Muscle tightness and Equinus – A source of heel pain

As a runner, warming up and stretching are probably common parts of your running routine. The benefits of stretching, including increased blood flow, better joint function, and decreased injury, are numerous. Muscles will tighten with use and age. Without regular exercise and stretching, these tight muscles often lead to pain or injury. An Achilles tendon rupture is often the result big expectations placed on unconditioned ankle tendons. While many regular runners won’t experience this, heel pain can be a prime example of pain that occurs with muscle tightness in your calf muscles.  
 
Equinus is a term used in podiatry to explain tightness in these muscles that affect foot function. Similar to a horses’ hoof being pointed towards the ground, the most severe cases of equinus exhibit toes pointed towards the ground. Most individuals in modern society have decreased motion at the ankle joint or mild equinus. This can be a contributing factor to conditions such as plantar fasciitis. The tendons of the plantar fascia insert onto the same heel bone as does the Achilles tendon. Tights in the calf or Achilles tendon can contribute to tightness in the plantar fascia, one of many sources for heel pain.

Even if you are not a daily runner, you should become a daily stretcher. There are many stretches for runners that are excellent for stretching out the calf muscles. If you are a regular runner and stretcher, your heel pain is most likely from a different source than muscle tightness and should be evaluated by a podiatric physician. The Heel Pain Center of Central Texas website has a lot of good information on this topic. As a division of Austin foot and Ankle Specialists, they are well equipped to diagnose the source of your heel pain. They can also offer you a variety of treatment options including the newest addition of ESWT. Heel pain can start for a variety of reasons and severely limit your activities. If your running routine or daily activities are being limited by heel pain, make an appointment to see Dr. Thomajon. A call to 512-328-8900 can have you well on your way to eliminating or correcting your source of heel pain.

Avoiding Ankle Sprains – See what Yoga has to offer

All of us know the value or stretching before and after any run.  Keeping the muscles and ligaments that affect your ankle loose and healthy does a lot to avoid injury.  The little aches and pains you may notice when you forget to stretch can lead to bigger problems.  Ankle sprains are one of the most common sport related problem seen in your Austin podiatrist’s clinic.  The motion of your ankle and the ground forces pushing up during a long run can cause weakening leading to small tears or bruising to the tendon. You need look no farther than just a few blogs ago to understand why tendon issues can be especially challenging to recover from. These facts only bolster the old adage of ‘an ounce of prevention….’

Enter yoga…….this spiritual, mental, physical philosophy from the far east has a long varied history.  In the USA, it has made its way into health clubs and tends to focus primarily on the physical stretching and strengthening. Yoga Journal writers site a former trainer for the Chicago Bulls when talking about tightness around the ankle. Running in general, but especially in basketball can lead to tightness in your shins.  These activities often put more pressure on the ball of your foot.  Yoga poses focus on aligned your body and this starts with your feet.  By focusing on evenly distributing pressures throughout your foot during a pose, your force you ankles to be better aligned.  The tendons and muscles that support the sides of your ankles may be missing this challenge when running on flat surfaces.  A few minutes of yoga everyday can give them the attention they need to stay healthy and strong.

You do not have to look far to find a yoga class here in Austin.  Hopefully it fits into your weekly workouts.  Making this a part of your running and exercise routing can keep your ankles strong and healthy.  Don’t hesitate to contact Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists if you have any foot or ankle pain.  The longer you delay identifying the problem, the longer it may take to make it better. Drop by for a visit today!

Until next time, keep those feet happy and healthy, Austin!