Soleus tight after 20 km

Hello Docs .... I've had a gagging issue where my soleus tightens for the last year, and wondering if I could get some advice. I've been running barefoot/min for 4 years now, and previously was able to achieve 35 km barefoot. I've done a few marathons shod.

I'm fine running less than 15 km barefoot, or running farther with 4 mm drop. I found that it tightens even wearing shoes when running hilly trails. This has been going on for 14 months. There was no sudden on set, as I first noticed it after running 5 km on the treadmill.

I've been going for ART and dry needle therapy. I've given it months(6) of rest. My physiotherapist measured the flexibility in both ankles and found the impacted one was 50% that of the good ankle. I've been doing slant board stretches and now there is approx 15% difference. I've added stretches for the ITB, hip flexor, and hamstring too.

Some of the difference in flexibility may be related to an injury where I broke that leg in 3 spots (tib, fib, and ankle). This was 40 yrs ago.

Is there anything that jumps out at you? Should I be asking physio for particular area of treatment?

Thanks in advance,

Rod (YOW)
 
As a practitioner of ART, I can tell you that ART is not the answer if you do not understand why the problem exists. In other words, just because you feel the problem in the soleus, it does not mean it is.

There are a few possibilities that we see in practice including

1. The deep posterior compartment is adhesed in either the flexor hallicus and flexor digitorum longus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexor_digitorum_longus_muscle muscles or tendons are not moving due to an old injury. You can tell by trying to passively extend the toes to see if there are any restrictions. ART and motion palpation of the soft tissues can help diagnose this entrapment.

2. You are bound up behind the knee into the popliteus and the area inbetween the med and lat gastroc heads. This can be worked out with myofascial release or ART which is a style of fascial release.

3. You are having core issues, with a distorted pelvis causing a harder landing insulting the posterior compartment of the leg. This is a probability.

4. Your ankle is functionally locked. A good sports chiropractor can help with this. You can tell because passive internal and / or external rotation of the ankle is restricted. A good sports chiropractor can solve this with ART and ankle/foot manipulation.
 
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