How do you find a sports physical therapist?

[ControlD]

So I have had a few suggestions over the past couple of years here and at other running forums to see a PT about some recurring IT band issues that crop up when doing longish runs.

Whenever I do a search for PTs in my local area, all I come up with are assisted living or occupational therapy focused clinics.

How does one even go about finding a PT in the first place? Do you start with your family doctor? It seems like this should be easy, but I have always come up with nothing.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Physical therapy still requires a doctor's referral (Rx) so you'd have to have your general pract or an ortho write you a script. They usually know some good ones.

Word of mouth from the local running community - if you're not in touch with them, stop by your local running store - they normally have some good recs there. Also not sure if there's any big hospitals in your area, but they normally have PT centers there as well.

 

[Chess]

Agreed with Raginig above...

My insurance allows me not to have a referral, so check with your insurance first.

We have a few local ones, nothing big like HealthSouth PT... but you should have plenty of options from local hospitals to local companies.

Good luck !

 

[highland145]

Physical therapy still requires a doctor's referral (Rx) so you'd have to have your general pract or an ortho write you a script. They usually know some good ones.

Word of mouth from the local running community - if you're not in touch with them, stop by your local running store - they normally have some good recs there. Also not sure if there's any big hospitals in your area, but they normally have PT centers there as well.

Here you can go for 30 days without the script but that may have to do with me being self pay.

Yep, word of mouth.

 

[ControlD]

Thanks!

Now I know where to start.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Depends on your insurance if you need a referral/script from your Dr. I have a PPO plan and can go to anyone. If you know other runners or part of a running group, I would start there as some PT's are more experienced with running injuries than others.

I'm lucky that we have a PT that specializes in running and supports my running group. I also suffer from IT band issues. My PT uses active release to loosen up my IT band and has developed a number of hip strengthen exercises to get my hips in balance. Footwear and running form can also be causes that can be corrected.

 

[ControlD]

Depends on your insurance if you need a referral/script from your Dr. I have a PPO plan and can go to anyone. If you know other runners or part of a running group, I would start there as some PT's are more experienced with running injuries than others.

I'm lucky that we have a PT that specializes in running and supports my running group. I also suffer from IT band issues. My PT uses active release to loosen up my IT band and has developed a number of hip strengthen exercises to get my hips in balance. Footwear and running form can also be causes that can be corrected.

That is sort of my problem. I don't have a running group and don't really hang out with runners other than my wife who can run pretty much forever without ever getting hurt. We don't have a running shop in town, so finding anything out can be difficult.

I have also done quite a bit of form work and exercises which has helped quite a lot, to the point where I can usually get my weekly mileage in. If I ever get above 10 miles on a run however, there is about a 50/50 chance my IT band will start to flare up on me. As long as I stay under 10-12 miles on any single run things seem to be OK.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Depends on your insurance if you need a referral/script from your Dr. I have a PPO plan and can go to anyone. If you know other runners or part of a running group, I would start there as some PT's are more experienced with running injuries than others.

I'm lucky that we have a PT that specializes in running and supports my running group. I also suffer from IT band issues. My PT uses active release to loosen up my IT band and has developed a number of hip strengthen exercises to get my hips in balance. Footwear and running form can also be causes that can be corrected.

Hmm...interesting. Guess the laws changed on that then...it was something Social even mentioned a long time ago. Well I am out of the loop then 🙂 And love me some ART!

 

[highland145]

Be interested in what they have to say. Went last week because of the knee. I was blaming the IT. PT said the IT is a symptom of my multiple problems. Lack of glutes (aka noassatall), kneecap not tracking straight because of the ACL reconstruction I had in the stone age, the inner quad isn't engaging at the same time as the outer (??), flexibility in the hip area.

 

[Capt Caveman]

fyi - I also see a Sports Medicine Chiropractor who has helped me a lot with my lower back, IT band and hip flexor.

