Pilates For Achilles Tendinitis

Pain – unfortunately – is a familiar concept for runners. Running is a high-impact activity and a certain degree of pain is to be expected.But when the pain a runner experiences is recurring or increasing, both after and during workouts, we might be looking at an injury.

Injuries are usually caused by a mix of three factors: sudden increase in training volume, incorrect technique and biomechanical unbalance. In most cases you can diagnose your overuse injury on your own, as runners typically fall victims of one of the following four common injuries. This doesn’t mean you shoud avoid seeing a specialist, but it is important to recognize the symptoms at an early stage, so that you can correct your training and prevent the injury from becoming something serious.

Runner’s Knee is the common name for chondromalacia, a condition where the cartilage underneath the kneecap wears as a consequence of the friction caused by an incorrect tracking of the kneecap during the running motion. The recognizeable symptoms are inflammation and pain under the kneecap while running.

The main biomechanical causes of this condition are overpronation of the foot and an imbalance between the hamstrings and the quadriceps – in particular loos quadriceps and tight hamstrings. The quadriceps-hamstrings imbalance can accentuate overpronation.

Shin splints is a name commonly given to an array of issues related to the shins. Practically, a shin splint is a pain on the inside or the outside of the shin that occurs during running. The most probable cause of shin splints is increasing the training volume too soon too early. They usually occur in one leg at a time, usually the runner’s dominant leg.

Anterior shin splints are associated with overpronation, medial (internal) shin splints are commonly associated with an unbalance of the muscles of the lower leg.

Plantar Fascia

The plantar fascia is a band of tissues that runs from the heel to the forefoot at the bottom of your foot. This tendon maintains the arch during each stride (walking, running, jumping…) and absorbs the shock. Plantar fasciitis is a condition that occurs as a consequence of tearing and scarring of the plantar fascia.

Early symptoms of plantar fasciitis are pain in the heel while walking first in the morning and while starting to run. As the condition develops, the pain lasts longer in the morning and while running. Acute plantar fasciitis can be so painful that makes running impossible.

The Greek mithology tells us that Achilles – the strongest of the Greek warriors – was dipped by his mother in the waters of the Styx river in order to make him invulnerable. Unfortunately, his mother was holding him by his ankles while dipping him in the water, therefore making his ankles the only vulnerable part of his body. Years later an arrow would hit him in the ankle – and Achilles would die.

We refer to Achilles Tendonitis (tendinitis) as an inflammation of the Achilles tendon, which connects the two major muscles of the calf to the heel bone. This condition needs to be taken seriously, as the tendon can develop nodules of scar tissues or even rupture.

Visit Running Shoes Guru for a more detailed look at the causes and remedies for running injuries.

Heel disorders, ingrown toenails, shin splints, and tendinitis are common and painful conditions. However, treatments are available in order to heal the conditions and speed up recovery.
Heel Disorders and Treatments
Plantar fasciitis and heel spur syndrome result from inflammation of the ligament like tissue (the fascia) that stretches from the base of the toes, across the arch of the foot, to a point on the bottom of the heel bone. It is sometimes associated with a heel spur, in which case it is called “heel spur syndrome.” The condition can usually be successfully treated with conservative measures such as use of anti-inflammatory mediations and ice packs, stretching exercises, orthotic devices, and physical therapy. If the condition does not clear up after six months of these treatments, Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy may be considered. Sharp pain, aching or stiffness on the bottom of one or both heels is a very common ailment. The pain is often at its worst upon awakening in the morning (or after sitting down for an extended period and then resuming activity), causing hobbling or limping for a few minutes before a comfortable stride can be resumed. As weight continues to be applied during walking or standing, mild or severe pain may persist.
When your first few steps out of bed in the morning cause severe pain in the heel of your foot, you may have plantar fasciitis (fashee-EYE-tiss). It’s an overuse injury affecting the sole or flexor surface (plantar) of the foot. A diagnosis of plantar fasciitis means you have inflamed the tough, fibrous band of tissue (fascia) connecting your heel bone to the base of your toes.
You’re more likely to get the condition if you’re a woman, if you’re overweight, or if you have a job that requires a lot of walking or standing on hard surfaces. You’re also at risk if you walk or run for exercise, especially if you have tight calf muscles that limit how far you can flex your ankles. People with very flat feet or very high arches are also more prone to plantar fasciitis.
The condition starts gradually with mild pain at the heel bone often referred to as a stone bruise. You’re more likely to feel it after (not during) exercise. The pain classically occurs again after arising from a midday lunch break.
If you don’t treat plantar fasciitis, it may become a chronic condition. You may not be able to keep up your level of activity and you may also develop symptoms of foot, knee, hip and back problems because of the way plantar fasciitis changes the way you walk.
Treatments
Rest is the first treatment for plantar fasciitis. Try to keep weight off your foot until the inflammation goes away. You can also apply ice to the sore area for 20 minutes three or four times a day to relieve your symptoms. Often a doctor will prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen. A program of home exercises to stretch your Achilles tendon and plantar fascia are the mainstay of treating the condition and lessening the chance of recurrence.
In one exercise, you lean forward against a wall with one knee straight and heel on the ground. Your other knee is bent. Your heel cord and foot arch stretch as you lean. Hold for 10 seconds, relax and straighten up. Repeat 20 times for each sore heel.
In the second exercise, you lean forward onto a countertop, spreading your feet apart with one foot in front of the other. Flex your knees and squat down, keeping your heels on the ground as long as possible. Your heel cords and foot arches will stretch as the heels come up in the stretch. Hold for 10 seconds, relax and straighten up. Repeat 20 times.
About 90 percent of people with plantar fasciitis improve significantly after two months of initial treatment. You may be advised to use shoes with shock-absorbing soles or fitted with a standard orthotic device like a rubber heel pad. Your foot may be taped into a specific position.
If your plantar fasciitis continues after a few months of conservative treatment, your doctor may inject your heel with steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (corticosteroid). If you still have symptoms, you may need to wear a walking cast for 2-3 weeks or positional splint when you sleep. In a few cases, you might need surgery to release your ligament.
Ingrown Toe Nail
An ingrown nail occurs when a portion of a toenail on either side of the toe turns downward and presses into the skin. Nails normally are nearly flat, with just a slight arcing downward at the borders. When the border of the nail is turned downward, it begins to injure the skin.
Shin Splints
Shin splints are pains in the front of the lower legs caused by exercise, usually after a period of relative inactivity. Shin splints can be caused by any of four types of problems, none of which are serious. All types of shin splints can be treated with rest. Tibial shin splints are very common and affect both recreational and trained athletes. Runners are often affected. Tibial periostitis occurs further toward the front of the leg than posterior tibial shin splints, and the bone itself is tender. Anterior compartment syndrome affects the outer side of the front of the leg. Stress fractures usually produce localized, sharp pain with tenderness 1 or 2 inches below the knee. A stress fracture is likely to occur 2 or 3 weeks into a new training program or after beginning a more strenuous training regimen.
Tendinitis
A tendon is a tough yet flexible band of fibrous tissue. The tendon is the structure in your body that connects your muscles to the bones. The skeletal muscles in your body are responsible for moving your bones, thus enabling you to walk, jump, lift, and move in many ways. When a muscle contracts it pulls on a bone to cause movements. The structure that transmits the force of the muscle contraction to the bone is called a tendon. Tendons come in many shapes and sizes. Some are very small, like the ones that cause movements of your fingers, and some are much larger, such as your Achilles tendon in your heel. When functioning normally, these tendons glide easily and smoothly as the muscle contracts.