Assessing Athletes for Common Hip, Knee and Shin Pain

How the smartphone has become the therapists magic tool!

Runners frequently develop hip, knee and shin pain much of which may have trigger points as a root cause.

Because trigger points make their host muscles shorter, weaker, and less efficient, this will often cause the runner to unknowingly compensate putting undesired strain on other muscles, with a knock-on effect in form, technique and performance.

In today's video blog, Stuart Hinds shows how he uses the video app on his phone to assess the running technique of his clients, and to help identify those tiny but all important signals that something might be going wrong.

So just how common are running-related injuries?

These are the stats according to one major study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine:

• 65% of all runners will be injured in any year.

• For every 100 hours of running, the average runner will sustain 1 running injury.

• The average runner will miss about 5-10 percent of their workouts due to injury each year.

• Novice runners are significantly MORE likely to be injured than individuals who have been running for many years.

• Only 50% of these injuries are new – the rest are recurrences of previous problems.

This trigger point therapy blog is intended to be used for information purposes only and is not intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment or to substitute for a medical diagnosis and/or treatment rendered or prescribed by a physician or competent healthcare professional. This information is designed as educational material, but should not be taken as a recommendation for treatment of any particular person or patient. Always consult your physician if you think you need treatment or if you feel unwell. 

About the author

Stuart Hinds is one of Australia’s leading soft tissue therapists, with over 27 years of experience as a practitioner, working with elite sports athletes, supporting Olympic teams, educating and mentoring others as well as running a highly successful clinic in Geelong.

 Stuart has a strong following of practitioners across Australia and globally who tap in to his expertise as a soft-tissue specialist. He delivers a range of highly sought after seminars across Australia, supported by online videos, webinars and one-on-one mentoring to help support his colleagues to build successful businesses.

In 2016, Stuart was awarded a lifetime membership to Massage & Myotherapy Australia for his significant support and contribution to the industry.