Just got lucky that a Sports Medicine office near me is affiliated with the Chiro who's currently on staff with Northeastern University sports dept(number 1 injury that he deals with is IT band) and has been on staff for the Jamaican track team, NY Marathon and US Women's Olympic gymnastic team.

He deals with more alleviating the pain and reducing adhesion that builds up from running and my PT spends more time working on strengthen muscles/areas that are out of balance.

 

[z1ggy]

Physical therapy still requires a doctor's referral (Rx) so you'd have to have your general pract or an ortho write you a script. They usually know some good ones.

As a generic assumption, that is not true. My g/f is a DPT, and takes walk-ins all the time.

Additionally, OP you can find a therapy practice, and find out who the therapists are. You can look up their education, any pending law suits, years experience, etc. I would find a place where you could get a therapist who went to a top notch school and holds a doctorate degree, or who has 15+ yrs experience and a masters.

 

[ControlD]

Be interested in what they have to say. Went last week because of the knee. I was blaming the IT. PT said the IT is a symptom of my multiple problems. Lack of glutes (aka noassatall), kneecap not tracking straight because of the ACL reconstruction I had in the stone age, the inner quad isn't engaging at the same time as the outer (??), flexibility in the hip area.

Sounds like we have the same issue there.

I actually went to a runner's clinic last year ($350 out of pocket) and did the whole workup there. Drove 100 miles to get there. They did the dartfish analysis (video from multiple angles while running and walking on a treadmill), foot pressure patterns, dietary analysis, etc. In the end they told me I was an excessive pronator and told me to get different shoes! What a crock. I don't believe in the whole pronation control paradigm that seems to be all the rage in the shoe stores right now, but I didn't know any better at the time.

I did get some good exercises out of it though.

I think I would have been better off trying to find a decent PT. I live in a pretty hardcore blue collar area though, and every PT I find seems to be billed though worker's comp. Trying to find anything sports related that isn't attached to a high school football team is hard.

 

[RagingBITCH]

As a generic assumption, that is not true. My g/f is a DPT, and takes walk-ins all the time.

Additionally, OP you can find a therapy practice, and find out who the therapists are. You can look up their education, any pending law suits, years experience, etc. I would find a place where you could get a therapist who went to a top notch school and holds a doctorate degree, or who has 15+ yrs experience and a masters.

As stated below, depends on the state. I was incorrect. I asked my old roommate who referred me to the APTA guidelines: http://www.apta.org/uploadedFiles/A.../Issues/Direct_Access/DirectAccessbyState.pdf

At least in TX, it does hold true. The bane of her existence.

 

[z1ggy]

Yeah, every state is different...It's so odd. So he may have to go to an Ortho Dr first, and get referred out to a PT clinic near by. Kind of a pain, but rules is rules..

 

[Zivic]

That is sort of my problem. I don't have a running group and don't really hang out with runners other than my wife who can run pretty much forever without ever getting hurt. We don't have a running shop in town, so finding anything out can be difficult.

I have also done quite a bit of form work and exercises which has helped quite a lot, to the point where I can usually get my weekly mileage in. If I ever get above 10 miles on a run however, there is about a 50/50 chance my IT band will start to flare up on me. As long as I stay under 10-12 miles on any single run things seem to be OK.

I'll be your PT... let me cure you...

sorry to hear you are having issues with your IT band. I have looked at all the tests and it seems you will most likely be trouble free by simply keeping your runs under 10 miles.

in all seriousness, your body is pretty smart and if something 'extreme' you are doing is causing pain; and IMO running 10+ miles is extreme, just stop doing that thing. pretty sure limiting your self to 8-9 mile runs isn't going to drastically change your lifestyle

 

[ControlD]

I'll be your PT... let me cure you...

sorry to hear you are having issues with your IT band. I have looked at all the tests and it seems you will most likely be trouble free by simply keeping your runs under 10 miles.

in all seriousness, your body is pretty smart and if something 'extreme' you are doing is causing pain; and IMO running 10+ miles is extreme, just stop doing that thing. pretty sure limiting your self to 8-9 mile runs isn't going to drastically change your lifestyle

Yeah, I know. I have said the same thing to myself and for the most part I'm OK with that. I don't ever plan on being an extreme distance runner.

