Beyond Eccentrics for Achilles with Jay Dicharry

Sorry you missed the video, we only had permission to share for one week! 

Below are some great takeaways from the interview!

• The role of the muscles is to hold the tendons stable while it recoils energy, especially in the bi-articulate muscles for runners
• Providing uniform strain through the tendon promotes steady remodeling within a tendon
• Achilles Tendinosis can be related to a strain distribution problem, leading to an alteration of load in the tendon. 
• Specific Factors Overloading the Achilles:
  1. Limited Dorsiflexion
  2. Poor Rearfoot on forefoot stability *
  3. Positive Ankle power on contact
  4. Poor hip contribution in gait
•  Patients need to earn eccentrics by being able to control rearfoot  while stabilizing forefoot
  • A great test is to watch someone doing multiple single leg heel raise and observe for a lack of rearfoot inversion at the top portion. If they fall into eversion before 20 reps they do not pass because this puts the Achilles into an elongated position
• Big Toe is responsible for 80-85% of the stability of the foot
  • Need to build a stable Truss
• Exercise Recommendations to build a good rearfoot and forefoot link
  • Toe Yoga (TOGA!) *tip from Jay is to make sure the arch is maintained by putting a reference object so that they are not everting the foot while moving the big toe*
  • Weight bearing foot supination/pronation while maintaining contact of the hallux
  • Mobo Board Band Twist (one I have personally found great success with!)
  • Foam Roller Drill: Foam roller between shins, even contact of the foot underneath met heads, adduct the legs to squeeze the foam roller, then have them IR/ER hips (alternatively keep the hips still and rotate the feet - this teaches them how to differentiate upper and lower body rotation)

To find more from Jay check out https://www.moboboard.com/ or find him on instagram @jaydicharry