Running Special

Welcome to the Autumn edition of Refreshing Rehab, not that we had much summer to look back at!  With days rapidly getting shorter and temperatures never really getting high, it feels like there has been no summer at all.

Throughout October you also have the chance to get 50% off your next appointment! All you have to do is introduce a friend or family member to the treatment and you can save yourself money as well.

On Sunday 22nd August, I held a charity day in aid of Cancer Research and raised just over £1300. I am very pleased as I was aiming to raise £1000.

The current issue deals with various running problems and injuries. Running has a part in the majority of sport as well as everyday fitness for the mass public.

Achilles Tendonitis

Achilles tendonitis is the inflammation or swelling of the Achilles tendon at the back of the leg, attaching to the heel. It is the tendon for the calf muscles and if injured causes a lot of pain, even when simply standing. The injury is a common one in runners as it is a repetitive injury. This means that when you run and train slightly above the normal range of the tendon, it get disrupted and fibres tear. If these damaged tissues do not get sufficient recovery time to repair, and more training is performed, the tissue becomes further damaged and eventually will become inflamed. The result is Achilles tendonitis. The rehabilitation is very important as it is an injury that has shown high re-injury rate, mainly due to a poor rehabilitation period from the previous injury. If you feel your Achilles tendon is injured or is just painful and you don’t know why, get in touch with a professional to help you recover in the best way possible.

Patellofemoral Pain

Patellofemoral pain is a pain felt at the front of the leg, behind the knee-cap or patella. The femoral part of the name suggests the problem is due to the knee-cap rubbing against the femur (thigh bone). The cause of the pain could be from a multiple of factors. These may include gender, age and even previous injuries amongst others. The pain may be constant and this would lead to a medical visit, though if the pain is onset by activity or exercise a check-up is valuable as it will indicate possible problems and how to deal with it. Patellofemoral injuries are common as there are so many factors that can instigate it. Runners may find that an ankle problem has lead the knee to move slightly to cause malalignment in the knee. This could lead to certain muscles in the quadriceps group to become weak or tight. A specific rehabilitation program is needed to return the muscles and knee to there original positions.

Stress Fractures in Runners

Stress fractures are caused by repetitively running without allowing time for damaged bone fragments to be repaired. Most common areas to sustain stress fractures are the foot, tibia (shin bone) and femoral neck (top of thigh bone). During rests osteoblasts and osteoclasts work hard to reform any little bits of stressed, damaged bones. If this time is not sufficient then more damage is piled onto the bone and repair is accelerated to deal with the extra activity. If the body cannot cope with the demands put on the bones, a stress fracture will inevitably occur. To prevent stress fractures happening, follow a careful running program, allowing for the individuals needs, current condition and previous injuries. Don’t run too much, too often and make sure that there is enough time between exercise sessions for the body to recover.

Plantar Fasciitis

This condition is an inflammation of the plantar fascia. The planter fascia is a strong connective tissue going from the toes to the heel. It keeps the base of the foot together and stops the foot stretching too much. When fibres in the fascia get damaged and have no time to repair, the fascia becomes inflamed as a response mechanism. Causes of the condition could be weight, footwear and foot type, profession, traumas, new activities or previous and other injuries and conditions. You may feel pain in the heel after activity with the condition even though there may be no pain during exercise. Treating the condition could involve a bit of rest to allow inflammation to reduce, followed by massage, ultrasound and maybe strapping.

Quick Facts

“Endorphins that are produced during running give the ‘feel good’ feeling in the body.”

“Jogging for an hour burns roughly 500 calories.”

“The record for the most distance covered in an hour is 13 miles and 197 yards.”