Everything you need to know before your first visit at Front Runner Chiropractic in Wauwatosa.
Most chiropractors will tell you to stop running. I won't. Front Runner is a cash-pay sports chiropractic clinic built specifically for runners, endurance athletes, and active people who want to keep moving. Every visit combines Active Release Technique (ART), shockwave therapy, EMTT, and dry needling when needed. You get hands-on care plus advanced technology, all under one roof, with a plan designed around the life you actually live.
In most cases, no. The goal is to keep you moving while your body heals, not to sideline you for weeks. We work together to modify your training, not cancel it. Sometimes that means a few days of cross-training, sometimes it means adjusting mileage, sometimes it means a full pause for a real injury. You will always know exactly why.
Shockwave therapy uses high-energy acoustic waves to stimulate healing in tissue that has been stuck in a chronic injury cycle. It is especially effective for plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, patellar tendonitis, hamstring strains, and stubborn IT band issues that have not responded to stretching or rest. Treatment takes about 10 to 15 minutes per area, and most runners notice a change within 3 to 5 sessions.
EMTT stands for Extracorporeal Magnetotransduction Therapy. It uses high-energy magnetic pulses to reach deeper structures like joints, tendons, and cartilage that shockwave cannot always address. Shockwave works on soft tissue at the surface, EMTT reaches deeper problems like arthritis, disc issues, and chronic joint pain. They are often used together for the most stubborn cases. Front Runner is currently the only clinic in the Wauwatosa area offering both.
Front Runner is a cash-pay clinic, which means you pay at the time of service and we do not bill insurance. This keeps visits longer, care more personalized, and treatment decisions based on what you actually need instead of what your plan approves. Many patients submit a superbill we provide for out-of-network reimbursement. HSA and FSA cards are accepted.
Yes, and getting back to running postpartum is one of the things we care most about here. Returning to run after baby is not about waiting for a 6-week clearance and lacing up. It is about rebuilding pelvic floor control, core coordination, and gait mechanics before adding impact. I have been through it twice myself. There is a smart way to return, and a way that sets you up for injury 8 weeks in. We will find the first one.
Most new patients can be seen within the same week, and often within 24 to 48 hours. If you are dealing with an acute injury before a race, call or text directly and we will do everything possible to fit you in. You can book online anytime through our scheduling system.
Your first visit is about 45 minutes. We go through your full history, your training background, your goals, and the specific issue that brought you in. Then a movement assessment, hands-on evaluation, and treatment the same day. You leave with a clear understanding of what is going on, a plan for the next few visits, and homework that actually fits into your training week.
