Research into causes of tendon pain is an exciting and ever developing area of physiotherapy. Overuse or overloading of tendons has been recognised as a major contributing factor to tendinopathy. However this often still occurs in sedentary individuals without a history of mechanically overloading their tendons through any particular activity. Why? Read on.....
A stress fracture is a small crack within a bone that mostly occurs in the lower legs and feet with repetitive mechanical overload through activities such as running. This is commonly caused by over-training but a number of factors may be attributable such as changes in running surface or footwear. Other risk factors include bone density, skeletal alignment, body size and composition, flexibility, strength, hormonal and nutritional factors. Symptoms will include pain with activity which subsides with rest; swelling and tenderness at the pain site may also be present.
This 66-year-old lady was 8 weeks’ post Achilles tendon repair when she attended AquaPhysio. She had been playing tennis and ran backwards for the ball and felt like hit a wall, she fell to the floor. Went straight to GP who referred her for an urgent private MRI scan, complete rupture, repaired the next day.
