Podcast #140: Running, hallux amputation, building deeper gait concepts.

Topics:

hallux amputation, achilles tendon, achilles tendinopathy, rehab achilles, bursae, marathons, vapourfly, shoes, shoe fit, gait, gait problems, gait correction, gait retraining, running, foot strike, heel strike, midfoot strike, rearfoot strike, heel strike, loading responses, gait rehab, muscle strength, isotonics

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doctorallen.co

summitchiroandrehab.com

shawnallen.net

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Topics and links:

The tendinopathic Achilles tendon does not remain iso-volumetric upon repeated loading: insights from 3D ultrasound. Nuri L, et al. J Exp Biol. 2017.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/28620014/

Good tip to decrease loading and help decrease injury risk in runners: See study by Chan et al.:
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0363546517736277?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3Dpubmed&

Vapourfly shoe
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/07/18/upshot/nike-vaporfly-shoe-strava.html

Men’s marathon:
https://twitter.com/chrisbramah/status/1019481750039343104/photo/1

fun facts:

Foot strike patterns of the World Championships Marathon:
Women’s race:
73% rearfoot, 24% midfoot, 3% forefoot
Men’s race:
67% rearfoot, 30% midfoot, 3% forefoot
pic.twitter.com/iWRzjImQBZ
https://www.iaaf.org/about-iaaf/documents/research#biomechanical-research-projects

Foot structure and stiffness is critical
https://www.nature.com/articles/srep29870

Tendons can change
Progressive calf strength training led to increased achilles stiffness @ 4 weeks & increased tendon cross sectional area @ 8 weeks
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-018-3904-1

Bursae can thicken painlessly as a normal adaption to activity... just like skin calluses!
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24907190

Between 63-72% of participants were wearing incorrectly sized footwear. review of the literature here from @LTPodiatry team:
https://jfootankleres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13047-018-0284-z

How Neuroscientists Explain the Mind-Clearing Magic of Running -- from the Science of Us
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/science-of-us/how-neuroscientists-expla_b_9787466.html

Degenerative Achilles tendons have reduced stiffness.

On yesterday's podcast 127 recording (launch in 3 weeks), we go down this rabbit hole. A worthy hole.
This is important stuff, if you are treating people, (unlike Joe Rogan and the Scibabe, soft slap there, they should use their platform to interview really smart people when it comes to medicine :), you need to know this stuff.

"Achilles tendon, when degenerated, exhibits lower stiffness. This local mechanical deficit may be compensated for by an alteration of motor commands from the CNS. These modulations in motor commands from the CNS may lead to altered activation of the agonist, synergist and antagonist muscles. "

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26046962

Presence of Bacteria in Spontaneous Achilles Tendon Ruptures.

Presence of Bacteria in Spontaneous Achilles Tendon Ruptures.

Here is one to ponder, especially since we just did our last podcast on the achilles rabbit hole.
This study seems to only show correlation.
Which leaves us all with open ended questions, such as, was there a preceeding infectious vector ? Such as in this article here, albeit rare, where the infection likely came from elsewhere, seeded if you will ? (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24529751)

There are still some mysteries around achilles ruptures, but these articles suggest a preceeding infection seeding that might disrupt the tendon matrix might set the stage in some. Maybe.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/28355086/

Achilles Tendinitis

You should read this study if you haven't already

We all treat different forms of achilles tendinitis and tendonosis. This landmark study uses loaded eccentrics and showed better tendon organization and decreased tendon thickness at follow up. 

Tendons do seem to respond better to tension and loaded eccentrics certainly seems to do the job. 

"Conclusions: Ultrasonographic follow up of patients with mid-portion painful chronic Achilles tendinosis treated with eccentric calf muscle training showed a localised decrease in tendon thickness and a normalised tendon structure in most patients. Remaining structural tendon abnormalities seemed to be associated with residual pain in the tendon."

Ohberg L, Lorentzon R, Alfredson H, Maffulli N. Eccentric training in patients with chronic Achilles tendinosis: normalised tendon structure and decreased thickness at follow up. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2004;38(1):8-11. doi:10.1136/bjsm.2001.000284.

link to abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1724744/

David and Goliath: The calf and the glute.

-by Dr. Shawn Allen

I recently saw yet another bulbous chronically inflamed achilles tendon, this one in an elite runner, a masters 1500 American record holder, so no slouch (this is not their photo, obviously) This thing had been baking for almost a year and they had achieved periods of zero pain and abilities to run and then flare ups would occur. There was a focal bulbous swelling (about 3/4 of inch in size) about one inch above the achilles insertion. The swelling was tendon intra-substance, not pre or post achilles soft tissue, this was clearly the tendon proper, you must be certain of this. There were no tiny nodular densities noted within the tendon proper (this is done slowly, with lotion, and fine palpation to look for nodules that might suggest enlarged microtears, not a full proof exam measure, but one I have made a habit of). The calfs were of equal size and shape.

The length of the posterior mechanism (gastrocsoleus-achilles complex) was good and ankle rocker was good.  Calf strength, especially top end plantarflexion, was obviously and predictably weak. Lying prone it was clear to the naked eye that the same side glute was smaller. We know that a muscles maximal contractile force (strength) is the maximal contractile force produced per square centimeter of the cross sectional area of the muscle.  Now, as a loose and low tech discussion here, moving through  the sagittal universe we like to use our glutes and calf to push. If that glute is weaker, who is going to do all this work moving forward ? The calf is certainly in line to help out, (yes, there are others).  

