In the running community we have all heard of shin splints. This is the generic term for a condition (Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome) that gives pain along the shin. Like the Achilles or plantar fascia, shin splints is one of the most annoying injuries to pick up and one I’ve suffered from in the past. … Continue reading Shin Splints
Category: Lower Limb
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.
ITBS usually presents as lateral knee pain with an insidious nature. There is no history of trauma. Athletes can begin their run only to feel pain by about 1-2 mile into the run. The pain increases as intensity/duration increases.
Tendinopathy is described as an overuse tendon pathology. The Achilles, rotator cuff, patella and elbow extensor tendons being the most commonly affected. Much research into how to best manage tendon pathology is currently evolving. This research is based on the continuum model presented by Cook and Purdam. This model describes 3 stages of tendon pathology (tendinopathy). Reactive, disrepair and degeneration stage. (Cook et al, 2008).
Plantar Fasciitis is a condition that affects both active and non active populations. It is characterised by medial heel pain were the plantar fascia attaches to the calcaneus (heel). It is particularly painful with the first few steps in the morning and after long periods of inactivity, (Jariwala et al, 2011).
The publication of the popular book “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall, has led to massive interest in and experimentation with barefoot running. Shoe manufacturing companies have taken advantage of this new phenomenon by developing minimalist shoes which gives the user a close to barefoot experience. The central theme driving the adoption from shod foot to barefoot is the hypothesis that it improves running economy thereby saving energy and injury risk reduction. However there is little high quality evidence to support this hypothesis.