WHY RUNNERS LOVE LASER THERAPY
For so many, running is more than exercise – running is freedom. It’s an emotional and physical triumph for the human body. There is nothing else like it. Human beings were born to run. In fact, it is a critical survival skill. Just ask our ancestors that ever faced a hungry bear!
Running into problems
However, while enjoyable to many, running comes with risks. Applying repeated, high loads to the body can often result in injuries due to poor load management by novice runners or athletes that are ignoring signs of overuse.
Common areas of injury for runners include hip, lower leg, lower back, and knee.
These areas can be influenced by problems in the kinetic chain when mechanical issues are present at one or more joints in the system. It is not uncommon that poor lower extremity mechanics can result in joint pathology over time.
Combine joint dysfunction with weak muscles or muscle imbalances that may or may not be related to joint pain and you have multiple factors that can contribute aches and pains in the body. Often runners turn to NSAIDs to help manage inflammation and pain. While many clinicians know that when taken for prolonged periods these meds can negatively impact the stomach and other organs, fewer clinicians realize that NSAIDs can have negative impacts on scar formation and muscle repair which can predispose athletes to chronic muscle strains. 24 A better solution for patients may be laser therapy, now correctly referred to as photobiomodulation.
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