Mr N, a 35 year old electrical engineer, started training in November 2013 for his first marathon in April 2014 . Training progressed well until he started getting low back pain in February 2014. He had increased his training in both frequency and intensity from running twice a week covering 15 miles to running four times a week covering 40 miles.
During his assessment by an osteopath, we found out that he had fractured his femur when he was 20 years old after coming off a motorcycle, and that he had a significant leg length difference which was putting a strain on his sacro iliac joints. Normally the body adapts well but due to his increased training his body couldn’t cope.
He was referred to our podiatrist who used orthotics to minimise the leg length difference and with a few adjustments to his training managed to complete the marathon with minimal discomfort.
This case highlighted the fact that if you are about to embark on any significant physical challenges, it may be worth seeing you musculoskeletal therapist just to ensure potential problems can be avoided or minimised.