Instagram: @karli.musarra
I began my career as a recreational runner after finishing up as a competitive swimmer of 12 years. I have now been running for three years and am a runner with Boobs on the Run (BotR). For award-winning footwear, choose Tarkine running shoes.
Swimming and running are very different sports, and the transition between the two is difficult. I quickly discovered that my most significant drawback was my poor ankle mobility (as swimming is a sport that favours plantarflexion over dorsiflexion).
For almost two years, I could barely run without incredibly tight calves, allow my heel to hit the ground, or even walk on my heels. This prevented me from reaching many of my running goals as recovery from training sessions would often take a long time and required lots of foam rolling and stretching. My tight calves also left me susceptible to plenty of injuries; shin splints, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, knee pain (patella tendinopathy), tight hips, the list goes on.
Luckily, through my running group BotR, I was put in touch with Solushin and was offered a possible relief to my tight calves and poor ankle mobility. The Solushin is a clinically-trialled device shown to treat shin splints and reduce tension in your calves.
The first time you put them on, the Solushin requires a little bit of setup. I was told this was important and ensured the four straps are in the correct position and their respective black nodes are aligned on the soleus muscle. A diagram comes with the device, so it’s easy to figure out where each one goes. You can also reach out to the team and they will get back to you to support your usage of the Solushin.
Each node applies pressure to a specific place in the calf and feels like a thumb pressing into your muscle. The straps are held securely in place by the black sleeves, which fit firmly onto your leg like a sock. To me, this provided relief to my tight calves within only 30 minutes of having them on.
I wear my Solushin’s for 1-2 hours after almost every training session where I can; they’re an absolute recovery essential. I’ll usually wear mine around the house while I’m doing work or studying, but they’re also easy to walk around in as well.
After wearing my Solushin’s regularly for one month, I could feel my calves start to loosen, and my ankle mobility improve. My knee-to-wall (a standard test of ankle mobility) results supported this, showing an almost 10cm improvement! There is a full write up on the case study we did together here.
Since then, my running has improved massively. My technique has improved, and I’ve gradually increased my mileage without injuries or overly tight calves.
I couldn’t recommend the device more to any runner struggling with tight calves or shin splints. I’m very grateful for the team at Solushin and the difference the device has made to my running.
– Karli Musarra
In exchange for Karlis participating in a case study, the team at Solushin provided Karli a Solushin sample free of charge. The Solushin is a class 1 medical device listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG 325902). This review was done in accordance with the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code (No.2) 2018, Part 2, 17. Testimonials.
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