The Running Institute

What The Running Institute does

The Running Institute is a single-location podiatric and sports medicine practice based in Chicago's Loop at 111 North Wabash Avenue, Suite 1919. Founded by Dr. Michael J. Chin, the clinic focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of running and lower-extremity injuries, serving individual athletes ranging from recreational runners to competitive marathoners. Its patient base is built through high-visibility affiliations including Director of the Podiatry Medical Tent at the Chicago Marathon and Team Podiatrist for the Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA).

The clinic's clinical stack combines standard sports medicine imaging — CurveBeam PedCAT 3D CT scanning, digital X-ray, and ultrasound — with device-based therapies such as EPAT (Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Technology), MLS Laser Therapy, and Swift therapy, alongside custom orthotics fabrication. The practice expanded its clinical scope with the addition of Dr. Balu Natarajan, a dual internal and sports medicine physician. A telemedicine offering extends consultations beyond the physical clinic, while referral and brand partnerships with 7+ running stores and 15+ physical therapy clinics generate patient flow and reinforce the practice's positioning within the regional running community.

The business operates on a fee-for-service medical practice model, with revenue drawn from insurance-reimbursed visits, cash-pay advanced therapies, and custom orthotics sales. No public funding, enterprise contracts, or multi-site expansion have been disclosed, and the practice remains a privately held, founder-led clinic with 1-10 employees.

Name

The Running Institute

Legal name

The Running Institute

Website

https://tri-chicago.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Running Institute is a Chicago-based podiatric and sports medicine practice founded by Dr. Michael J. Chin, serving runners and athletes with custom orthotics, EPAT, MLS Laser Therapy, and advanced 3D imaging, supported by a network of running-store and physical-therapy clinic partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Medicine & Podiatry Services

NAICS

Offices of Podiatrists (621391), Home Health Care Services (62161), Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (62134)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAKALAB

Sports Medicine

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Orthopedics & Sports Medicine

SECONDARYHLAKALAG

Foot & Ankle

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Orthopedics & Sports Medicine

SECONDARYHLAFAFAI

Orthopedic & Sports Rehabilitation Centers

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Healthcare Providers & Systems/Post-Acute Care & Rehabilitation Facilities

SECONDARYHSADAIAB

Sports Physical Therapy & Return-to-Play Rehab

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation & Corrective Exercise

Keywords

• Podiatric sports medicine
• Custom orthotics
• Extracorporeal pulse activation
• MLS laser therapy
• Running injury treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Evanston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Medical Consultation and Treatment Services: The Running Institute generates revenue through professional medical consultations, diagnostic imaging services, and therapeutic treatments for sports medicine and podiatric conditions. Services include new patient evaluations, follow-up visits, therapeutic procedures (EPAT, Laser Therapy, Swift, amniotic injections), and custom orthotics.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Running Institute is an all-inclusive sports medicine practice providing diagnosis and treatment of lower extremity sports and fitness injuries. Core offerings include podiatric sports medicine and surgery, custom orthotics for sport and dress shoes, EPAT shockwave therapy, MLS laser therapy, Swift microwave wart treatment, restorative amniotic injection therapy, and sports and internal medicine consultations, supported by in-house weight-bearing 3D CT, digital X-ray, and ultrasound imaging.

Product overview

The Running Institute is a comprehensive sports medicine practice offering a unified suite of treatment services for athletes of all levels. The practice operates as a multi-specialty offering centered around two founding physicians: Dr. Michael J. Chin (podiatric sports medicine & surgery) and Dr. Balu Natarajan (internal & sports medicine). Core treatment services include Podiatric Sports Medicine & Surgery, Custom Orthotics, MLS Laser Therapy, EPAT (Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Treatment), Restorative Biologic Injection Therapy, and Swift Therapy for plantar warts. Diagnostic capabilities include in-house CurveBeam PedCAT weight-bearing 3-D CT scanning, digital X-ray, and ultrasound. Services are delivered through both in-person office visits and Telemedicine virtual consultations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Podiatric Sports Medicine & Surgery A sub-specialty service focused on understanding, management, and prevention of lower extremity sports and fitness injuries, utilizing biomechanics, functional analysis, and orthotics for safe return to sport with injury prevention, for athletes of all levels.
• Custom Orthotics for Specific Sports & Lifestyles Custom-designed podiatric devices for individual foot alignment that adjust or accommodate biomechanical foot disorders, including accommodative orthotics for cushioning/shock absorption and biomechanical orthotics for correcting faulty alignment, made for sport or dress shoes.
• MLS Laser Therapy Therapeutic treatment using specific wavelengths of MLS laser light to treat tendon and ligament injuries, muscle strains, degenerative joint conditions, and neurological pain, providing rapid pain relief and accelerated healing.
• EPAT (Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Treatment) Non-invasive treatment using acoustic pressure waves delivered via a Storz Duolith FDA-approved device to stimulate the body's natural repair mechanisms and accelerate healing of soft tissue injuries; The Running Institute was one of the first clinics in the nation to implement this technology.
• Restorative Biologic Injection Therapy Amniotic injection therapy that promotes healing by activating adult stem cells, providing natural anti-inflammatory effects and anti-scar tissue formation for tissue repair without surgery.
• CurveBeam PedCAT Weight-bearing 3-D CT Scan, Digital X-Ray & Ultrasound Weight-bearing 3D CT scan providing complete bone alignment and joint space imaging for accurate diagnosis of foot and ankle conditions including fractures, arthritis, bunion deformity, and ankle instability, complemented by in-house digital X-ray and ultrasound.
• Swift Therapy FDA-cleared low-dose microwave technology that delivers energy through a specialized probe to target and treat the underlying HPV virus causing plantar warts by stimulating a natural immune response.
• Sports & Internal Medicine Comprehensive medical care delivered by a dual-boarded internist and sports medicine physician treating the whole patient, including diabetes, abdominal pains, asthma, and musculoskeletal conditions, with injections, manual therapy, and compartment pressure testing.
• Telemedicine Virtual healthcare visits via HIPAA-compliant video conferencing allowing patients to schedule in-person or televisits for remote medical consultations from home.