There was clearly gluteal weakness, same side quad tightness (this is obvious if you look at this from an anterior pelvis posturing perspective), lack of terminal hip extension range amongst other clues. But today, I wanted to just bring this principle forward to look all the way up the chain. Too many achilles tendonopathies get dozens of treatments of ultrasound, e-stim, acupuncture, cold, laser, orthotics, stretching, IASTM and the list goes on.  There is nothing wrong with eccentric loading therapy for this posterior calf-achilles mechanism as long as it is not painful but one must find the reason behind this tissue failure. Local scraping is a silly choice over this tendon, do not be a fool, use your head. But, you must look at other failures along this chain. This client had obvious pain on heel rise in the office, but after 30 minutes of serious motor pattern restoration into hip extension and proper gluteal recruitment in all 3 cardinal planes of loading this client had pain free heel rising. Now, caveat, we tested this 3 times only, obviously this will not hold.  But it gave us a clue, and proof, that restoring the proper posterior chain loading order and patterning, and restoring proper hip and pelvis stability loading patterns was a key parameter.  

These are tough cases these achilles beasts. They will frustrate you to no end because they are frequently slow responders and frequently because there are several failed neuro, ortho and biomechanical components that must be addressed. But, these cases are more about being smart than volume treatments with passive modalities.  And, it is near impossible to ask an elite runner not to run -- if you want to build a running practice, you will have to be smarter than all of the others in your community and not reflexively say "stop running".  Tell them "lets just be a little smarter than we have been Mr. Jones", people want to be smarter and they want to be part of a team.  Runners will find another doctor if you tell them to stop running (though, it is sometimes briefly necessary when they are just being knuckleheads about it), just get smarter, educate them, and spend some time with your client working through the bugs. I have not had ultrasound, e-stim, cold packs, hot packs, laser or any such toys in my office in my 19 years of practice for a reason, I spend 45 minutes with people and work through the bugs.  Sure, go ahead and judge me, tell me I am missing out on tools to help, I am ok with you saying that. But I get results most of the time. Do I sometimes fail though ?  Yes, we all do, I fail from time to time, but I tell my clients, "you will give up on this process before I do". I am just too curious for the deeper answers. I am in it to fix it, not to bandaid it. Anyhow, enough of my egoic rant, that was ridiculous, sorry, I just get really pissed off when I see someone who just fired their therapy place after 20 sessions of ultrasound, laser, e-stim, cook-booked rehab and stretching. We can and must do better than that dear brethren. But I guess that is why you are here with Ivo and myself, a team approach to getting wiser, here at The Gait Guys.

Oh, need research proof ?  Here . . . 

Neuromotor control of gluteal muscles in runners with achilles tendinopathy.   Franettovich Smith MM1, Honeywill C, Wyndow N, Crossley KM, Creaby MW. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2014 Mar;46(3):594-9. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000000133.

CONCLUSIONS:

"This study provides preliminary evidence of altered neuromotor control of the GMED and GMAX muscles in male runners with Achilles tendinopathy. Although further prospective studies are required to discern the causal nature of this relationship, this study highlights the importance of considering neuromotor control of the gluteal muscles in the assessment and management of patients with Achilles tendinopathy."

Bam ! 

- Dr. Shawn Allen

What are we listening to this week? The Plantaris…

Thanks to Karly Foster of Twin Bridges Physiotherapy the: Physioedge podcast with David Pope

Imagine if you were able to dedicate a large portion of your life to the study of one individual muscle. That’s exactly what the main person interviewed here has done Dr. Kristof Spang from Sweden has done.  a lot of research on Achilles tendon tendinopathy.This podcast looks at the role of the plantaris muscle in mid tendon tendinopathy, with an emphasis on anatomy.

This muscle needs to be considered in recalcitrant cases of Achilles tendon apathy which of not respond to conservative means.

Dr Spang goes through some of the anatomical variations of attachment of the plantaris, with 10 to 20% attaching into the Achilles tendon. Since there seems to be at least nine different anatomical variations in attachment that can occur; this can often explain the variety of symptoms associated with plantaris issues.

The plantaris attaches from the lateral aspect of the femoral condyle downward to its insertion point within deli near its origin at the knee. The area of attachment distally can be between two and 5 mm and this “area attachment” may be part of the source of the pain. Phylogenetically the tendon attaches into the plantar fashia, similar to the palmaris. One theory is due to the small muscle size it may actually act as a proprioceptive sentinel for the knee and ankle. The peritendonous tissue may interfere with the gliding of the tendon in this is believed to be one of the ideologies of this recalcitrant problem.

Of the diagnostic imaging available, ultrasound seems to provide the most clues. In the absence of imaging, recalcitrant medial knee tendon Achilles tendon pain seems to also be a good indicator.

Our takeaway was that most often the problem seems to be had a conjoined area between the planters and Achilles tendon midcalf lead to most problems. Treatment concentrated in this area may have better results. If this is unsuccessful, surgery (removal of the plantaris, extreme, eh?)  may need to be considered.

Regarding specific tests for plantaris involvement, people who pronate seem to be more susceptible than those who supinate. This is not surprising since the tendon runs from lateral to medial it would be under more attention during predatory forces

It seems that plantaris tendonopathy  can exist separately from an conjoint tendinopathy and it may be that people of younger age may suffer from plantaris tendinopathy alone. This may indicate that the problem may begin with the plantaris and that the planters is actually stronger and stiffer than the Achilles!

It was emphasized that this condition only exists in a small percentage of mid Achilles tendon apathy patients. And that conservative means should always be exhausted first.

All in all, an interesting discussion for those who are interested in pathoanatomy. Check out part 2 in this series for more. 

link to PODcast: http://physioedge.com.au/physio-edge-041-plantaris-involvement-in-midportion-achilles-tendinopathy/