Achilles tendinitis
Gluteus Maximus
IT Band
Figure 2 . The calf and heel , showing Achilles tendon
Achilles tendinitis
This condition is characterised by pain on the back of the lower leg , near the heel . The Achilles tendon attaches the muscles of the calf ( i . e . soleus and gastrocnemius ) to the heel bone ( i . e . calcaneus ) ( see Figure 2 ). Inflammation of this tendon is called ‘ Achilles tendinitis ’ ( Waldman , 2009 ).
Patellofemoral pain syndrome
This condition is characterised by pain at the front of the knee , near or under the kneecap . The kneecap is a small bone that glides over the notch at the bottom of the thigh bone ( i . e . the femoral groove ) as the knee bends and straightens ( see Figure 3 ). The word ‘ patello ’ refers to the kneecap ( i . e . patella ) and ‘ femoral ’ refers to the thigh bone ( i . e . femur ). Therefore , inflammation / irritation and pain associated with most problems in this area at the front of the knee is called ‘ patellofemoral pain syndrome ’ ( Thomeé , Augustsson and Karlsson , 1999 ).
Patella
Femoral Groove
Figure 3 . The knee joint , showing patella and femoral groove
These common injuries occur as a result of muscle and movement imbalances compounded by overuse
Figure 4 . The iliotibial band runs down the side of the leg
Iliotibial band syndrome
This condition is characterised by pain on the outside of the knee ( and sometimes the side of the hip ). The iliotibial band ( i . e . IT band ) is a strong connective tissue that runs down the side of the leg from the side of the pelvis to the outside of the shin ( see Figure 4 ). It attaches the gluteus maximus and tensor fascia latae muscles to the lower leg ( i . e . the outside of the tibia ). ‘ Illio ’ refers to the ilium bone of the pelvis and ‘ tibial ’ refers to the tibia ( i . e . the large shin bone ). Therefore , irritation to this structure is called ‘ iliotibial band syndrome ’ ( Frontera , Silver and Rizzo , 2015 ).
Muscle dysfunction is a major cause of most running injuries
If your muscles are not healthy , flexible and strong they become less effective in transferring weight and absorbing shock . As a result , other soft tissues in the body like fascia , tendons , ligaments and joints end up experiencing more stress than they should . Over time , these structures become strained , leading to injury , pain and further dysfunction . That is why common running injuries ( i . e . plantar fasciitis , Achilles tendinitis , patellofemoral pain syndrome and IT band syndrome ) manifest in connective tissue and joints .
Therefore , if you want to help clients run without pain and with minimized potential for injury , it is critical that the major areas ( and associated muscles ) that control stress to the body when running ( i . e . feet , ankles , hips ) are functioning optimally ( Price , 2018 ; Price and Bratcher , 2019 ).
Corrective exercises for running
As with any corrective exercise program , utilise self-myofascial release techniques first to recondition and rejuvenate those soft tissue structures you plan to address . Progress to gentle , isolated stretching techniques ( that help retrain joint mechanics ) before advancing to more dynamic , integrated strengthening techniques that help improve movements in the areas being targeted .
Foot and ankle exercises
Use a foam roller , tennis ball or similar self-myofascial release tool to massage these muscles to help improve their capacity to contract , lengthen and relax effectively during running . Then , progress to the following stretching exercise , which is designed to gradually introduce movement to the ankle .
48 | NETWORK SUMMER 2020