Specialist Specific
There´s no such thing as a good running injury--only a good sportsmed specialist to cure it.
By
Jacqueline A. MacDonald
of
Marathon & Beyond
Most runners know the withdrawal symptoms that come with being injured:
moodiness, jitters, excess undirected energy, guilt. When injured you'd give
almost any material possession for a cure. And yet too often runners rely on
self-diagnosis rather than consulting with a specialist. We fear being told not
to run, which is often the typical prescription from a family doctor. But if you
find the right specialist before your minor ache becomes a full-blown injury,
you might be able to keep training and speed the healing process. Shouldn't
finding a good sports medicine specialist be more important than finding a good
auto mechanic? We're dealing with your body here, and with your passion. Yet
many runners wait too long to find a specialist they trust.
I recently learned the hard way that any ol' doctor will not do when it comes
to treating running injuries. My odyssey in search for a cure began when my
trusted sports podiatrist died. This podiatrist had kept me running injury-free
in a pair of custom-made orthotics for five years. I had begun to believe I was
invincible. But when I let my orthotics wear down before going in for a tune-up,
all my old injuries began to flare at once: runner's knee, Achilles tendinitis,
plantar fasciitis.
In a rush for a cure, I made an appointment with the first doctor I could find not a
running specialist. To make a long story short, I continued training without proper
treatment; my injuries got worse and set off a string of new inflammations that
sidelined me for the entire spring racing season. As the injuries progressed,
I consulted with other specialists who lacked experience with runners
a chiropractor who prescribed more cooked vegetables, a podiatrist who
worked primarily with diabetics and could not figure out how to adjust my orthotics
properly. further delaying the healing. I am now on the verge of a cure
with help from a sports podiatrist, orthopedic surgeon, and physical therapist
experienced in helping runners, but I could have saved months of down time and
hundreds of dollars had I consulted with these experts in the first place.
How can you avoid making a similar mistake if you're injured? How can you
figure out which type of specialist you should see to treat your specific
injury? How do you find one near you who is qualified to work with runners?
A variety of medical and related professionals can help
you with your injury: podiatrists, orthopedists, sports medicine physicians,
physical therapists, athletic trainers, massage therapists, sports
chiropractors. Which type of specialist you should see will depend on the nature
of your injury, but there's a large overlap among some of the professions. In
some cases, a team involving more than one type of specialist may be necessary.
The information that follows tells you which injuries different professionals
can treat and what special expertise and treatment methods they can offer. Keep
in mind that regardless of the type of specialist you see, you'll want to find
one with considerable experience in treating running injuries. Not all
specialists are created equal in this regard, as I learned the hard way. Some of
these professions have national governing bodies that can supply lists of
qualified specialists in your area, while others do not. In any case, word of
mouth is the best way to find a specialist who works specifically with runners.
Talk to other runners you know, your local running club, or your local
running-shoe store.
