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There’s a reason running clubs are thriving across Johannesburg. From parkrun on Saturday mornings to midweek group runs through Bryanston and Delta Park, more people are discovering what experienced runners have always known: running with other people makes you a better, more consistent runner.
But beyond the social side, there’s another layer that many runners overlook, the role that healthcare professionals like biokineticists and physiotherapists can play in helping you run stronger, more efficiently, and with fewer injuries.
The Power of Running with Others
Running is often thought of as a solo sport, and it certainly can be. But research consistently shows that people who exercise in groups tend to be more consistent, train harder, and enjoy it more than those who go it alone.
There are a few reasons for this. Accountability is a big one, it’s much harder to skip a 6 AM run when you know someone is waiting for you. Pacing is another. Running with people at or slightly above your level naturally pushes you to maintain a pace you might not hold on your own. And then there’s the simple fact that shared suffering is more bearable. A tough hill hurts less when someone next to you is hurting too.
For newer runners, a group provides structure and safety. For experienced runners, it provides competition and variety. Either way, the net effect is the same: you run more often, more consistently, and with more purpose.
Where Most Runners Hit a Wall
Whether you’re training for your first 10K or chasing a Comrades qualifying time, most runners eventually hit a plateau or pick up a niggle that won’t go away. The most common issues include recurring knee or hip pain, shin splints, tight calves and Achilles problems, IT band syndrome, lower back pain during or after runs, and a general feeling of stagnation, running the same times despite training consistently.
The instinct is usually to push through, rest for a few days, or search for answers on the internet. But often the underlying issue is biomechanical, something about the way you’re moving that’s either limiting your performance or setting you up for injury.
How a Physiotherapist Can Help
If you’re dealing with pain, a physiotherapist is typically the first port of call. A physio can assess the injury, identify the contributing factors, and begin treatment to manage pain and restore function. For runners, this often involves hands-on techniques such as soft tissue release and joint mobilisation, dry needling for tight or overactive muscles, taping for support during the recovery phase, and guided exercises to restore range of motion and strength.
The goal in the acute phase is to get you out of pain and back to running as quickly and safely as possible. But the physio’s role doesn’t end there, they can also identify movement patterns that may have contributed to the injury in the first place, which is where the transition to a biokineticist becomes valuable.
How a Biokineticist Can Help
A biokineticist takes a longer-term view. Rather than treating the injury itself, a bio focuses on the underlying causes, the muscle weaknesses, imbalances, and movement dysfunctions that led to the problem.
For runners, a biokineticist can conduct a detailed movement and strength assessment to identify weak links in your kinetic chain, design a targeted exercise program to address specific weaknesses (glute strength, hip stability, ankle mobility, and core control are common areas), work on running-specific functional movements that translate directly to better form, and provide a structured return-to-running program after injury that progressively builds load without re-aggravating the issue.
Beyond injury rehabilitation, biokineticists also work with healthy runners who simply want to improve. Addressing a subtle hip drop, improving single-leg stability, or building eccentric calf strength might not sound glamorous, but these are the kinds of changes that shave minutes off race times and keep you running year after year without breaking down.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that you only see a biokineticist or physiotherapist when something is wrong. In reality, a proactive assessment can identify potential issues before they become injuries. If you’re increasing your mileage, training for a new event, or simply noticing that something doesn’t feel quite right, an assessment can give you clarity and a plan.
Whether you’re nursing a running injury or looking to improve your performance, our team of physiotherapists and biokineticists at Pinnacle Health & Wellness in Bryanston can help. Contact us on 011 463 9699.