However, running a marathon is sort of a bucket list thing for me and I would like to get that done before I get too old to try it.

 

[Zivic]

Yeah, I know. I have said the same thing to myself and for the most part I'm OK with that. I don't ever plan on being an extreme distance runner.

However, running a marathon is sort of a bucket list thing for me and I would like to get that done before I get too old to try it.

as we all get older it's just a fact of life our training needs to change and adapt. It doesn't sound like a major issue for you if it's a 50/50 deal on the longer runs. if you want to do a marathon I say just tough it out and scale back after

 

[blackdogdeek]

Have you trawled any running forums? Both for IT Band info and Sports PT info.

The 50/50 occurrence is interesting. Is it usually only one side? Do you run on only one side of the road where the curb side is presumably lower than the middle of the road?

 

[ControlD]

Have you trawled any running forums? Both for IT Band info and Sports PT info.

If I added up all the time I have spent online researching IT Band issues it would probably come out to days. I actually have a much better handle on it now than I did at this time a year ago when I was really starting to have major issues. Now it would be nice to see if someone can spot a physical / mechanical deficiency than I can work on to get rid of the issue for good, especially after all of the changes I have made.

It almost always occurs in the left knee. That is also the knee that had the worst damage from my bike accident. However, last year during a half marathon my left IT band started to hurt at mile 3, and by mile 6 both legs had the problem. This was the first and only time I ever had issues with my right leg. I somehow finished the race but I was in so much pain that I honestly don't remember anything about the last 6 miles of the course. I try to run on flat surfaces whenever possible, or at least try to do a 50/50 split on which leg is on the lower side of the road.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Have you trawled any running forums? Both for IT Band info and Sports PT info.

The 50/50 occurrence is interesting. Is it usually only one side? Do you run on only one side of the road where the curb side is presumably lower than the middle of the road?

There's all kinds of exercises he could do...short of spending 30 minutes doing every exercise addressing every weakness, it'd be worth it to narrow down the root cause(s).

From previous ITB issues - I've had it the worst in my right leg before getting Graston, ART, and discovering foam rolling. Developed it in my left leg after OKC 2010 - PT thought it was overcompensation for all the issues on the right side. (IE, favoring the right side and putting more pressure on the left)

The camber of the road could play into DS' issue as well as you pointed out. It was partly identified as my issue, as I'd always run against traffic in my normal loops on the left side sidewalk, which cambers from L -> R. (Put more strain on my right side/hip) Nowadays, I try as much as possible to alternate camber when road running - 1/4 or 1/2 mile one way, then switch.

 

[ControlD]

There's all kinds of exercises he could do...short of spending 30 minutes doing every exercise addressing every weakness, it'd be worth it to narrow down the root cause(s).

From previous ITB issues - I've had it the worst in my right leg before getting Graston, ART, and discovering foam rolling. Developed it in my left leg after OKC 2010 - PT thought it was overcompensation for all the issues on the right side. (IE, favoring the right side and putting more pressure on the left)

The camber of the road could play into DS' issue as well as you pointed out. It was partly identified as my issue, as I'd always run against traffic in my normal loops on the left side sidewalk, which cambers from L -> R. (Put more strain on my right side/hip) Nowadays, I try as much as possible to alternate camber when road running - 1/4 or 1/2 mile one way, then switch.

I also tend to run on the left side of the road so I can face traffic. It is interesting that we seem to have the opposite leg affected.

For my longs runs I usually run on a dedicated bike / running path that has very little camber, so I'm not sure if that is a factor or not. I sort of think some people are just predisposed to certain injuries. I also think prior trauma plays some role in my case.

FWIW, I also spend a lot of time on the foam roller. It does help a lot and I can tell when I have been lazy about it.