Three Alignment Exercises for Pain-Free Running and First Prolotherapy Injections

Here are three new exercises to try that work on improving your alignment for better and more pain-free joints when running. I had my first prolotherapy injections today, so I am not ready to try these yet, but once the ligaments around my si joint and hips tighten up again. I hope to get my alignment under control. These come from MaryAnn Berry and feature ideas from Posture Align Therapy.

A common myth is that running is bad for your joints because it is high impact and leads to joint wear and tear. But if you are experiencing this pain or joint wear and tear, consider that running is not the culprit.

In truth, your body is simply out of alignment, kind of like a car that needs an alignment. Your car’s tires (or your knees) wear unevenly and eventually need to be replaced or repaired. While that might work for your car, it’s not a great plan for your joints.
These three simple alignment exercises are no quick fix, but they will help get your joints into a better position before you run.

I had my first Prolotherapy injections today to my left si joint and lower back. I only felt a few injections, but my doctor used guided flouroscopy (I think) to move the needle around to hit the ligament attachments on the bone. I had a big spasm from the injection in my lower back. The injections are supposed to make me sore today, but I feel pretty good. Actually the lidocane, or numbing agents, has my hip and pelvis feeling more stable and better aligned (it could be just my positive thoughts!) I will need to go in monthly for a few months before we know if it works for me. A small percentage of people feel better after just the first set of injections. It does not immediately heal things, it inflames the area around the joint so that it can jump-start healing. As my osteopath said, "It should make it like the si joint fuse together." My hope is that strengthening the joint helps with my instability and then I can better deal with my imbalances and misalignments. The doctor does say that after all is done, I may need PRP or stem cell treatment in my hip joint.

Awesome 4 Week Postural Realignment Therapy Program: Online Videos and Instructions

These videos make up a 4 week/ 4 video postural realignment program that is found on Breaking Muscle and contributed by Maryann Berry. Maryann is someone who has fully recovered from the chronic hip pain in her twenties which put her in a wheelchair. She uses an exercise technique called Posture Alignment Therapy, These exercises remind me sometimes of Egoscue. I started this program on week one, but stopped doing it because my si joint was real sore. I got a Serola Sacroiliac Belt last week and it is feeling better, so I am ready to start the program again. There is a video for each week of the program and you can find more directions for each week's exercises here. I have been following the videos each week as Maryann makes them available online and it looks like a well-thought out program.