For Runners
What is the Endurance Athlete Performance Program?
The Endurance Athlete Performance Program at Ohio State Sports Medicine in Columbus, Ohio, helps endurance athletes reach their peak ability while aiming to avoid injuries. If you already have an injury, our specialized team creates tailored treatment plans to get you back to the sport you love as quickly as possible.
By focusing on the science of biomechanics and proper technique, we’ll work with you to be a more efficient runner, cyclist or swimmer.
Our comprehensive approach ensures early injury detection and effective management, allowing you to maintain peak performance and minimize downtime.
What are the services offered?
Whether you’re a runner, cyclist or swimmer (uninjured or injured), we’ll watch the way you move and assess how these movements impact your joints. Select your sport below to view a few examples of what we review and how improper or unbalanced movement can limit your ultimate race potential, from single events to duathlons and triathlons.
What are the benefits of our program?
Due to the repetitive nature of endurance sport activities, a slight misalignment can create inefficiency or pain. When evaluated promptly, many injuries can be treated early, preventing time away from the sport you love.
Our expert analysis programs can help you utilize the correct technique, improve biomechanics and prevent injuries.
Be sure to visit our Sports Nutrition page as well, to learn more about what you put into your body and how it can help you fight muscle damage, improve performance and even avoid some chronic injuries.
For Runners
All runners should consider a running gait analysis. If you’re experiencing any type of discomfort while running or want to make improvements to avoid future injuries, consider our running services listed below.
If you’re a runner that would like to achieve a new PR or learn new techniques for improving your running, a visit to Ohio State Sports Medicine Runner’s Performance Lab is the next step for you. An evaluation with The Runner’s Performance Lab, which is for runners not currently experiencing an injury or pain, includes a doctor’s visit, nutrition consultation, body composition testing, VO2 max testing and a video running gait analysis – all in a single visit to the Jameson Crane Sports Medicine Institute. We analyze this data and provide personalized recommendations regarding running form modifications, types of footwear, exercises to prevent injury and training along with your analysis results.
Cost: $400
The evaluation includes a medical and training history, assessment of range of motion and strength and video analysis of your running form. We analyze this data and provide recommendations regarding running form modifications, types of footwear, exercises to prevent injury and training. Individuals with injuries, such as plantar fasciitis, who have a doctor referral can bill the gait analysis through insurance. Contact our team to learn more.
There’s also a cash-pay option for runners and athletes who want to know more about their gait and how it impacts their performance.
Cost: $230 (for cash pay)
How our experts evaluate your running
Whether you’re uninjured or injured, we’ll watch the way you move, particularly how these movements impact your joints. Here are a few examples of what we assess, and how improper or unbalanced movement can limit your ultimate race potential.
- Off the treadmill – Strength, flexibility and functional analysis
- On the treadmill – stride length, foot strike, core stability, foot and ankle mechanics and how you move your arms
Preventing or recovering from an injury
- Injury prevention – Our team will teach you simple ways to help prevent injuries, including always performing a dynamic warm-up, stretching after activity, cross-training and including rest days.
- Return to running after injury – We understand the challenges of getting back to running after any time off, especially due to injury. We’ll work closely with you on a plan to return gradually, with a progressive addition of plyometric activity prior to running. These steps will also reduce your risk of reinjury.
Performing a dynamic warm-up prior to activity will help improve movement patterns and decrease inefficiencies or gait abnormalities.
A gait analysis with Ohio State Sports Medicine can help get you to your ultimate race potential.
The Runner’s Performance Lab evaluation includes a doctor’s visit, nutrition consultation, body composition testing, VO2 max testing and a video running gait analysis.
For Cyclists
Our cycling services cover all key aspects that can help you increase your performance regardless of your current skill level. We’ll investigate any issues you experience while cycling, and will address discomfort of your bike and how to prevent future injuries. And if your goal is simply to reach a higher performance level, our team can help.
Our program includes a medical history and functional screening, dynamic bike fit performed on a bike trainer, biomechanical measurements of fit and appropriate adjustments and recommendations on ways to treat or prevent injuries.
Cost: $230 (if uninjured)
How our experts evaluate your cycling
Whether you’re uninjured or injured, we’ll watch the way you move, particularly how these movements impact your joints. Here are a few examples of what we assess and how improper or unbalanced movement can limit your ultimate race potential. Our experts will look at these key factors:
- Flexibility/functional analysis – Identify segmental movement dysfunction that may be causing pain.
- Saddle height – A saddle too low increases pressure on knees, increasing risk for patellar tendonitis or generalized knee pain. A saddle too high increases the risk of saddle sores and Achilles tendonitis from pointing your ankles/toes too long.
- Forward reach distance – Improper reach can increase shoulder pain or cause hip joint pain from your hands being too close to, or too far away from, your hips.
- Cadence – Aim for between 90 and 110 revolutions per minute for efficiency and to decrease stress on joints and muscles.
- Core stability – Helps support the trunk with prolonged upper extremity weight-bearing and can decrease risk of low back pain and saddle sores (by decreasing hip rocking while seated).
- Foot position – Proper cleat position can help decrease the risk of Achilles tendonitis, knee pain and illiotibial band (IT band) pain, and improve efficiency.
- Shoulder position – Proper shoulder position helps to decrease neck pain caused by upper trapezius muscle tightness and reduces numbness in the arms and hands.
Preventing or recovering from an injury
We’ll offer you simple ways to help prevent injuries, including following a few cycling mechanics tips, stretching and using a foam roller after activity, making sure your bike and equipment are in order and adhering to some basic training tips.
A bike fitting with Ohio State Sports Medicine can put you on a safe and pain-free path for race day.
For Swimmers
Swimmers should consider a video swim stroke analysis for multiple reasons. If you have discomfort with swimming, slow motion video feedback and swim stroke advice can correct common errors that lead to pain. In addition, performance and confidence can improve with proper timing and form that can be learned with corrective exercises and drills.
Our swim stroke evaluation includes a medical and training history, assessment of functional range of motion and strength and a video analysis of swimming form with feedback from your physical therapist. Recommendations based on your analysis will be provided, including ways to treat or prevent injuries in and out of the water.
Cost: $230 (if uninjured)
How our experts evaluate your swimming
Whether you’re uninjured or injured, we’ll watch the way you move, particularly how these movements impact your joints. Here are a few examples of what we assess and how improper or unbalanced movement can limit your ultimate race potential:
- Hand placement – Correct entry into the water prevents excessive internal rotation of the shoulder that can increase shoulder pain and pinching of the rotator cuff muscles.
- Body roll – Using larger muscles in the core to power the stroke provides better arm recovery and injury prevention and increases efficiency with swimming.
- Catch and pull through – By working to develop a high elbow catch technique, plus good swimming posture, excessive shoulder load can be avoided.
- Position relative to water surface – Proper swim posture can eliminate low back pain and increase the functional use of the core.
- Kick technique – Anterior knee pain can be common with repetitive flutter kick, breaststroke kick and flip turns. We can analyze your stroke to ensure proper alignment.
Preventing or recovering from an injury
You’ll learn injury prevention tips for swimmers with simple ways to help prevent injuries, including performing a dynamic warm-up, stretching, avoiding certain stretches and knowing when to consult an expert.
A swim stroke analysis with Ohio State Sports Medicine can help you break through the density of the water.