Expert Corner: 1-1 with Dr. Donahue

 This month Coach Spewak sits down with Dr. Brennan Donahue. Dr. Donahue is an experienced chiropractor in Webster Groves. He is a graduate of McKendree University in athletic training and Logan University with a Doctorate of Chiropractic degree. He specializes in a number of chiropractic techniques, which allows him to best serve patients suffering from an array of spinal and nervous system conditions.  He is also a full body certified Active Release Technique (ART) provider, which helps him treat a variety of soft tissue disorders and athletic conditions such as plantar fasciitis, shin splints, carpal tunnel, tennis elbow and headaches. He's also a runner himself! He trains with Spewak Training and has been an amazing asset to our team. Dive into our interview with him below. Enjoy! CS: What are the most common running injuries you treat? BD: Most running injuries I see fall under the bigger category of overuse injuries.  This doesn’t mean over training injuries, but overuse. Overuse injuries are a result of repetitive training with poor mechanics or imbalances. These types of injuries often include: IT Band Syndrome-pain on the outside of the leg and knee, hip pain- often from bursitis or piriformis syndrome, Plantar Fasciitis- pain on the bottom of the feet, Runner’s Knee- knee cap tracking issue complicated by muscle imbalance, and Hamstring tendinitis. A re-occurring theme with a lot of these injuries are 1 of 2 things, if not both.  Those 2 things are the lack of glute or butt strength and/or flat feet. Most the time people aren’t aware of either until they are pointed out to them.  When a runner presents in my office, those will be 2 of the first things we look at and asses on a non-traumatic injury.  CS: In your opinion, why do you continue to see these same injuries? BD:  I continue to see these injuries because runners are very stubborn people! Now I hope no one takes offense to that comment but being a runner myself I know this to be true.  No one wants to rest, stretch, foam roller, use compression, or heaven forbid take 2 days off in a row! The re-occurring theme is that all those modalities take time. There are only so many hours in the day and when someone works full time and is trying to squeeze in training before or after work with kids, pets, etc. these self-help techniques are the first thing to be forgotten.  I express to many people they need to realize that part of their training MUST be focused on tight and achy areas before they develop into a bigger issue. CS: What's the best piece of advice you have for anyone looking to stay healthy while continuing to push themselves in this sport? BD:  My best piece of advice for anyone looking to stay healthy while training is to listen to your body and if something does not feel right, take action before it turns into something bigger. I often tell patients if symptoms are present for 3 or more days and the severity is either constant or increasing, this is a great indicator it is time to consult with a medical provider to assess the issue. Athletes spend a lot of money on coaches, races, shoes, and watches, which are all important when training!  BUT if they do not invest in their health and well being, all that money could be wasted if injury puts you down and out. CS: How has your medical experience influenced your own training? BD: I think what I have learned most is this, by taking the time to take care of myself I am able to push that much harder during the important phases of training and most importantly on race day!  The times I do not take care of my muscles, ligaments and joints, I feel worn down, tired, and I fatigue quicker both mentally and physically. I have learned that recovery isn’t for the weak. It is a very important part of training to propel yourself that much further during your next training cycle. There is also this stigma that endurance training and running can be unhealthy.  My issue with this is that this statement is usually made by individuals that have a sedentary lifestyle, high cholesterol, or out of whack blood pressure.  I would much rather risk an orthopedic injury that can often be managed conservatively than risk chronic health disease.  CS: Do you have any additional thoughts you want to share with our readers? BD: Let me preface my closing thought, I have trained with Spewak Training for just over a year now, but I write this from an injury prevention point of view.  Get a running coach that specializes in developing and structuring training plans! Determine your goal with that coach, let them reverse engineer your plan to get you from where you are to where you want to be.  This will greatly reduce the chance of an overuse injury from occurring because you will be less likely to skip steps during the process.  Happy Training! Set up an appointment with Dr. Donahue today! https://scheduler.chirofusionlive.com/Scheduler/SelectService