Motor Control Training as Treatment for Achilles Tendinopathy

In this video, Maryke explains what motor control is and why it may be an important part of your Achilles treatment programme. She also explains how you can incorporate it into your normal strength training routine.

Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:30 Neuromuscular control may affect Achilles tendinopathies
00:02:37 How to know whether motor control is an issue
00:04:32 How to retrain your motor control
00:06:35 How we can help

[jirikadlec]

Thank you for this information. I am still working on improving motor control of my right foot. Balance is super important for proper motor control. Also some slow yoga exercises are helping me in the process.

[Divadosaurus]

The shakiness describes me perfectly; my affected leg had shake on the slow eccentrics compared to my unaffected leg. I had attributed it a little to fear, but the motor control makes more sense as the movement is involuntary. I've been doing a slow eccentrics with the calf raises anyway, but after watching this I'll be extra mindful of it and may throw in some extra cues, like the metronome. The metronome may also help with determining when to go up in weights - if I can do good full range of motion for 3x15 at the same pace, then I can look to upping the resistance on the exercise.

The sort of mind-muscle connection is often described in weight training, which I do a little of, but until this week I've never trained my calves, especially bent-knee calf raises, which are super weird the first time you do them.

[JB-qckj]

Can you give some more specific examples showing how to train the motor control in the Achilles rehab process? Might this involve balance and proprioceptive exercises on an unstable surface?

[Twcra]

Very interesting compared to the usual HSR training!
Would you happen to have a source/study I could read for it?

Love the way you explain your videos!

[benjaminsaubolle-camacho]

I have a quick question: For those of us with insertional tendinopathy, are there other ways to practice motor control training? I made the mistake of using heel drops for a few weeks before discovering the isometric hold for insertional issues, which made the pain worse. So I'm wondering if there are alternatives. Great content!