Anyone who runs knows a little bit about or has heard of Achilles tendinopathy. It is a frustrating over-load induced injury. Different factors contribute to tendinopathy. The site of irritation may be a clue, as insertional tendinopathy is commonly viewed as a compressive overload injury where midportion is viewed as a tensile overload injury. Although there is some evidence to suggest plantaris may have a compressive effect in mid portion Achilles tendinopathy (source). Traditionally both midportion and insertional were treated the same way. New research has highlighted the possible differences (source). With that come different loading strategies.
As I outlined in my previous post, overstriding is a major contributor to knee pain and poor economy. I want to highlight some exercises and running form drills that you can incorporate into your training, to help prevent your overstride.
Overstriding is a common among runners of all abilities. I’d like to give you a short insight into the common contributors of over-striding and why it reduces performance and increases the chances of injury.
Patellofemoral pain (runners knee) is an insidious injury that kind of creeps up on you. It affects both athletes and non athletes alike. It typically presents as pain in or under the knee cap. This makes it very frustrating as you can’t quiet put your finger on it. The cause of patellofemoral pain (PFP) is likely multi factorial, with different factors contributing to varying degrees in each individuals pain. Uncovering which factors contribute to the pain presentation is challenging.
