I came across an ultra-running website that recommended a visit to Dr. Martyn Speight (a musculoskeletal and sports physician) for Achilles tendon issues. I have to admit to having had some pre-assessment scepticism: I've been through numerous physios and podiatrists in the past along with various orthotic prescriptions without success.
Fortunately Dr. Speight has a particular interest and expertise in this field, being one of those chaps who runs up and down 1-in-25 fells for fun at the weekend.
A very thorough and easily understood assessment shows that apparently I have an Achilles tendinopathy. Fortunately this is a low-grade tendinopathy and so should be something I can recover from.
The almost constant tightness and pain is a result of too many years in the past doing the running but without the strengthening and stretching of the appropriate calf muscles and Achilles tendons. Being inactive over recent years hasn't helped at all.
X-ray scans show a clear degeneration in the tendon areas that seem to hurt the most and, after a little ultrasound work, Dr. Speight gave me some exercises to do to build up the strength of the Achilles tendons. These are based on the Swedish physician Dr. Alfredson's discovery that eccentric strength training of the Achilles tendon using heel-drop exercises saw a significant response rate: simple, but apparently very effective.
So I'm on a three week lay-off from any running at all and instead will be doing 3 x 15 heel drops on each leg, twice a day, seven days a week. After three weeks and assuming no problems I should be progressing to doing these with a 10kg rucksack.
Let's hope this works because I really need to start building some time on my feet!
Thursday, 23 December 2010
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
So far, so good, but . . .
Back in February I changed to mid-foot striking. It's been akin to starting running all over again and, to be honest, my fitness has fallen back a long way over the years. I'm really starting from a base of zero (other than the "muscle memory" of the extremities of events in times past) but that's what happens when you do next to nothing!
The calf pain has gone and so have the lower back problems I used to experience. Since February until late-summer there were just a handful of weeks where I hadn't run a few miles, albeit not more than 13 in a week.
Without a doubt the change to mid-foot running from heel-striking has broken the impasse but it's getting a little worrying now that my Achilles tendons are giving the same issues no matter what I do: they are extremely tight for a good 10 minutes first thing on a morning, as they are after getting up from a desk or chair and having sat for a while.
Walking or running more than a couple of miles brings on Achilles tendon pain and tightness. With very little preparation or training my wife and I spent a couple of days walking the Dales Way back in August. My wife's knee put paid to the trip after day 2 and by then, having carried on to finish the day and clock up 32.5 miles in 2 days, my Achilles tendons weren't thanking me for it.
After that I was back to doing next to nothing again for several weeks!
The clock is ticking to MdS 2012 and while pulling out now wouldn't cost me anything (being on the Wait-list has just meant paying over a returnable £500 deposit) it seems a shame to say 'bye to the challenge without trying to work out the problems with my Achilles tendons.
As things stand now trying to step up the training volume to enable me to run 150 miles across the Moroccan Sahara in about 18 months time just isn't going to happen.
It's time to take some professional advice, I think.
The calf pain has gone and so have the lower back problems I used to experience. Since February until late-summer there were just a handful of weeks where I hadn't run a few miles, albeit not more than 13 in a week.
Without a doubt the change to mid-foot running from heel-striking has broken the impasse but it's getting a little worrying now that my Achilles tendons are giving the same issues no matter what I do: they are extremely tight for a good 10 minutes first thing on a morning, as they are after getting up from a desk or chair and having sat for a while.
Walking or running more than a couple of miles brings on Achilles tendon pain and tightness. With very little preparation or training my wife and I spent a couple of days walking the Dales Way back in August. My wife's knee put paid to the trip after day 2 and by then, having carried on to finish the day and clock up 32.5 miles in 2 days, my Achilles tendons weren't thanking me for it.
After that I was back to doing next to nothing again for several weeks!
The clock is ticking to MdS 2012 and while pulling out now wouldn't cost me anything (being on the Wait-list has just meant paying over a returnable £500 deposit) it seems a shame to say 'bye to the challenge without trying to work out the problems with my Achilles tendons.
As things stand now trying to step up the training volume to enable me to run 150 miles across the Moroccan Sahara in about 18 months time just isn't going to happen.
It's time to take some professional advice, I think.
Thursday, 19 August 2010
The rucksack!
This website is an absolute treasure trove of information about the Marathon des Sables as well as other ultra-races, including very useful kit discussions.
After much research I've now got hold of probably the most important part of the kit: the rucksack!
I've gone for the OMM Classic Marathon 32 litre rucksack which should hopefully be able to carry everything I'll need. Getting it now should mean I can test it to destruction and start using it on my runs!
After much research I've now got hold of probably the most important part of the kit: the rucksack!
I've gone for the OMM Classic Marathon 32 litre rucksack which should hopefully be able to carry everything I'll need. Getting it now should mean I can test it to destruction and start using it on my runs!
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Changing my footstrike . . . again!
I've developed to being able to run small distances (a couple of miles) barefoot on a treadmill, which actually feels quite comfortable on the feet themselves.
Unfortunately, while this has meant I haven't had any lower back pain, I can't carry on with forefoot running because of the calf pain it is causing: no amount of stretching off before or after is getting rid of this.
More research on changing footstrike suggests midfoot running may be better, and certainly better than heel-striking.
The aim is to try and land with the foot relatively flat (mid- to forefoot) under one's centre of gravity, a slight bend in the knee, with a quick foot turnover, not overstriding.
Amazingly, the first time I tried this, the calf pain from forefoot striking was completely absent. The Achilles remain tight and sore though.
I'm still over two years away from MdS 2012 so it's worth trying out these different methods. I will at some point need to get used to running 20-plus miles at a time and remain injury-free. I know that won't happen if I go back to heel-striking.
Unfortunately, while this has meant I haven't had any lower back pain, I can't carry on with forefoot running because of the calf pain it is causing: no amount of stretching off before or after is getting rid of this.
More research on changing footstrike suggests midfoot running may be better, and certainly better than heel-striking.
The aim is to try and land with the foot relatively flat (mid- to forefoot) under one's centre of gravity, a slight bend in the knee, with a quick foot turnover, not overstriding.
Amazingly, the first time I tried this, the calf pain from forefoot striking was completely absent. The Achilles remain tight and sore though.
I'm still over two years away from MdS 2012 so it's worth trying out these different methods. I will at some point need to get used to running 20-plus miles at a time and remain injury-free. I know that won't happen if I go back to heel-striking.
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