Sports & running injuries
The ache that shows up in the third mile, the last set or the second game — overuse injuries, and how to keep training while they settle.
Most sports injuries are overuse: load has climbed faster than a tendon, muscle or joint has adapted. They usually respond to adjusting load rather than stopping completely, plus strength work for the tissue that's struggling. An assessment looks at how you move under load — often the sore spot is compensating for a restriction elsewhere.
Common signs
- Pain that arrives at a specific point in a run, set or game and fades when you stop
- Stiff, sore first steps in the morning (heel or Achilles)
- Outer-knee pain on runs, or shin pain on every run
- Elbow or forearm ache after gripping a paddle, racket or bar
What it usually is
- IT band and knee. Outer-knee pain on runs is often about hip control, not the band itself. IT band syndrome →
- Shins. Shin pain on every run usually tracks with a jump in mileage or a change in surface or shoes. Shin splints →
- Heel and Achilles. Morning heel or Achilles pain points to tendons and fascia that need loading back up gradually. Achilles tendinopathy →
- Elbows. Pickleball, tennis, golf and lifting all load the forearm tendons — outside or inside of the elbow. Tennis vs. golfer's elbow →
Check yours
Cramps and spasms during or after training often have a modifiable trigger. Tick what sounds like you to see the pattern.
Check everything that sounds like you. The pattern tells you a lot.
0 selected — check none if this was a true one-off.
What you can try today
- Keep training around it where you can: modify the movement that aggravates it rather than stopping everything.
- Avoid big jumps in volume — add distance, sets or games gradually.
- Add two short strength sessions a week for the area that's struggling (calves, hips, forearms or shoulders).
- Plan one lighter day a week, and warm up properly before you play.
How it’s assessed and treated here
The 40-minute assessment tests how you move under load — single-leg control, ankle and hip range, mid-back rotation — because the joint that hurts is often compensating for a restriction elsewhere. You'll leave with what to keep, what to shelve, and a return-to-play plan.
Care combines soft-tissue work and adjustments where a joint has stopped moving with progressive loading for the tendon or muscle involved. Shockwave therapy is available for stubborn tendon problems such as Achilles, plantar fascia and elbows.
Often part of the plan: Corrective Exercise Programming, Pin & Stretch, Cupping & Scraping, Shockwave Therapy and Precision Spinal Adjustments.
The initial assessment is $149 and runs about 40 minutes. Follow-up visits are $60 and include the adjustment, soft-tissue work and corrective exercise your plan calls for that day. We don’t bill insurance; HSA and FSA cards are accepted. Compare it with your insurance →
This page explains what's common, not what's going on with you. Always talk it through with your doctor, or book an assessment with Dr. Hailey to find out what's going on.
Questions people ask
Do I have to stop running or playing?
Usually not entirely. Complete rest calms a symptom and costs fitness, and the problem tends to return when training resumes. The more useful approach is modifying what aggravates it and continuing everything else.
Do you only see competitive athletes?
No. Most athletes here are adults training around a job — runners, lifters, golfers and pickleball players — plus high-school athletes in season.
When is shockwave worth it?
Shockwave is an option for tendon problems that haven't settled with loading — Achilles, plantar fascia, elbows. It's a $375 three-session package; we'll tell you if you're a good candidate.
What does a visit cost?
The initial assessment is $149 (40 minutes); follow-ups are $60. HSA and FSA cards are accepted.
Read more from the Journal
- Running the Katy Trail without wrecking your knees, Achilles, or hips.
- Plantar fasciitis treatment: heel pain relief that lasts.
- Post-race recovery: what to do in the 72 hours after.
- Case Study: A Pickleball Player's Stubborn Tennis Elbow — and Where Shockwave Fit In
- Pre-hab: getting ahead of the injuries that blow up a training block
Before you book
- 40 minutes
- History, a movement and posture screen, an exam, and hands-on treatment the same visit.
- $149 flat
- Cash-based with posted prices. HSA and FSA cards accepted; insurance isn't billed directly.
- No referral
- Book online or call 636.378.0969. Same-week appointments are usually available.
Find out what’s behind yours.