obstaclemudrunner.co.uk
ForEliteAtheletes toFunRunners
Hi, I am Dan Fernandes.
I have been working
with sports injury and
rehab for the last
3 years as a Sports
massage therapist and
am soon to qualify as
an Osteopath. Last year I was introduced
to the OCR community and fell in love
with it. However, I immediately realised
that there were no practitioners on site
that offered the skills that I have. Cue,
Sports Care Revolution. I have created my
company to provide the best service and
advice possible to help YOU.
Dan Fernandes
Medical Acupuncture, Sports Masseur
@sportscarerev
36
Achilles Tendinopathy
Achilles tendinopathy is a common problem which is
generally caused by overuse accounting for as many
as 18% of injuries in runners. It is characterised by
chronic degeneration of the Achilles tendon and is
usually associated with injury or overuse (hill running
or increasing mileage too rapidly can also predispose
the injury). Symptoms include pain, swelling,
weakness and stiffness over the Achilles tendon and
tenderness over the heel. Achilles tendinopathy is
classified as insertional or non-insertional.
• Insertional Achilles tendinopathy occurs at the
bone-tendon junction in more active people
• non-insertional (or mid-portion) Achilles
tendinopathy occurs more proximally in older, less
athletic and overweight people.
TREATMENTS INCLUDE:
• R.I.C.E.
Resting
– Will allow the body to start to repair. If you
don’t stop, the continuing exercise will stress the
local area further leading to increased inflammation,
pain, and possible further injury.
Icing
– Will help to reduce the inflammation
response (within 24hrs) – 10min on with one hour
off intervals.
Compression
– with an elastic wrap or kinesio taping
to help reduce the swelling which is caused by the
inflammation process (for 2-3 days).
Elevation
– Putting your feet up will increase venous
return, therefore new blood will arrive for a faster
recovery (for 2-3 days).
• Manual therapy
– see a professional before attempting to self
diagnose or treat.
• Achilles tendon exercises or stretching
– Use the foam roller all around your lower extremity
– Apply ice for 10 min on the affected area.
– Eccentric exercises are highly recommended
because they protect the tendon and reduce the
number of pain mediators within affected tendons.
– The stretching and strengthening exercise is a
unilateral heel raise. Every heel raise consists of a
3 second concentric phase (going up), a 2 second
isometric phase (pause at the top of the movement)
and a 3 second eccentric phase (coming down).
In extreme cases and
only
if all other treatment
has been exhausted would I suggest the following.
However, in most cases this is not necessary.
•
Surgery
– consists of excising fibrotic adhesions, removing
areas of failed healing, and performing multiple
longitudinal incisions in the tendon to detect
intratendinous lesions and to restore vascularity and
possibly to stimulate the remaining viable cells to
initiate cell matrix response and healing.
In ALL cases I would recommend coming to see
either of us or another professional for advice and a
treatment plan.
You can find us both on Facebook or email us:
Dan Fernandes:
Toby Evans MSc MCSP:
See you at a race soon.
HEALTH: INJURIES
we’ll try and help fix them
Ask the experts
Each month we cover a common injury.
Tell us about yours and we’ll try and help
fix them for you. Email
with your injuries and it may
feature next month.
Hello, I’m
Toby.
I am an
experienced Sports
Physiotherapist with
interests in football,
running, cycling,
and most recently
OCR. I work all over the South West
London area and you can see me often
frequenting OCR events. Hopefully see
you around!
Toby Evans MSc MCSP
Physiotherapist Specialising in
Musculoskeletal & Sports Based Injuries
@TobyPhysio
Meet our Sports Injury
Specialists.
Dan Fernandes,
Sports Care Revolution
and
Toby Evans MSc MCSP,
Toby Physio
.
