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Webchat with physio Sarah Connors
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Hi re Shin Splints
I have had the same problem for a couple of months and had to take three weeks off at one stage. Now it seems to go away after about 5 miles, and only recur about 2-3 days after my long run. Should I be bothered, or just carry on? I do the step exercise which has been fantastic and got rid of it when it was quite bad, also do a bit of foam roller when it hurts and take some neurofen. Am doing Manchester Marathon and don't want to overdo it, but also don't want to slow up too much as have just got back on track after the last shin splints prob. It is not terribly painful, not there while resting and only really bothers me in case I am doing what others suggest and making something worse each time which will come back to haunt me soon! Thanks.
PS Could someone get rid of Kitten Kat - what a pain!
Hi Sarah,
I fell heavily directly on my R knee cap shortly before Christmas. Bruising and swelling ++. Gp checked it and thinks no serious damage. No pain on running, or training generally but still slight swelling and it isn't quite right. Have been stepping up training gradually both running and turbo, also conditioning, but it doesn't seem to have settled fully. It doesn't feel too bad so I am taking the view that it is OK to train. What are your views please?
Thanks.
i am getting so dispondant im close to giving up running. after a lengthy calf problem, which the NHS physio eventually sorted out I am now suffering with achilles pain, I had my gait analysed yesterday, it is neutral, but on the pictures the gait machine took both achilles were curved, the left one more so, ive got support insoles in my neutral trainers but even walking a minute and running a minute leaves me in agony a couple of hours after. if my achilles is curved so badly what can I do, the sports shop who did the analysis said they didnt think a different shoe would make any difference. I am contemplating giving up running totally due to constantly being injured
geoff.hope that sarah can help...sounds horrible
Hi there
I have a slight ache to the right my right knee that only presents itself either after a run or during a long run or period of consecutive runs. As a result, I have limited my training over the last two months significantly, and only went on a serious run again for about 20 minutes with a knee support this past Sunday. I'm going to see a physio for it soon, even though it seems very minor, as it seems to keep returning every time I try to build a momentum in terms of my training, building as I increase my mileage.
Although I am going to see a physio about this very soon, my knees are of concern to me as there is a history of knee conditions in my family and I don't feel that mine are the strongest. As I'm eyeing the Great North Run up, please could you advise what the best exercises are for the prevention of knee injuries in future, or indeed the best exercises for strengthening the knees, as I want to be in top condition for what will be my first half marathon?
When I took up running I took gait analysis and had very slight overpronation, but nothing to be concerned about, so wear neutral trainers. The injury itself was not caused by running - ironically, I did it while pushing my kids about in the pram. Still, any advice would be much appreciated.
Hi All,
I am just tidying up this thread so it is easier for Sarah to respond when she joins us tomorrow. Thanks for all your questions so far, keep them coming! And please don't be put off posting your questions, we welcome everyone's questions.
Annie
Hi Sarah,
I have been suffering from what I self-diagnose to be a lower abdominal strain - after a speed interval session on heavy football pitches just over 3 weeks ago.
After trying to 'nurse' it through several easier runs, I then took a complete 6-day break but, having noticed little or no improvement, I have started back to my regular schedule again.
My question is whether I risk longer-term damage or merely potentially lengthen the healing period by continuing to run through it? Should I be considering a total break from running and look at isometric rehabilitation exercises for the next period of time?
Thanks for any advice,
Alwyn
Hi Sarah, another relative newbie with a knee issue. I had my gait analysed (neutral) did the Couch to 5k in May-June 2011 and went on to run a half marathon in November 2011 - all with no problems, not even a blister. I developed a knee problem that I've had before on walking holidays, the one where it's excruciating to go downhill and down stairs but all other movement is pain-free. I started barefoot running in spring 2012 to try and sort the knee pain, but after a few months I started getting knee pain in the same knee but a different place.
From googling various anatomy pics, the pain is in the area of the tendon that attaches the vastus lateralis to the knee: about 1 inch above my knee cap to the outside of my thigh. I was continuing to run with this but eventually it was too painful to continue and I haven't run since September 2012. At first I only had this pain when I ran, but since about November I've been experiencing it on and off every day, while sitting, standing and walking. I went to a biomechanic clinic who said I needed an ultrasound to diagnose the soft tissue damage he could feel (he said he could feel a lump that might be a cyst), but my GP told me to take Ibuprofen for a week (it didn't help), sent me for x-rays (they came back normal) diagnosed "probable tendinitis" and suggested a steroid injection (if he's not 100% certain, he's not sticking a needle in my knee!).
I'm still in pain and don't know what to do next, and would really appreciate your advice - thank you.
Hi Sarah,
I had ITBS about 3 months ago. After some treatment it was ok, not perfect but ok. Recently ive upped my mileage, not much just 500m extra every week on my long run. After about 20 mins i get an ache in my gluteus medius (thats the one near the top of the buttock right?). 10 mins later this ache has moved around to the outside of my hip which restricts my push off somewhat. Then the pain moves again, to my hip flexor, which makes it painful to lift my leg so im ending my run with a shortened stride and in a bit of pain. After stretching, the next days ache is only in the hip flexor. Is all this related to a weakness somewhere? But where? I played tennis to a high level for afew years and have an over developed right side of my upper body. Could this be anything to do with it? Are there any strength tests i can do to identfiy a muscle weakness? Please dont say rest!
