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    • #70359
      AvatarHuck Colby
      Participant

      So I’ve run into an interesting conundrum with my leg. I started Crossfit a couple months ago and have been learning lifts and skills with decent success so far. About a month ago in class we began to go over the lovely double under. I laughed a little inside because I hadn’t touched a jump rope since 3rd grade P.E. class. After going through the different progressions, we finally had to do as many DU’s as we could in 2 minutes. After class, I had a decent ache in what I feel was the posterior compartment of my lower legs. It was deep in my soleus and inferior to my gastrocs. Just superior to my Achilles. Anyways, I attributed it to DOMS and tried to rest them for a while. To my surprise, they ached for almost a week and a half. I tried to assume the worst to make sure I allowed for proper healing time and self-diagnosed it as Posterior Compartment Syndrome. I smashed the heck out of my lower legs and tried to RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) where possible. After about another week the ache finally abated. Since then I’ve ran, box jumped, squat cleaned, you name it. Nothing bothers the lower leg despite the impact and loading. However after demoing a DU for a co-worker and strung only about 4 together, my calves began to hurt in the same spot almost immediately! Despite all the impact from the running and jumping, my calves never hurt. Suddenly a few DU’s put them over the edge? I’m afraid I’m missing something and need some ideas as to what could be going on. I make sure I’m not slamming the ground when I DU and just about land like a ninja, but it still lights me up. Any creative thinkers got some other ‘diagnosis’ for me?

    • #72483

      Are your heels kissing the ground when you do your DU?

      It’s possible that you are somehow overloading the tibialis posterior and not the bigger calf muscles, perhaps because it is tighter?  The DU are faster and more intensive than any other of the jumping exercises so perhaps it illuminates the area when the other activities don’t?
      The tib posterior inserts into a lot of places including the navicular and metatarsals 2 through 4.  Have you smashed the bottom of your feet as well?  Are you a pronator or do you have any level of collapse in your arches?  You could try doing your DU’s in a blocked position (feet right together) and see if it still hurts.
      Have you tried some of the achilles related mobs?  Even if it’s not your achilles, it’s close enough that some of the same movements might catch the business you are after.  You could also try compression on your lower calf/ankle and do some calf raises while under compression?  
      I would also scrap the ice.  If your tissues are tight, you need blood flow, not a reduction of blood flow.
      Good luck
    • #72486
      AvatarAnonymous
      Guest

      If your heels are not kissing the ground when doing DU you have an active landing and your muscle is contracted the entire time.
      Have someone video tape you doing DU so you can see exactly what is happening.

    • #72497
      AvatarHuck Colby
      Participant

      I’m definitely not kissing the ground with my heels. I’d say I’m overloading that posterior tib and it’s hating life. 

      Good news is I have strong arches and my feet don’t collapse. I have a strong background in martial arts so having strong feet from being bearfoot for years is a blessing at this point. I have smashed under side of feet, back of leg, you name it with little to no pain. My ROM is very decent so that was why I felt stumped when trying to solve this problem. Turns out I can chalk it up to bad technique.
      I’ll be sure to steal some attention from my instructor next time DU’s are in the WOD. Thank you both!

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