This is one of the most common injuries that occurs among runners and cyclists, excessive force causes that cartilage to become roughened or softened, causing pain. Weakness of the medial quadriceps muscle is responsible.
Treatment - The roughened kneecap may smooth out over time if offending activities are stopped. RICE therapy and avoiding hill climbs in both running and cycling. Cyclists may try riding higher in the saddle or stand more when climbing. Strength training is used primarily to prevent injury and should be limited when injured. Deep tissue massage to loosen tight/shortened muscles surrounding the knee and hip flexors aiding in the patella gliding with a smoother function.
Achilles Tendonitis
Pain is usually located in the posterior calf and may be more localized to its insertion point on the heel.
Worn out/improper fitting shoes or poor cleat positioning is one cause or a new shoe or cleat, especially when leg extension is increased.
Treatment - RICE therapy with training volume and intensity reduction to relieve symptoms. Avoid hilly terrain, lowering the seat by a few millimeters may help to reduce stretch on the calf. A heel pad or lift may help if symptoms are from new shoes with a lower heel. Deep tissue and soft tissue massage to to remove scar tissue and to loosen tight muscles and gain more flexibilty and strength in the ankle.
Swimmers Shoulder
Swimming, especially freestyle, causes the shoulder to undergo repetitive overhead motion which may compromise the rotator cuff muscles, causing pain and ruducing the range of motion (ROM), sometimes devloping into frozen shoulder.of impingement in the rotator cuff. It often begins due to volume and/or intensity overload while practicing poor technique. Symptoms usually are reported as pain at the shoulder during the late recovery phase and early catch phase of your stroke.
Treatment - RICE therapy, a reduction in training, anti-inflammatorys and physical therapy/rehab. Soft tissue massage to reduce scar tisuue and trigger therapy to increase mobilisation of the joint.
Advice
As with any injury if symptoms continue for more than 4-5 days or worsen in any way see a sports therapist for treatment and recommendations. If you wait for it to just “go away” you may end up developing a more chronic condition that could hamper your training and season goals.
