Mica Moore: Achilles issues after sprinting

Mica Moore: Achilles issues after sprinting

Mica Moore is a British sprinter and bobsledder who competed for Wales in the 4x100 meters relay (2014 Commonwealth Games) and the 2-women bobsleigh race (2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang). 

However, the 28-year-old Olympian increasingly suffered from tremendous pain and swelling in her back heel while walking and also running. At this point, the sprinter decided to consult Daniel Morgan, a renowned chiropractor who specializes in sports injuries. After extensive diagnostics, she was diagnosed with chronic tendinitis in her right Achilles tendon. Mica's years of hard training and many competitions were focused on exerting the highest possible force:

As a sprinter, the majority of my training is power based, and it puts a lot of force through the tendons. I developed Achilles tendonitis in my right Achilles tendon.

What is chronic tendonitis?

Chronic Achilles tendonitis is a common condition among athletes, especially runners and climbers, with a prevalence rate of 37.3 per 100 000 in certain European populations [1]. Repeated stress and tension produced by walking, running, or jumping lead to inflammatory changes and degeneration of the Achilles. The resulting stabbing pain becomes difficult to bear and significantly impedes training or, in certain cases, even performing simple daily activities. In many cases, tendonitis occurs due to a drastic change in a person’s training intensity. Competitive athletes constantly try to surpass their physical limitations, often leading to an overload and damage of the tendon. 

Both midbody and insertional Achilles tendinopathies are indications for Guided DolorClast® Treatment. 

The advantages of Guided DolorClast Therapy®

Throughout his career, Morgan has encountered numerous cases of tendinopathies, which he has successfully treated with shockwave therapy and rehabilitation. Always striving to provide the best treatment possible, Morgan chose to use Guided DolorClast® Therapy which combines shock wave treatment with laser therapy. This combination is known to produce a more satisfactory outcome and shorten recovery time. According to Morgan: 

“Treating with the laser before is much better than just treating with shockwaves alone. It allows us to get more energy into the tendon which will encourage a quicker healing result. Using the laser first acts as an analgesic and that means we can put more energy in the shockwave without as much pain.”

Besides increasing blood perfusion and collagen proliferation along with peripheral nerve stimulation, laser therapy has anti-inflammatory and direct analgesic effects [2]. Reduced sensation of pain allows for using more energy in the shockwave therapy. As much as 90% of patients manifesting a musculoskeletal condition can be quickly and safely treated with the new combined therapy.

Feedback from Mica Moore

After three weeks of therapy, pain levels were significantly reduced (from 9/10 to 5/10). During the treatment, Mica was able to continue her training by running in trainers on a curved running machine. Guided DolorClast® Therapy allowed the Olympian to return to competing and power training in a relatively short period. Approximately 5 weeks from the start of therapy, Mica was already putting load through her Achilles, and after only 10-12 weeks she was comfortable running in her sprint spikes. Accustomed to slow treatment and prolonged rehabilitation, the Olympian was astounded by the rapid improvement. According to her words: 

But this is such a quick turnaround in comparison to other athletes I know who haven’t had this treatment and have had to reduce their load for three months before even working through isometric resistance and rehab phases. I’m really grateful for this combination treatment and how it’s helped with my recovery from tendon pain. I’m not sure I would still be competing and training if I hadn’t had access to it.

An innovative and effective treatment of musculoskeletal disorders!

Guided DolorClast® Therapy is a safe and effective treatment approach for a number of musculoskeletal disorders such as Achilles tendonitis, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, upper and lower back pain, anterior knee pain, knee osteoarthritis and plantar fasciopathy. Guided DolorClast® Therapy rapidly improves the condition and alleviates the accompanying pain, allowing patients to resume their daily activities, including training. Given the lengthy nature of other treatment options and prolonged rehabilitation, Guided DolorClast® Therapy constitutes an extremely valuable tool for treating musculoskeletal disorders.

Reference

1. Pearce CJ, Tan A. Non-insertional Achilles tendinopathy. EFORT Open Rev. 2017;1(11):383-390. Published 2017 Mar 13. doi:10.1302/2058-5241.1.160024
2. Haslerud S, Magnussen LH, Joensen J, Lopes-Martins RA, Bjordal JM. The efficacy of low-level laser therapy for shoulder tendinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Physiother Res Int. 2015 Jun;20(2):108-25. doi: 10.1002/pri.1606. Epub 2014 Dec 2. PMID: 25450903.

This article is courtesy of Algeos: https://algeos.com/ems-gdt