competition experience may have never been taught the fundamentals of how to run and may have developed inefficient techniques.

By changing the way, the legs and feet move and their interaction with the ground, by changing the direction of the forces that act on the body it is possible not only to change the way you run and become more efficient but you can also reduce your injury risk significantly.

Current evidence suggests that it is not what is in our shoes or the type of trainers we wear that changes the forces and the way we run, but the individual’s control of their trunk, pelvis and hips and their interaction with the ground that makes the difference. There would be no point in repeatedly changing the worn tires on your car if the steering tracking was out and had not been fixed!

At Ballsbridge Physiotherapy Clinic we use our years of experience working in elite sports coupled with current concepts of evidence-based rehabilitation to fully assess the way you stand, move and run.

Depending on the findings of the assessment you will be given running re-education strategies aimed at making your running style more efficient.

You will be given a graduated programme to allow your central nervous system to get used to the new way of moving, and to allow any existing injuries to fully rehabilitate. This may take some weeks, but it is dependent on how much effort you put into the changes and the level of change you need to make.

Running gait and muscle activation change with cadence, external focus i.e., running after opponent or ball, type of sport, type of surface, change in direction and even footwear. At Ballsbridge Physiotherapy Clinic we take a detailed history and will ask you what your goals are in respect of returning to play, adapting your drills and exercises accordingly to consider the needs of your sport.