Running Medicine and Performance Program

After identifying the cause of your symptoms—whether injury-related or biomechanical—we’ll develop a tailored treatment plan. Most runners respond well to nonsurgical interventions like physical therapy. Your plan may also include gait retraining, targeted exercises, and training modifications to reduce strain and optimize performance.

Our team of health professionals at Duke Running Medicine—many of whom are runners— understand the implications of injury and the joy of being on the road, track, or trails. We won’t tell you to stop running unless it is medically necessary. If you do need to take a break, we will work with you to create a recovery plan starting at your first visit. Our goal is to help you safely return to the sport you love, pain- and injury-free.

Pregnancy and childbirth can challenge a runner’s body. Our pelvic floor physical therapists design individualized running plans to help you continue safely through pregnancy and resume running postpartum. We focus on optimizing running form, strengthening the pelvic floor, and supporting musculature to prevent injury. We also offer free evaluation events twice yearly (spring and summer), and consultations are available year-round.

We offer a full range of treatment and rehabilitation services, including:

• Physical therapy
• Tailored home exercise plans
• Training plan advice
• Dry needling
• Nutritional counseling
• Gait analysis and retraining
• Steroid and other injections

We also provide access to state-of-the-art rehab equipment, such as reduced weight bearing treadmills and a deep-water pool, to support low-impact recovery.

While physical therapy is often the first step in care, we collaborate closely with Duke’s full network of providers—including orthopaedic surgeons and primary care sports medicine physicians. Your treatment plan will be coordinated seamlessly by a team committed to your recovery and performance.

We offer a variety of services for runners who want to improve performance while reducing the risk of overuse injury. We assess all aspects of your running, including your running mechanics; training routine; nutrition; strength and flexibility; footwear; and injury susceptibility. Depending on your needs and goals, we may conduct:

• Biomechanical assessment: A slow-motion 2D running gait analysis allows us to break down and evaluate your running mechanics. We will review your most of your major joints and movements from head to foot strike.
• Metabolic testing: VO2 Max testing shows how your heart, lungs, and body perform at low to maximal levels of physical activity. While it’s useful for all athletes, it is especially informative for endurance athletes.
• Other metrics: We offer body composition analysis, iron panel testing, vitamin D testing, and more.

You will leave the session with a review of your results and an individualized plan for improving your running performance and meeting your individual goals.

We offer care for all runners, regardless of age or performance level. This includes beginning and recreational runners and those competing at the high school, collegiate, or elite level.

If you experience a running-related injury or want to minimize your risk or improve performance, you will receive comprehensive care from a team of specialists. Orthopaedic surgeons, sports medicine providers, sports physical therapists, athletic trainers, and dietitians can help speed time to recovery, provide training on injury prevention, and help you safely return to running.

We have running-specific providers throughout the Triangle. Our team is also part of a larger network of orthopaedic care at Duke, offering you greater access to providers and locations, including our orthopaedic urgent care in Morrisville.