Fairly experience Runner/Cyclist....

Can I have your tendons to experiment on in the lab? Or just one tendon? Or just a little bit of tendon?

I theeenk i might need them.  But ask me after the next IM race. I'll probably agree then.

flyaway I'm not very good at findinding articles,  I've read them by following links.

But the reports are behind the sudden mass marketing of air-flow boots for horses.

I think this might be one article but not sure if you have to pay to read it.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0021929094902623

Ali - do these horses ride bikes? If not, it proves it must be running and not cycling that causes AT

Ali - hyperthermia as a cause of tenocyte death, sure (although "Tendon fibroblasts appear to have an inherent thermal tolerance compared with dermal fibroblasts" - A. Goodship, J Exp Biol 200, 1703-1708), but I think the boots/bandages link is just the companies that make boots/bandages trying to increase sales...

I can't find it but there was some more research done on 2011/2012 which monitored tendon heat under the support type wraps and showed it reached dangerous levels.

Well thats what lots of vets said anyway, I can't find the artice though.

Raf you're right they don't ride bikes nor do they swim (although I did have one horse who loved to go swimming) so it must be the running in thermals that does it!

I've now been been advised that its the soleus muscle that is damaged and that I need to work on my flexibility as this is what is causing the injury.  I've was given some stretches to do but i was under the impression you don't stretch a damaged muscle?

A bit of conflicting advice there so i think i'll see sports masage therapist that solely deals with triathletes.

A damaged muscle is likely to heal in the position its in - so there's a possibility it will heal slightly shorter than is was, so there's a greater risk of it damaging again. I think its a tricky balance of stretching it to keep it long and resting it to let it heal!! At least that's my understanding, but I'm no expert!

I guess it depends on how much damage there is to the soleus.  If it's badly damaged, then rest is the best solution to let the muscle fibres heal, followed by a stretching regime.  If it's only lightly damaged you may find stretching will help - or even a light sports massage.  I've had sports massage on strained muscles - calf and ham - and found it beneficial as the deep massage helps remove any bruising that can be causing discomfort, and lengthens the muscle fibres.  But you need to do this with caution and have a masseur who knows how far to push it or it could cause more damage