Natural Medicine
There are a few steps that can help prevent some running injuries. These include consulting a chiropractor, taking anti-inflammatory enzymes, and staying hydrated.
Consult a chiropractor prior to starting a running program. He or she will examine your spine, shoulder and hip alignment to ensure proper posture and weight distribution. This simple exam and treatment can prevent many unnecessary injuries. Regular chiropractic adjustments can go a long way toward avoiding injuries associated with repetitive stress on the joints, spine, muscles and tendons.
Another simple precaution is to take anti-inflammatory proteolytic enzymes regularly, and especially one hour prior to your workout or race. Regular supplementation with anti-inflammatory enzymes may help prevent many injuries that would otherwise be unavoidable. Also, if you already have an injury, supplementing enzymes in high doses will break down inflammation, prevent scar tissue from forming, and speed your recovery.
Finally, stay hydrated and balance your electrolytes. Muscle aches and painful injuries can be the result of water and mineral depletion. Remember to supplement mineral salts regularly before you exercise to prevent dehydration-related injuries.
Herbal supplements include:
- Wobenzyme: take 5 tablets 3 times a day but not while eating; consult a doctor if you are taking a blood-thinning anti-coagulant or any other cardiovascular drug; for acute injury, take up to 10 tablets 4 times a day
- Calcium citrate/magnesium citrate: take 1000 mg daily in divided doses
- Homeopathic cell salts (available in health food stores and supermarket nutritional supplement sections): follow recommended doses
Physician-developed and -monitored.
Original Date of Publication: 01 Jan 2000
Reviewed by: under construction
Last Reviewed:
Running Injuries, Natural Medicine reprinted with permission from podiatrychannel.com
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