What Can Physical Therapists Do For Runners?

The population of runners is huge.  USA Track and Field indicates more than 30 million Americans are runners and 10 million Americans run 100 times or more per year.  On Twitter, Active.com has a following of 25,853 tweeps.  Runners are using sources on Twitter such as Active.com and Sportsmd for helpful information.  I even click on their tweets:  sometimes it is good and other times I think, "ugggh."

Runners have to be confused over the variety of messages about pain and then all the expert advice about their sport from running form, to shoe wear, to orthotics, to how to treat their aches and pains.  There is definitely a need for a physical therapist on Twitter to be the guiding voice for runners.  A physical therapist with a sole goal and passion on interjecting tweets full of evidence and resources to help runners has a readily available full-time position on Twitter.  :) 

Physical therapists do play a role in being a part of the team keeping runners running!  Guess what I happened to run across as a session during the American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting?  I am SOOO beginning to sound like a broken record (especially for those who frequently read here)... I am sure you all are thinking there must be a session focusing on running.  Absolutely!  "Keeping the Feet on the Road - Prevention and Treatment of Common Running Injuries" will be presented by Bryan Heiderscheit, PT, Michael Ryan, PhD, CPed (C), Scott Straker, PT, and D S Blaise Williams, III, PT.

photo by joshjanssen via Flickr

~Selena