Biomechanical overload syndrome: defining a new diagnosis

PainSci summary of Franklyn-Miller 2014?This page is one of thousands in the PainScience.com bibliography. It is not a general article: it is focused on a single scientific paper, and it may provide only just enough context for the summary to make sense. Links to other papers and more general information are provided at the bottom of the page, as often as possible. ★★★★☆?4-star ratings are for bigger/better studies and reviews published in more prestigious journals, with only quibbles. Ratings are a highly subjective opinion, and subject to revision at any time. If you think this paper has been incorrectly rated, please let me know.

Franklyn-Miller et al. argue persuasively that, as with so many other musculoskeletal problems, there are problems with common assumptions made about chronic extertional compartment syndrome (CECS). The problem does not seem to be pressure: “there is currently no evidence of a direct association between this rise in compartment pressure and the pain and reduced muscle function.” So, if not pressure, then what? A muscle overuse syndrome caused by poor running form (exaggerated heel strike): “we have described their condition as a ‘biomechanical overload syndrome’ (BOS),” and they claim to have had good results treating patients by teaching them a running form that doesn’t work the tibialis anterior as hard.

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These two articles on PainScience.com cite Franklyn-Miller 2014 as a source:

• PS Is Running on Pavement Risky? — Hard-surface running may be risk factor for running injuries like patellofemoral pain, IT band syndrome, shin splints, and plantar fasciitis
• PS Save Yourself from Shin Splints! — Causes and treatment options for shin splints explained and discussed in great detail, especially shin pain caused by myofascial trigger points, compartment syndrome, medial tibial stress syndrome, and stress fracture

This page is part of the PainScience BIBLIOGRAPHY, which contains plain language summaries of thousands of scientific papers & others sources. It’s like a highly specialized blog. A few highlights:

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