We’ve all heard some chilling stories about misdiagnoses, disappointing physical therapy experiences, and the dreaded “maybe it’s time for you to stop” advice. If you’re here, you know that’s not how we operate! And while it may be spooky season, we’re rolling out this inspiring tale because it’s also running season (isn’t it always?). One of our patients has achieved a significant personal milestone and is excited to share his story with you. Meet Jeremy, a member of our MD family who overcame his running injury and never stopped believing in his passion for running.
Meet Jeremy
Jeremy is an avid runner who competed in high school and briefly in college. He has a need for speed, loving both the thrill of running and the joy of pushing himself to go fast.
Transitioning from high school to college running was no easy feat; the jump in training mileage was substantial. He went from a casual 20-25 miles a week to around 40-60 miles, plus strength training. When asked about his recovery routine back then, he described it as “go to the training room and sit in the ice bath or get the trainers to wrap a giant bag of ice to your legs.”
In his sophomore year, Jeremy was a walk on to the college team. By the end of the year he ended up with a hamstring injury that wasn’t properly treated. Between that and juggling his coursework as a graphic design major, he decided to continue running—on his own schedule.
Still accustomed to the high training volume of 10-12 miles a day, Jeremy found half marathons a natural progression. He completed his first half marathon toward the end of college and enjoyed alternating between half marathons and speedy 5Ks. After graduating, he shifted his focus toward 5Ks, which were more readily available in his local area.
Problems Began Popping Up
As a serious runner without a solid recovery routine in college, Jeremy wasn’t unfamiliar to injuries and pain. He faced a knee injury and battled achilles tendonitis, among other issues. Reflecting on his achilles pain, he remarked, “It just kind of plagued me for a long time.” When it first surfaced, he sought help from his primary care physician, physical therapy, and even a podiatrist.
Jeremy humorously referred to himself as a “repeat customer” at traditional physical therapy for his achilles tendonitis. He explained, “I always felt like I would make progress and things would get better, and then it would just always linger.” At one point, a podiatrist offered heel lifts as a corrective measure. However, as he continued to run with the lifts, a bump began to form on his heel. When he inquired about it, he didn’t receive much reassurance that the doctor understood what was happening. After dealing with this bump for about a decade, he was eventually diagnosed with “pump bump,” or Haglund’s deformity—typically associated with wearing high heels. This came as a bit of a shock. He quickly realized that the heel lifts intended to help his achilles tendonitis had actually just caused a new problem.
Issues Finding The Right Solutions
One of Jeremy’s main frustrations was attending physical therapy only to have his therapists treat symptoms rather than underlying issues. He said, “They can only treat what’s on the script and not the underlying issues. You go there, they help you fix your problem, but your problem’s not really fixed. It’s like they just put a bandaid on it.”
Dr. John agreed, noting that many issues stem from mechanical problems or movement patterns that go unaddressed, causing a return to the same issues.
As a frequent visitor, Jeremy sensed that the therapists were running out of ideas, having tried every approach in their playbook. This, coupled with dismissive comments like “maybe it’s time to try something else” or “you’re too old,” left him disheartened—especially considering he was in his early 30s at the time.
Watch Our Interview With Jeremy
Tired of the same old struggles, Jeremy had basically given up on physical therapy. Through a mutual friend and patient he was encouraged to give Mobility-Doc a shot. He recognized this was going to be different when he noted, “The first time I came here, you (John) and Jon tested everything, which is something that hadn’t happened for me in years.” (We conduct full-body resistance and mobility testing during the initial consultation.)
Jeremy’s treatment schedule shifted from weekly sessions for about 6-8 weeks to only coming in as needed for maintenance. Now, he’s back to crushing 5Ks, with his latest time being an impressive 18:13—his fastest in a decade! We’re excited to support him as he aims to break the 18-minute mark, followed by his personal record of 17:23.
We’re incredibly grateful that Jeremy chose us for his recovery journey. Remember to keep your head up, advocate for yourself, and never give up! Find someone who will listen to your goals and help you achieve them.
If you or someone you know is facing a similar situation, don’t hesitate to reach out and schedule an in-person or virtual appointment. We’re here to help you keep doing what you love!
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Check Out Dr. Chloe's 5 Part Series About Her Running Injury
Incase you missed it or are looking for a walk down memory lane, watch ( or read) Dr. Chloe’s journey about dealing with her own running injury. She takes you through the entire journey from finding healthy ways to cross-train through getting back to running!