Quantifiable outcome

• Return-to-sport success rate of 95% upwards for EPAT + Amniotic injection protocol for osteoarthritis

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine (AAPSM)minorOthersProfessional association membership providing access to industry standards and continuing education in podiatric sports medicine.
• American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS)minorOthersProfessional association membership for foot and ankle surgeons providing access to clinical guidelines and surgical best practices.
• American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA)minorOthersProfessional association membership for podiatric physicians.
• Illinois Podiatric Medical AssociationminorOthersState-level professional association for podiatric physicians in Illinois.
• Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerDr. Chin serves as Team Podiatrist for CARA, providing medical support to the running community.
• Bank of America Chicago MarathoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDr. Chin serves as Director of the Chicago Marathon Podiatry Medical Tent, providing specialized treatment to marathon runners.
• Team to End AIDS Marathon GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDr. Chin serves as Team Podiatrist for the Team to End AIDS Marathon Group.
• Physical Therapy Partners (Achieve Orthopedic Rehab Institute, Athletico, ATI Physical Therapy, NovaCare, and others)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of 15+ physical therapy clinics in the Chicago area that refer patients and receive patient referrals for rehabilitation following treatment.
• Running Retail Stores (Fleet Feet Sports Chicago, Universal Sole, Road Runner Sports, Live Grit, and others)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with 7+ specialty running retail stores in Chicago for shoe fitting referrals and running gait analysis recommendations.
• Chicago Endurance Sports (CES)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerTraining organization for Chicago-area athletes.
• Fast & Fit CoachingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChicago-based running and triathlon coaching service providing athlete referrals.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Athletico Physical Therapy: Large Chicago-based outpatient physical therapy chain that is both a referral partner and a downstream rehabilitation provider for The Running Institute. Not a direct competitor but adjacent in the athlete care continuum and a key channel for post-treatment referrals.

Regional players

• Adventist Health Partners: Multi-specialty physician group in the Chicago western suburbs offering podiatry, sports medicine, and orthopedic services. Comparable in scale and regional footprint to The Running Institute, serving a similar Chicago-area patient base.
• Hinsdale Orthopaedic Associates: Chicago suburban orthopedic group with sports medicine and foot/ankle specialists. Overlaps with The Running Institute's athlete market from a different geography within the broader Chicago metro.

Broad incumbents

• Hospital for Special Surgery: Nationally recognized orthopedic and sports medicine specialty hospital. While not a direct Chicago competitor, it benchmarks the gold-standard sports medicine delivery model and represents a brand that elite athletes may bypass local practices to access.
• Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine: National destination sports medicine program within a major academic health system. Sets the competitive benchmark for advanced non-operative therapies, regenerative injections, and elite athlete care that The Running Institute also pursues.
• Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center: Multi-physician sports medicine practice in the Southeast United States known for treating professional and collegiate athletes. Comparable as a specialty sports medicine brand built around founder-credentialed physicians and advanced non-operative modalities.
• Northwestern Medicine Sports Medicine: Hospital-affiliated sports medicine program within Northwestern's integrated delivery network, offering non-operative and surgical sports care to athletes. Comparable as an alternative referral destination for Chicago athletes but with a much broader service portfolio and institutional payer contracts.

Direct peers

• Illinois Bone & Joint Institute: Large multi-specialty orthopedic practice with multiple Chicago-area locations, including podiatry and sports medicine services. Competes with The Running Institute for athlete referrals across the same Chicago suburban catchment.
• Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush: Chicago-based orthopedic and sports medicine group offering comprehensive musculoskeletal care including foot and ankle surgery. Directly competes for the same athlete and active-patient population in the Chicago metro, with a much larger multi-physician roster.
• Barrington Orthopedic Specialists: Chicago suburban orthopedic practice offering sports medicine, podiatry, and physical therapy. Comparable independent specialty group competing for the same Chicago-area athlete referral pool with similar scope of services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TRI_Chicago

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Running Institute