hi neil,
those orthotics you had made up for me are still working great, i haven't had
any more trouble with shinsplints since, though i have learned not to press
downhill training which is no doubt half the problem. i have another query for
you. the other day i was dicing with a large dog who was determined to bite me
on the calf and though i got away from the dog, i popped something in my calf,
either a tendon or a part of the muscle. my partner heard it, and i surely felt
it. i'd much rather have been bitten. i doubt it was just a strain, i could
feel something pop. i had sort of pulled it 2 weeks prior and i was probably
set up for this and it was just waiting to happen. i am of the opinion that
there is no help for this except wrapping, ice, and rest, am i right? how long,
about 6 weeks (groan)?
Hi Kerry - if it's not one thing it's another!!!
It sounds like you ruptured your plantaris muscle tendon. It is not a very
uncommon problem, and in the long run it probably won't hurt you much. You are
correct though, that ice, rest and NSAID's are the treatment of choice early on.
After that, just go back to your usual activities. Plantaris is a little muscle
near the posterior portion of the knee, with a long skinny tendon that runs down
the back of the leg and inserts along side (some say with) the achilles tendon.
It is so little compared to teh gastrocs and soleus, that it offers very little
assistance to those two muscles. I don't think you'll miss it
