tibialis arterior

[bethany1984]

Hi

Im 28, born with one dislocated hip. had hay line fractures in my heels as a child which i out grew. I have been advised not to run by my doctor years ago so i just cycle now for cardio and do weights. I also hyper extend most my major joints.

IN june i took part in a 100  mile cycle race, the 90th mile i had the most horrendous pain running down the side of my calf from my knee, at the end of the race i couldnt walk. i iced/ heated etc.. by the 2nd day of resting i could walk again. Im used to doing 50-70 miles in one day a breeze and around 100-150 miles a week

Then recently the back of my right knee has become over hyper extended (if there is such a thing) and my kneed kept on collapsing when i tried to put weight on it (tip toes, steps etc)

Thats better, however now i have the worst pain on my tibialis arterior when i walk in flat shoes or heels.

In this time since the race my mileage has dropped.
Its continous, i have one injury after the next, thank goodness im not a pro athlete. :)

Anyway could do with some advice really on how to stop these injuries occuring.

Thanks

B

[Tuckamore]

Hi Bethany,

Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am glad that you found us but very sorry to hear about your painful condition. Our body is a wonderful machine but like all machines they need to be cared for and tuned. As one area becomes weakened or injured the other areas (muscles/ligaments/tendons) try to compensate and work harder. This can result in a pyramid of injuries and painful symptoms and can become a vicious cycle, pardon the pun.

According to my research if this tendon is strained, you may feel pain when you go down stairs or walk or run on hills. Anterior tibialis tendonitis is an overuse condition common in runners especially running downhill. I would assume that biking uses the same tendons, ligaments and muscles but without the high impact.

A common accompanying problem is with this condition is anterior shin splints. This common form of shin splints involves the anterior tibialis tendon. This tendon runs on the front of the leg and inserts onto the top mid portion of the arch. This term usually applies to pain in the front of the leg, occurring anywhere between the ankle and the knee. However, it can also refer to pain in the inner side of the lower leg. The pain in both of these areas is usually initiated by walking, running, or jumping. In extreme cases one can have pain in these areas while just standing still.

My sister and her husband are long time avid cyclists and participate in events and races frequently. They love the sport but recently her husband had an injury that required surgery. It took him off the his bike for almost 6 months. His physician gave him a choice, rest and repair now or you'll never be able to cycle more than a few blocks in the future. Apparently it was a difficult choice but he followed orders and and with proper race/event preparation as well as off bike training has returned to his pre-injury levels of activity.

My suggestion to you is similar to Mollyrae's. I think that you should be evaluated by a good sports medicine physician. In the meantime I would rest and refrain from the activities that aggravate the symptoms. If you injure the area(s) more your cycling days may only be a memory.

Best of luck to you. Please let us know how you are doing. We will look forward to your updates and progress.

Peace,
Tuck

[Mollyrae]

Hello Bethany and welcome to the Pain Forum.

I'm sorry that this is happening to you. I think it would be in your best interest to undergo a " pre-participation exam" if you wish to participate in these events.

There are many Doctors out there who do these types of exams. It may also be in your best interst to have some imaging done. What I mean is a current MRI, CT Scan or just a plain X-ray so that you and your Doctor can make the decision together on how fit you may be for the up-coming event or ride.

With your previous medical history , you would not want to injure yourself to the point where you cannot enjoy your bike at all.

Others will post as the day goes on with more advise. Please take care and make that appt. for a thorough check-up.

Regards,
Mollyrae