Will – from Achilles pain to running a marathon
15 July 2026At the beginning of February, Will first came to the Hub to see Tom with pain around his left Achilles tendon and soreness extending into the calf. The symptoms had developed following a series of training runs in the weeks beforehand, during a period when he was increasing his mileage in preparation for the 2026 Brighton Marathon. Around the same time, Will had also changed his running footwear. Although he reverted back to his previous shoes after noticing the onset of pain, the symptoms continued to fluctuate and were beginning to affect his training.
During the initial assessment, Tom carried out a detailed examination and considered a number of potential contributing factors. The presentation suggested a combination of Achilles and soleus tightness, alongside the increased training demands and recent footwear changes. While there was no single injury event, it was clear that the tissues were struggling to adapt to the changes in loading and training volume.
Will began a treatment plan combining hands-on soft tissue therapy, massage, dry needling and targeted rehabilitation exercises. Early sessions focused on reducing symptoms through the calf and Achilles while improving mobility and restoring confidence in running. Alongside treatment, Tom provided guidance around training load management and exercise modification to help Will continue progressing towards his marathon goal without unnecessarily aggravating the issue.
As symptoms settled, rehabilitation exercises were gradually progressed to improve strength and capacity through the calf complex and Achilles tendon. Training was carefully adjusted to strike the right balance between maintaining fitness and allowing the irritated tissues to recover. Consistency with both the rehabilitation programme and sensible training decisions played a key role throughout the process.
Progress was steady over the course of six sessions. Pain became less frequent and less intense, recovery between runs improved, and Will was able to gradually build back into marathon training with increasing confidence. As the weeks went on, he was able to tolerate longer distances and higher training loads without significant setbacks.
Now, Will is pain free and successfully completed the 2026 Brighton Marathon, achieving the goal he had been working towards when he first walked through the clinic doors.
Will’s journey highlights how training-related injuries can often be successfully managed with the right combination of hands-on treatment, progressive rehabilitation and sensible load management. By addressing the contributing factors early and remaining consistent with the plan, it is often possible to stay on track towards major sporting goals, even when setbacks arise along the way.
How we can help you
We’re here to help you be your best. Our aim is to return you to comfortable and strong movement for a healthy, happy, pain-free life and we will support and guide you every step of the way.
Whether you’re experiencing problems with day-to-day activities or in achieving an important sporting goal, our Practitioners are kind, experienced and confident in helping you:
- Rehabilitate back, joint and muscle injuries and dysfunction
- Return you to, or improve your sport
- Prepare for or recover from surgery
- Recover from accidents
- Improve chronic pain
- Reduce discomfort from work-related issues
We focus as much on addressing the source of an issue as we do treating your painful symptoms, through a pathway of assessment and diagnosis, hands-on therapy, rehabilitation and education.
