Elitetrack: Sport Training & Conditioning

Hi,

I have suffered for the whole of last season and still now with constant lower leg pain mainly in the ankles and shins.

I originally thought it was caused by simple overpronation as I went to a podiatrist and was told that I over pronated badly and had very tight calves and hamstrings. I got some decent orthotics over a year ago now (they were made by taking a cast of my feet, not just generic ones) and have concentrated on stretching and flexibility a lot.

My flexibility has improved a great deal but I still have the ankle & shin pain, especially when linking hard sessions together. After a bit more research I thought I had posterior tibialis tendonitis as all the symptoms were spot on to what I experienced i.e pain behind the knob of my ankle, very tender inner shins, sore arch of foot after longer running. So I started doing lots of strengthening exercise (been doing them for 2 weeks now) but I am still suffereing.

Also my coach keeps telling me about how much my feet are turned out when I land, as when I stand with my feet straight forward me knee’s turn in so it is very difficult for me to run with my foot landing straight out in front of me.

The more I read up the more confusing it gets, I could have externally roatated femurs, weak hip muscles, tight hip muscles etc etc….!!

Does anyone have any experience or have this themselves as whatever I do doesnt’t seem to help and I would like to know what it feels like to actually run without pain! I see loads of people walking with their feet splayed so it must be a relatively common thing…

Thanks for your help

It is a common thing. However, you should really try to fix it! I have a problem with my left ankle, and in the last 2 years alone I believe it has contributed to 2 hamstring tears, 3 adductor pulls, achillies tendonitis, 4 ankle sprains, and tib/fib joint injury, all caused by running, all on the left side!

Im not sure what strength exercises you need to do, but thats something for you to research. For me, I do alot of work on my outer glutes and internal hamstrings. From a technical standpoint, try doing some of your drills and running along a line, focusing on keeping your feet facing forwards.I have done this with some people I have been coaching with good results.

Sorry I cant be more helpful!

speedfreak1 - 28 January 2010 09:01 AM

It is a common thing. However, you should really try to fix it! I have a problem with my left ankle, and in the last 2 years alone I believe it has contributed to 2 hamstring tears, 3 adductor pulls, achillies tendonitis, 4 ankle sprains, and tib/fib joint injury, all caused by running, all on the left side!

Im not sure what strength exercises you need to do, but thats something for you to research. For me, I do alot of work on my outer glutes and internal hamstrings. From a technical standpoint, try doing some of your drills and running along a line, focusing on keeping your feet facing forwards.I have done this with some people I have been coaching with good results.

Sorry I cant be more helpful!

No thats great thanks, I don’t think there is much more you could suggest from people telling you something on the internet!

To be honest the concentrating on drills with my feet in the correct position sounds like a good plan, its like anything really when you have been doing it for 25 years its hard to change! I can walk with them in the correct position but when I try and translate it back into actual running I revert back to bad technique.

Like you say I will have to research some more specific targeted exercises for the appropriate muscles and see how I go with them.

Thanks for your input.

Hip internal rotation is controlled by

- tensor fasciae latae
- Gluteus medius
-Gluteus minimus, anterior fibers
- medial hamstrings (semitendonosus and semimembranosus)

Basically, I am just re-iterating what Craig has stated. As far as the exercises, the muscles are above, just talk to some trainers who know their stuff and you can get some good info on what to incorporate.

We do line walks daily to work on engaging the hip and teaching how to strike the ground. This is something that I tell them they must do when walking everywhere.

I had this issue in college.  I would video tape myself from behind during sprints and make sure my feet were straight at foot contact.  This helped me a lot and enabled me to run 30m in about 1 less stride which is big.  I now know a good amount about therapy and corrective measures but I think video taping for feedback on each rep during practicing sprints with straight feet is possibly the most useful thing I know.

I have the same problem with my right leg.

Our AT is very sure my right femur is externally rotated and from what he was saying there is really no fix for it unless you want to pay thousands and go under the knife.

It might be possible that my femur is placed in such a position by tight muscles on one side and weak on the other, I’m not completely sure if that’s possible. I’ve been doing a large amount of flexibility for about 5 months now and seen no change.

Could just be something you have to live with.

Thanks for the replies, I think filming it and watching it back sounds like a good idea. I don’t think I will ever have a completely neutral landing due to the natural way that my knees and feet are i.e with knees forward my feet point out.

Has anyone ever heard of cycling to help this sort of thing, I was suggested this as (if your wear foot clip on the pedals) it keeps your feet in line and keeps your legs underneath you whilst doing the motions??

I think in general I have a messy stride, i’ll try and get some footage up on here, I used to be a pole vaulter so nobody has ever really commented on my actual running before up until now, but from what I am told I have short chopped stride for someone my height and I don’t bring my foot up on the backside part of the stride anywhere near high enough.

Though I have run 11.0 so hopefully I have decent basic speed, I am hoping a bit better technique and longer strides will really help me, especially as a 400m runner.

Thanks again

bales - 29 January 2010 04:51 AM

Thanks for the replies, I think filming it and watching it back sounds like a good idea. I don’t think I will ever have a completely neutral landing due to the natural way that my knees and feet are i.e with knees forward my feet point out.

Has anyone ever heard of cycling to help this sort of thing, I was suggested this as (if your wear foot clip on the pedals) it keeps your feet in line and keeps your legs underneath you whilst doing the motions??

I think in general I have a messy stride, i’ll try and get some footage up on here, I used to be a pole vaulter so nobody has ever really commented on my actual running before up until now, but from what I am told I have short chopped stride for someone my height and I don’t bring my foot up on the backside part of the stride anywhere near high enough.

Though I have run 11.0 so hopefully I have decent basic speed, I am hoping a bit better technique and longer strides will really help me, especially as a 400m runner.

Thanks again

I noticed a few months ago that I have a similar problem…my right foot turns out.
I didn’t cause me any trouble. I put it down to the right femur being rotated out a bit.

You could definitely be onto something in relation to the cycling….I’ve been on the exercise bikes a bit in the past two months (as my shoulder has been completely immobilised). When I cycled I had my feet strapped in tight to the pedals and conciously kept my right foot in a straight position.

I’ve since noticed that I’m not turning out quiet as much….I wouldnt say theres been a huge improvement but definitely I’ve noticed something.