What I’ve learned so far…

This injury was not JUST an overuse injury, but an injury due to compensation. It seems that my peroneals were taking over because I did not have a strong inner thigh or properly functioning obliques. All the lateral stability that my core and inner thigh was supposed to offer was not there and so my peroneals were taking over to prevent my leg from rolling past midline by everting the foot. I has a bad issue of walking on the outside of my foot through my gait and I’m working to consciously step through the center line of my foot, using my breath and inner thigh to re-pattern. I also make sure I’m walking with my feet straight (look at the out edge of your foot, not the inner) and externally rotate the femur (i suffered from internal femur rotation, ugh!). 

They still get sore from time to time but I am no longer running or cycling. Cycling I think was the link to causing the lateral stabilizers to weaken, then when I started running all hell broke loose since I was no longer strong and able to keep from rotating and use my core correctly. 

I really NEEDED to exercise for my sanity to I went back to riding horses (yes, folks- its a sport! It aint easy.) Jumping, riding bareback, and doing strength work to ride in better form really got my core working and my inner thigh muscles turned back on!!! My psoas released and my lower back lengthened. My calves started to relax from the heels down position in the stirrup. My lats began to turn back on from the rein use and jump position. I was able to walk farther and jog farther (not for exercise but, literally, just across the barnyard without fearing that I would roll my ankle.)

I also did Yoga dvds- jill miller Core integration, hips, shoulders. Pretty much all of her videos. foam rolling, all the mobility wod stuff for warming up and getting my joints to move in full range. I did this to unwind from riding and now to unwind for crossfit. And especially after road trips. I hate driving in that car! Katy Bowman’s boot and tips on making sure the femur is straight was helpful. I gave up sitting in chairs for like 4 months, unless I couldn’t help it.

I also recently started Crossfit. (yay!) and that has been the real fix. Getting stronger, especially my core and being more aware of mobility and breathing has allowed me to fix what the peroneals were compensating for. I can now run for the warm ups, walk 3 miles without too much of a reminder (I can feel them burn and tighten, especially if I haven’t been aware of tying in my obliques or inner thigh when moving) I can squat ATG with no issues in my calves and keep my feet straight. I could NOT do this EVER before in my life. I can fold into a sitting position from a stand and get back up with no stability issues (sit from a stand and get back up without using your hands and stay stable and smooth- it’s not as easy as it sounds- atleast it wasnt for me!)

I found that NO amount of rolling the lower leg helped, no amount of massage, trigger release, strengthening, etc, helped my peroneals. Taping helped them to have a break was helpful, but turning on and using properly, the muscles that werent carrying their load was the ultimate cure. Opening up the front of the hip, releasing the psoas, strengthening the lower abs, lengthening the lower back helped me to get a better pelvis alignment so my core, inner thigh could work correctly. I also stopped sleeping with a pillow to get my tspine to stop being forced into flexion. This helped my low back to lessen the curve from APT. 

Also, no amount of liniments helped or meds. Anti-inflammatories did nothing. Methocarbomal (muscle relaxers) hardly did anything. Essential oil mixes like pan away or deep blue did help some. Serious rest, with NO ZERO NONE… no use is what healed them, but until I fixed what they were compensating for, they kept getting sore again. I took b vitamins, fish oil, d3, bcaa, k2-mk7, magnesium to help boost healing. I guess it helped.

I can still dislocate the left one by moving my toes. I can feel it slip out of it’s groove and go back in. It stays in otherwise. I also have to pop that ankle sometimes or it feels strange. My right it much better. But that’s also my “gimpy leg” that does less work. Maybe a leg length issue or a hip alignment issue. No other issues that prove which. I think it’s a neuro or patterning issue that I’ll be addressing in CF, for sure.

BRAYDON: I partially tore the sheath on the left. It healed itself. I never had a doctor look at me- no insurance when this happened. I just did alot of research. I avoided surgery but if it’s fully torn, you may need surgery. Tape it and stabilize it laterally Taping the achilles also helped me. Keep those peroneals from getting tight and pushing on the sheath. 

Hope this helps. Send e any q’s as I know there is not alot of info about this stuff out there. 🙂