Many many thanks
Andre this sounds very much like an achilles issue? Are you able to be a bit more precise with the location description? If it is the achilles then you need to tread and treat it very carefully as it has a habit of lingering and being hard to get rid of
Check out some eccentric loading exercises and in the meantime I would rest and reassess
Could also possibly be a peroneal tendon problem and I would probably take the same advice
i have had a groin injury for the last 6 months. i have had a ultra sound and a ultramri which has revealed no hernia and no signs with problem pelvis or hip . the pain is on the left and is particularly sore when i bend down, crouch, squat and stoop, and when i run. i have also had 2 physio visits and is still no better 6 months later. getting very frustrated now!!!
any advice would be much appreciated
Hi - my achilles have been sore for about 8 months. I do calf raises once or twice a day, in addition to stretching all the other major leg muscles and it seems to keep it in check and prevent it getting worse. Is this ok or do I really need to get it fully cured ?
Welcome to today's injury prevention webchat - a big thank you to physio Sarah Connors for joining us today to answer your training questions.
Over to you, Sarah...
Annie RW
Hi Hackett yes def seek advice with this one. The numbness is indicating pressure on the nerve at some point presumably from a grumbly disc. You need to make sure there isn’t any muscle weakness so yes get it checked sooner rather than later and hopefully you’ll training will then be easier.
Hi Suz
The best way to decide is to see how your body is responding to all the training as she will have seen you before you can ask how much tighter you feel than last time. If you’re much tighter and generally more sore then bring it forward a week, don’t have one immediately prior to the race go about a week before or after your last long run.
Hi Stewart,
Sounds like you still have a weakness in that leg . What is your one leg dip like compared to the other knee? Try in front of a mirror and see if the knee turns in. Are you trainers giving you correct support trying twisting them and see if one gives more than the other. Helping your gluts get stronger will def help and foam roller around the gluts and Tensor fascia lata the muscle at the top of the ITB.
Hi Angela, you say that calf is weak have you done anything to strengthen it up. A simple calf raising programme will help starting on 2 legs then one and initially off the floor then on a step dropping the heels. Was there a definite tear and sudden pain last year or was it a gradual onset. If it was gradual may be worth getting your back checked out to make sure the nerve isn’t tight causing the calf twinges. K tape is great if it eases your symptoms.
Hi Lisa, try a different approach, you are doing all the right things to help your lower back and hamstring you might have just reached their max range. What you can look at is your hip flexors if these are tight then this pulls the back out of line and stops the gluts activating hence overloading the hamstrings. Try the lunge stretch on one knee stretching the back hip flexor. If you can get someone to help you do the Thomas test (should be on the website) your knee should hang in a straight line with your body if it’s higher than your hips are tight.
Hi lewis sounds like you need a good mot. There are so many issues with that leg it’s difficult to know where to start. The quad sounds like it’s weak and def needs to do a structured strengthening programme staring with 2 leg squats and progressing to 1. Though would be good for someone to look at its’ strength and function. Are your calfs very tight and what is the stretch like when you bend your knee, are the soleus tight?? If these are weak try 2 different calf raises leg straight and knee bent. You don’t say how much running you do and it would be good to know if you’ve done a structured rehab and stretching programme. Let me know if you can.
Kate the best way to minimize the effects of camber is to vary your run and run in different directions.
Hi Also-ran, did the physio ever mobilise your lower back?? If this is tight it can also be causing the hamstring to be tight. It’s one of the first things I do with a patient with a hamstring issue and it takes the pressure of the nerve and the muscle. Try that and see what happens. Also try the hip flexor stretch that I mentioned to Lisa above. The big thing for me is to look above the muscle and address the cause, esp if on one side then even more likely to be coming from the back. You like lisa have done all the obvious stuff so you may need some help with this one.
Also try and stretch the adductors that run along the inside of the leg. There is a great trigger point about a hand breath up from the knee joint that you can hold while stretching to try and release the pes a bit more
Hi Ben you don’t say where in the hip the pain is can you let me know and I can help you with what to stretch. If it’s at the front try the Thomas test to see if the muscles are tight and causing an impingement. If at the back try stretching the gluts. A foam roller is a good investment to help with some trigger point soft tissue release. There will be some videos on the web showing which areas to target.
Hi Iain, I presume you mean your knee joint? If it’s on the inside over the joint then it could either be the pes enserinus tendon which is your medial hamstring and adductors so try and stretch these out. If very specific over the joint line and pain on squatting you need to get checked to make sure there is no meniscal/ cartilage damage
Hi Grant are you taking into account the race when you do you long run and easing back on the distance or speed slightly? Your body needs to recover from races.
Buy yourself a foam roller and start bringing in more stretching to allow the body to help recover.
Hi Diana don’t try and play catch up you’ll only make them sore again. Absolutely right to try and do a cross training session. Also try and do some of your running off road as this is definitely better for the shins.
Have you been stretching the deep calf muscles, do this by putting the toes on a step and then bending the knee. You can do some self massage into the inside calf muscle to release some of the tension stay away form the bone and acute pain though, Ice is good after this. You can do some cliniband exercises to strengthen the foot muscles pulling the foot in and out against the resistance of the band.
Lastly make sure you trainers are not old and that they have the correct support quite often the cause of shin splints is over pronation so if your trainers are not supportive enough that may not be helping.
Hi Sarah,
I'm getting a dull pain in the back of my thigh when running, as well as a sensation a little like having cold water poured on my skin in hip and the side of my upper thigh. I've scaled back my running for the past month and stopped doing interval training - is there anything else I should be doing? Thanks!
Hi Emma if you have a pain bad enough that it lasts 3 weeks from a 30 min run I would get it checked out. You could try your GP first and see if you need an x ray if that’s ok then get them to refer you to a physio as this doesn’t sound like something that simple stretching will sort.