Chiropractic and Ankle Instability
The most common injury to the ankle is turning it in, such as when wearing high heels and turning it over by stepping on a stone or the edge of a curb. This is a common ankle sprain.

Occasionally the end of the bone on the outside of the ankle breaks but more often the ligaments of the ankle on the front and side get torn and produce massive swelling and bruising.

It can take 4 to 6 weeks to recover from the immediate injury but, the ligaments very rarely repair satisfactorily and often become full of scar tissue, which is not elastic. This increases the likelihood of rolling over again and several further sprains. Such repeated traumas will influence the mechanics of the ankle and cause problems in the joint and the structures above, such as the knee and spine. These usually tend to become obvious after jogging or long walks, especially on uneven ground, but as the symptoms may be in a distant joint, you do not necessarily think of that old ankle injury being the origin of it. Chiropractic treatment can help to prevent chronic and recurrent problems.

Your chiropractor will, by careful case history and examination, be able to discover the cause and remedy it accordingly.

Pronation/ Flat Feet
Chiropractors recognise that this can be caused by a weakness in the calf and foot muscles and produces distortion such as flat feet, bunions, hammer toes and widening of the fore foot. Although pronation is often a consequence of ankle instability, it can occur on its own through various other factors such as prolonged standing, bad shoes or inherited tendencies. The muscles weaken and eventually the arches drop, causing the person to become mildly 'knock kneed'?. This puts more pressure on the inside joint of the knee and can result in arthritis and cartilage problems.

An assessment by the chiropractor will determine if the arches have dropped. If they have, this can be addressed by exercises to strengthen the muscles and use of arch support.

We use superfeet orthotics to raise the arch and correct for the fallen arches.


Chiropractic Treatment and Running Injuries
There are two types of injuries which a runner may sustain: Acute trauma, and an overuse injury.

The acute trauma is sudden, such as a torn ligament or broken bones. The most frequently problem encountered by chiropractors is injury through overuse. Here is an overview of the most common injuries a chiropractor will see.

Plantar Fasciitis
Cause: stretching or tearing the connective tissue on the bottom of the foot where the tissue attaches to the heel.
Symptoms: Pain in a specific area on the bottom of the foot towards the heel, possibly radiating towards the ball of the foot. The foot feels tender early in the morning and becomes less painful with movement. Is often associated with pronation and a fallen arch.
Prevention: regular stretching of the calf and Achilles tendon. It is also important that the feet are assessed for any biomechanical problems. Orthotics or insoles may also be prescribed.

Bursitis or Tendonitis
Common problem areas include the knee and ankle. It is an irritation of the bursa (f luid filled sac which sits under the tendon) or tendons from friction, trauma, pressure or dysfunction.
Symptoms: Pain and stiffness on movement with no visible swelling at first, but swelling as the condition worsens.

Achilles Tendonitis
The Achilles tendon is the connection between the heel and the most powerful muscle group in the body, the calf and is a very common site for a disabling injury.

NB: To prevent a chronic problem, do not run through pain. If your Achilles tendon is sore, get it treated immediately. Again, it is also important that the feet are assessed for any biomechanical problems. Orthotics or insoles may also be prescribed and the use of soft heel-lifts are effective as part of chiropractic treatment.

Shin Splints
Cause: Faulty posture, poor shoes, fallen arches, insufficient warm-up, muscle fatigue, exercising on unyielding surfaces or poor running mechanics.
Symptoms: pain or discomfort on the front, the inside and/or the outside surface of the shin bone or directly on the shin bone.
Prevention: Good shoes with shock absorbing features, heel toe landing for the minimum impact, and calf stretches. Sports taping will also help.

Stress Fracture
These small fractures occur due to excessive stress (overuse of the bone) or an increase in intensity or distance running, resulting in gradual breakdown of the bone.
Symptoms: Pain occurs especially in the foot and lower leg becoming more intense with weight bearing activity. X-rays appear negative initially but fractures become visible up to two weeks after the initial injury.

Ankle Sprain
Running on level ground rarely results in an ankle sprain but cross country running, trail running and stepping in a pot hole all could potentially lead to an ankle sprain.
Treatment: Treat immediately. Rest Ice Compression (gentle) Elevation.
Note: Ice should be applied for about 15 minutes at a time, with at least 15 minute intervals between application.

Runners Knee
This essentially means softening of the cartilage of the knee cap. Portions of the cartilage may then be under either too much or too little pressure. This may result in cartilage deterioration at the inner part of the knee cap. Pain is usually also felt after sitting for a long period of time with the knee bent.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome
This is pain or aching in the outer side of the knee and usually happens in the middle or at the end of a run and is often seen in runners who train only on a track or on uneven ground. Read more about Chiropractic treatment for Iliotibial Band Syndrome.

How To Avoid Injuries
The majority of running injuries occur from overtraining. Avoid doing too much too soon. An unrelenting increase in mileage from one week to the next will ultimately result in a breakdown.