Plantar Fasciitis.

With the onset of (hopefully) warmer weather many of us will be casting off our heeled winter boots and shoes in favour of lighter weight, cooler flat shoes or flip flops, or even bare feet.  However this may lead to the development of pain in your heel - commonly referred to as Plantar Fasciitis, but more recently the term plantarfasciopathy is being used.

Plantar fasciitis is a condition that is caused when the load that the plantar fascia- the tissue connecting your heel bone to your toes, has to work against is too high, causing it to develop micro-tears and possibly inflammation.

Congratulations to everyone who took part in the London marathon yesterday - now it is time to look after yourself.

Take some time out from running 🏃🏼 but do keep moving with some gentle aerobic and mobility exercise such as swimming 🏊‍♀️, cycling 🚴🏼‍♀️ , pilates or yoga🧘🏼‍♀️

Make sure you get plenty of sleep 💤 to allow your body time to heal and recover from the stresses of the run

Any aches or pains that don’t settle down in a few days then do contact for further advice

Achilles Tendinopathy 

The Achilles tendon attaches your calf muscles including gastrocnemius and soleus to the back of your heel bone ( calcaneus).  As you walk, run, and jump, your Achilles acts like a powerful spring, propelling you forward by storing and releasing energy.

Nearly all the force you generate when pushing yourself forward goes through the Achilles tendon. Depending on what research study you read, this force has been reported to be as much as six to twelve times your bodyweight when you’re running fast.

With the marathon season approaching, an injury that you cannot ignore is a bone stress injury, or stress fracture. If you continue to train it WILL get worse & you will be out for longer.

A bone stress injury occurs over time when bones are subjected to repetitive stress or overload, initially causing bruising to the bone, which can settle down with a period of rest, but if the activity continues can progress to tiny cracks or fractures in the bone, most often in the foot, shin, hip & back.

Common among athletes of all ages, especially those involved in activities that involve repetitive motions such as running, jumping, or dancing.

The most common occurrence is in individuals who suddenly increase the intensity, duration, or frequency of their physical activity, without allowing the body time to make the adaptions it needs to the increased load by laying down new bone and muscle - exceeding the current capacity of the body.

Nutritional deficiencies such as restricted food intake whether intentional or unintentional, low vitamin D and Calcium are risk factors for developing bone stress injuries.

The symptoms of a bone stress injury can vary depending on the severity and location but often include pain that worsens with activity & improves with rest, often worse at the end of the day, there may be swelling & tenderness to touch.

Treatment for bone stress injuries usually involves rest, sometimes immobilization in a brace or boot, & modification of activities such as using crutches to reduce weight-bearing on the affected bone allowing it time to heal .
In some cases, a period of complete rest from the aggravating activity may be necessary.

Once the pain subsides and healing progresses, a gradual return to activity under the guidance of a physiotherapist is important to prevent re-injury.

What Is a Lumbar Spine Bone Stress Injury ?

As Spring arrives and the weather (hopefully) begins to improve there is a move from indoor training to outdoor training and competition and with it a change in the type and amount of activity and exercise that children and adolescents participate in.

Whilst this is not an issue in itself, how quickly they increase the amount of activity can cause problems.