tendinopathy
5 top tips to manage tendon problems
Prevention is always better than cure. Understanding risk factors is important to make sure you stay injury free and notice signs and symptoms early.
Rehab Old Injuries
Achilles tendinopathy is common in people who have previously suffered from a lower limb injury and previous lower limb tendon problems. This could be anything, from a sprained ankle to knee surgery in the past. This is often due to a weakness that develops whilst the injury is recovering. Therefore it is important to make sure that your strength is back to normal before you start aggressively training or upping distance and pace quickly.
Manage Training Loads
Which brings us on to the next point, managing training loads. Following a training schedule is important to avoid “boom and bust” behaviours. Increasing training loads to quickly (beyond 10% a week) a quick change in terrain (from normally running on flat ground to running hills to a change in pace) can all be factors that overload and cause a flare in Achilles pain. Following a training schedule to monitor and slowly increase training loads will help you to stay injury free and give your body adequate rest between runs.
Recognise Early Signs & Symptoms – Start Rehab As Soon As Possible
Early signs and symptoms are important to note, and adjust your training plan accordingly. The most common symptom is pain in the morning, or the following day post run when descending stairs. This is a sign that you have caused some swelling within the tendon and need to recover before you push your distance/ speed on the next run. Strength training in this time is important to facilitate recovery and movement of the tendon and will help to reduce your symptoms. Start back to running as soon as it is comfortable to do so, this may be a run walk to start with reduced distance and pace to help facilitate recovery and reduced the effects of deconditioning. Consulting a physiotherapist will be useful in this phase to have guidance and help optimising your rehab.
Do Not Stretch!
When the Achilles is in this phase it is important not to stretch it. Normally tendinopathy occurs when the calf and tendon are too weak/ pliable for the force it is exposed too, therefore no efficient is absorbing shock. Stretching has been shown to weaken the muscle further and increase pliability of the tendon so therefore will make it more susceptible to a tendinopathy. Also is you have a tendinopathy in the lower part of the Achilles (insertional tendinopathy) this will cause compression and may aggravate the tendon further.
Do Not Heat, Massage Or Needle The Tendon
Do not massage the tendon or use heat on the tendon in the early stages, this is likely to make the tendon more painful and likely to cause a flare, slowing down recovery, not allowing rehab to take place due to increased pain levels. Light exercise is the best painkiller in this phase, even if it’s just walking, cycling or running.
Here is a video of one of our physio’s talking you through Tendinopathy:
our locations
Our main clinic location is within David Lloyd Club in Thorpe Wood, Peterborough with a satellite clinic in Oundle School (students and staff only). Please contact us on 01733 565911 for more information on our clinic times & locations.
David Lloyd Club
Prestons Health,
Within David Lloyd Club,
Thorpe Wood Business Park,
Peterborough PE3 6SR
Oundle School
Health and Well-being Suite,
Within Oundle School Sports Centre,
Milton Road,
Oundle, Peterborough PE8 4AB
Please contact our main site for appointments and further information.
get in touch
Telephone
01733 565911
Email
admin@prestonshealth.co.uk
Opening Hours
Monday : 8.15 - 8.30pm
Tuesday : 8.15 - 6pm
Wednesday : 8.15 - 8pm
Thursday : 8.15 - 6pm
Friday : 8.15 - 6pm
Jeff GoodgerThanks Helen for the help and advice you have given me over the recent months enabling me to recover from my back injury and sciatica. Both issues had lasted for 5 months with various visits to Osteopaths & a Chiropractor along the way with no recovery in site. My G.P suggested that physio would be the right option to take and recommended Preston's Health. By this time my confidence was low and I was thinking how long was this ordeal going to last for. From my first apppointment with you I had a good feeling and an end was in site with the exercise programs I followed. It was also the conversations we had about the injury and the sciatica that made me feel I was definately going to recover soon with patience and that's exactly what happened. I had made a determined effort to follow all the guidance and encouragement you gave me, I stuck to the plan and it worked, so many thanks for that Helen. I am continuing with the exercices and building up my overall physical strength daily so that hopefully I won't have to experience this kind of set back in the future. Once again many thanks for all of your help its been greatly appreciated. Regards Jeff
MarkHelene Preston is extremely knowledgeable, she has on two occasions assisted in my recovery from injury and one of those occasions pointed out an issue with medication prescribed by my doctor which averted possible side affects. also directly contacted the nhs on my behalf recommending further scans were needed and assisted in bringing my nhs appointment forward.
Nick GreenI had a great experience with Prestons and Rachael Baker diagnosed a meniscal knee trauma. Rachael was very knowledgeable and professional and the clinic is really neat and tidy within David Lloyd.
Teresa GilderVery friendly and professional.
Robert IgglesdenHad a consultation with Rachel today to diagnose and treat a cycling injury. She was very attentive, very thorough and extremely professional in her approach. This is the second time I've consulted Prestons Health and I've been really happy with their service. Recommended.
Anna LearoydI managed to get an emergency same day appointment for a strained achilles tendon. Rachel was professional, thorough and worked wonders in just one session. After a deep massage, I had much more movement in my ankle and the swelling has reduced significantly in 24 hours. I would highly recommend them for physio.
Matthew KendrickI have seen various physios for different injuries and Prestons Health were by far the best. Extremely professional and thorough when assessing my injury. It is too soon to tell if they will be able to fix my injury but I am very optimistic based upon the service provided so far.
Miriam WoodEffective sports massage, concentrating on my legs this time, due to a muscle injury. I felt much better the following day and even played hockey.
Claire HaylockHelen was very knowledgeable in her field of expertise. I have every faith in her to help me get back to physical health again. The support and aftercare are excellent too. I would definitely recommend Prestons Health.
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