Running Injuries and Running Assessment in Bakersfield
Knee pain a few miles in, shins that ache every time you add distance, a heel that hurts with the first steps of the day. Most running injuries can be treated without giving up running, and finding out why they happen is the key to keeping them away.
Yes, physical therapy helps most running injuries, often while you keep running in some form. Many running injuries are overuse injuries, linked to how much load the body is asked to handle and how ready it is to handle it. Treatment usually combines adjusting your training, building strength and working on how you move. A running assessment looks at strength, flexibility, mobility, training load and how you run to find why injuries keep coming back. At ARI Physical Therapy in Bakersfield, every visit is one-on-one with a licensed physical therapist.
Does this sound like you?
✓Pain around or behind the kneecap during or after runs, or on stairs
✓Pain on the outside of the knee that starts at the same point in every run
✓Aching along the inner shin that gets worse when you add distance
✓Pain or stiffness in the Achilles or heel, worst first thing in the morning
✓Hip or buttock pain when running, especially on hills
✓You keep getting hurt each time you build up your mileage
Common running injuries
Most running injuries build up gradually rather than happening all at once:
Runner's knee (patellofemoral pain) is an ache around the kneecap. See our runner's knee guide.
IT band pain is felt on the outside of the knee, often starting at a predictable point in a run.
Achilles pain and plantar fasciitis affect the back of the ankle and the heel. See our Achilles pain and heel pain guides.
Hip pain in runners often comes from the tendons around the hip. See our hip pain guide.
Stress fractures are less common but important. Pain in one spot on a bone that gets worse with each run, and later hurts even at rest, should be checked by a doctor.
What a running assessment looks at
Running injuries usually happen when training asks more of the body than it is ready for, often after a sudden jump in distance, speed or hills, or too little recovery. A running assessment looks at the whole picture: strength, flexibility, joint mobility, your training load and how you run. From that we build a plan to settle the current injury, strengthen what needs it, and set up a gradual return so the next build-up goes better. Bring your usual running shoes and, if you keep one, your training log or running app history.
What treatment at ARI looks like
1
A one-on-one evaluation
Your first visit takes about 45 to 60 minutes. We look at where it hurts and why, check strength, flexibility and mobility, talk through your recent training, and look at how you run when it's safe to do so.
2
Settle it and build strength
Adjusting your running rather than stopping when possible, hands-on care where it helps, and progressive strengthening for the hips, thighs, calves and feet.
3
A safe return and a smarter plan
A step-by-step return-to-running plan, simple changes to training load and form where they make sense, and a strength routine to keep you running.
No referral needed to start. In California, you can see a physical therapist directly for up to 12 visits or 45 days, whichever comes first. Some insurance plans still require a referral for coverage; call us at (661) 282-8584 and we'll help you check.
When to see a doctor first
See a doctor promptly if you have:
Pain in one spot on a bone that hurts more with every run, or hurts at rest or at night, which can be a stress fracture
Groin or deep hip pain that gets worse with running or makes you limp, which needs prompt medical attention to rule out a hip stress fracture
A sudden pop or a feeling of being kicked in the back of the ankle, with trouble pushing off, which can be an Achilles rupture
Calf pain, swelling or warmth without a clear injury, which needs urgent attention to rule out a blood clot
Chest pain, shortness of breath that is out of proportion, or fainting while running, which needs emergency care
Why patients choose ARI
Care at ARI is always one-on-one and in person with a licensed physical therapist at our Bakersfield clinic: 8200 Stockdale Hwy, Suite B2, in the Town & Country Village center next to Trader Joe's. Our clinic director, Deepa Konnur, PT, MPT, OCS, is a board-certified Orthopedic Certified Specialist. We accept most private insurance plans and Medicare, and we have staff who speak Spanish and Hindi.
Running injury FAQs
Often not completely. Many running injuries do well with a temporary change in distance, speed or terrain rather than full rest. Your therapist will help you find a level your body can handle. A suspected stress fracture is different and usually needs a break from running.
Not always. There isn't one best shoe for everyone, and comfort is a reasonable guide. A sudden switch to a very different shoe can bring on new aches, so changes are best made gradually. Bring your shoes to your visit and we can talk it through.
It is a look at the whole picture behind your running injuries: strength, flexibility, mobility, your training load and how you run. The goal is to find why you keep getting hurt and to plan a safe build-up, not to make you run like someone else.
It depends on the injury. Many people keep running in a modified way throughout. After time off, a gradual return, often starting with walk-run intervals, lowers the chance of the same injury coming back.
No. In California you can see a physical therapist directly for up to 12 visits or 45 days, whichever comes first. Some insurance plans still require a referral for coverage, so call us at (661) 282-8584 and we'll help you check.
Ready to feel better?
Talk to a licensed physical therapist at ARI, one-on-one. Request an evaluation and we'll get back to you, usually within one business day.