Case Study: Pilates Rehabilitation for Peroneal Tendonitis
Introduction
A client is presenting with ankle pain that was diagnosed by a physical therapist as peroneal tendonitis. The client has been active most of their life and is a committed long distance runner on a regular basis. They had increased pain in the tendon with activity prior to sessions starting with Julie. They had been seeing the physical therapist twice a week for a minimum of three months and offered to start pilates sessions with Julie to further improve their abilities and recovery.
History
The client history also discussed an abnormality in their right pectoralis muscles that was discovered in their teen years from a recurring sports injury. At the start of the sessions the client was seeing a physical therapist once a month and each week started participating in pilates with Julie.
The Challenge
During the clients physical therapy program the client experienced mental barriers that prevented them from returning to long distance running. The client also did not feel like they knew what was happening or why and needed more personalized education that met their needs. This client noticed lifestyle changes that affected their health and mental wellness. However, oftentimes felt like they could power through pain and discomfort even though was reminded why stopping before those feelings occur helps prevent furthering injury.
The Pilates Approach
It was recommended that the client be seen more than once a week however their work requires traveling across the country regularly and the client was not able to meet this recommendation. They were given a specific and challenging full body home program that can be done throughout their travels with minimal equipment. These home programs were made by the physical therapist and by Julie who incorporated their pilates routine into their full body program. Over time the client had been discharged from physical therapy due to their travels and continued with pilates.
Exercises used:
Mat and reformer based Abdominal, lumbo-pelvic stability
Chair single leg lunges and lumbo-pelvic stability
Mat to ensure home program is being followed with correct form
Mat and reformer based gluteal muscle strengthening
Reformer and chair based calf raises and stretches
Results
After several months of sessions on and off the client was able to find time to absolutely come in once a week. In 3 months the intensity of the pain had lowered. The client overall started finding better gait and running patterns. After 6 months the client almost never experiences pain in their Peroneal tendonitis and would occasionally notice it during incline-decline runs. The client has been able to improve their patterns overall so that despite traveling for work they are able to reduce stiffness and tightness with the programs provided by Julie and were educated on more useful ways to release muscles that may be becoming stiff as well. After 10 months of pilates sessions once a week the client no longer experiences these pains. Has been able to run full and half marathons and has restarted other strength training sessions that they had previously stopped during the tendonitis.
