In Mission Viejo, Chiropractic Treatment Helps Keep Running Streak Alive

Dec. 22, 2009 - PRLog -- Kristen Lee describes herself as motivated. Her husband Paul calls her awe-inspiring and obsessed. When told of her running streak, Kristen says that most people call her crazy.

December 26, 1997 was the last day that Kristen did not run at least 3 miles. Since that time, she has managed to run daily despite working full-time as an engineer, family events, storms, fires, illness, and even a few injuries. As far as running streaks go, Kristen's is a mere sapling among ancient Sequoias. The United States Running Streak Association tracks hundreds of runners' streaks, with many over 35 years of running.

Kristen states that over the years of what she refers to as "The Streak", she has been surprisingly injury-free. That is, until this past spring.

"I started to get this sore spot in my foot that I though was plantar fasciitis" she stated. "But no matter what I did, the pain kept getting worse." What had started as a few moments of soreness near her heel eventually became debilitating enough to cause pain all day and night. Over the ensuing months, Kristen sought the help of several health care practitioners, each with their theory of the cause of her pain.

Kristen tells us that in the five months of failed therapy, she had spent over four thousand dollars on medical copays, x-rays, nerve tests, an MRI, orthotic inserts, two cortisone injections, and physical therapy visits. "'The Streak' was always a little tough on the rest of my life, but it started to become too expensive for my family to bear" she says.

On the advice of a friend, Kristen sought the help of a Laguna Hills chiropractor, Dr. Scott Neubauer. Kristen recounts, "It was crazy. He watched me run, told me what he thought my problem was, worked on me for about 15 minutes, and the pain was almost completely gone."

After Kristen gave Dr. Neubauer, or Dr. Scott as he is known, permission to discuss her case, he reported that Kristen's condition was not all that unique. "Because her pain was in her heel, everyone looked to her heel and foot for the cause of the pain." Dr. Scott tells us that because of his years of competitive distance running and his training in a treatment known as Active Release Technique®, he knew to look at several toe muscles that reside in the upper calf.

"Just like when you wiggle your fingers, you can see muscles twitching in your forearm, the extrinsic muscles of the toes for flexion and extension insert in the mid and upper calf" notes Dr. Scott. After one week of therapy to break up the scar tissue amassed from thousands of miles of running, Kristen tells us that she was pain free. "I am still amazed that it worked so completely. I only wish that I had found Dr. Scott several months and thousands of dollars sooner."

And 'The Streak'? "Oh, it's still alive and well." Kristen reveals that her goal all along has been 15 years of running. "Once I hit that on December 25, 2012, I think I'll eat a pizza and sleep in the next day." Until that day comes, as the saying goes, neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail, nor wild fire, nor family commitments  shall keep Kristen from logging a few miles on the roads and trails of southern Orange County.

About Active Release Technique®

Active Release Technique®, or ART®, is a patented, soft tissue system that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. With a success rate of over 90%, Active Release Technique has become one of most sought after soft tissue treatments in the world today. ART is one of the most effective forms of treatment for repetitive-motion injuries, has helped Olympic athletes achieve gold medals, and allowed injured athletes to return quickly to their training protocols. For more information, go to www.activerelease.com

About Dr. Scott Neubauer

Dr. Scott Neubauer is a graduate of UC Irvine and received his doctorate from Southern California University of Health Sciences. Dr. Neubauer has competed in hundreds of triathlons, bike races, running events and paddleboard competitions over the past 20 years. Dr. Neubauer is full-body certified in Active Release Technique®, a Certified KinesioTaping® Practitioner, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a Level 1 Coach for USA Track and Field.

Dr. Neubauer practices full-time in Laguna Hills, California at Coastal Health and Fitness. He can be reached at 24551 Raymond Way, Suite 265, Lake Forest, CA 92630 or at (949) 933-7789. For more information, visit http://www.coastalhealthandfitness.com.