Does the back of your lower leg hurt after running?
Is it worse when cold and you start running, but gets better as you warm up?
You could have an Achilles Tendinopathy.
The Achilles tendon runs from your calf muscle and inserts on the back of your heal bone. You can feel the thick tendon with your hand as it thins out towards the bottom of your leg. This important tendon acts like a spring when running, storing, and releasing mechanical energy, helping you launch from one stride to another.
Problems arise when the tendon is overloaded and can’t handle the stress placed upon it. The tendon reacts by, at first becoming sore and inflamed, and then if not addressed, it starts to change its structure, and becomes stiffer – not being able to store and release that much needed energy. Once the tendons architecture is changed, we term that a tendinopathy.
Tendinopathies are common especially among runners, particularly if you have just started running or have increased your running volume expediently (too much too soon).
In clinic, we can assess your tendon by using an ultrasound scan (the same type we use to see unborn babies in their mother’s tummy), using the ultrasound scan, we can pinpoint the exact area and type of tendon issue you may have – a correct diagnosis is 90% of treatment (as I always say). We can then use Shockwave therapy to help encourage the tendon to change its architecture to be able to store that much needed elastic energy again. Shockwave therapy uses a machine that delivers a high-pressure sound wave directed at the involved tendon, encouraging the body to produce cells that can aid in repair of the tendon.
Normally 6 sessions are needed at only once a week for 6 weeks, now I must emphasize the importance of applying a loading strategy in the rehabilitation phase. This simply means we need to weight train in a specific way to help the tendon remodel itself, enabling it to handle the forces of running again.
With these strategies, we will have you back doing the sports you love – quickly.
If you think you have a tendon issue, contact the clinic on 00971445689532 or visit our website at: www.iracdubai.com
