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Achilles tendinitis

I am experiencing right Achilles tendonitis. If I avoid running for a week it resolves. 3k run and it is back (even on a cushioned treadmill at a slow pace)

I have been to a running orthotist and bought the shoes he suggested. I do regular hamstring and Achilles stretches (20 sec sustained 1-2 times per day)

Anyone have any other worthwhile suggestions?

Comments

  • BonusBBonusB Posts: 279
    The only thing I can think of is before you stretch warm up and then repeat the stretch 3-4 times, hopefully this will make the strech more effective.
  • jazdogjazdog Posts: 223
    Hi Duph



    What stretches have you been doing? I had problems with my achilles a few years ago and found that doing about a minutes worth (each leg) of ankle circling helped enormously! Depending on who you speak to Ice and/or heat to the achilles will help as well. I tried both .... not sure what helped most but it healed up after a few weeks.



    Try some really slow jogging... almost like a power walk to ease the tendon in gently when you first start back... this'll build up the strength in your legs but avoid the tendonitis... gradually build up the distance and then the pace and you should be ok !

    Jazdog
  • madnursemadnurse Posts: 782
    HI Duph / Jazz - you should be using ice asap after injury (to reduce swelling) use R.I.C.E. (rest, ice , compression & elevation). avoid weight bearing and especially impact activity until PAIN / DISCOMFORT IS GONE. stretching and light non imact activity will aid in your recovery. Heat therapy of any sort (including hot baths) should be avoided for at least 24 hours or when swelling has subsided (whick ever is latter) & then only commenced with cation in early stages ( as heat will encourage re-swelling). It is best used in conjunction with stretches once the intial trauma of the injury has reduced significantly.



    if in doubt rest it (maintain stretches within limits). If symtoms return uses R.I.C.E if persistent seek medical advice



    'a days rest is a days recovery from training and not a days training wasted'



    madnurse



  • loonytoonloonytoon Posts: 673
    Once you have followed madnurse's advice and the the problem is cleared up



    I was given the following advice regarding prevention



    I had stiff/sore achilles when I was training for the great north run and asked a client who is a club runner about it he basically said I was achilles tendinitis waiting to happen and recommended warming up for about ten minutes on a trampets as this stretchs and works the legs and Achilles without the impact of say a slow jog.

  • jazdogjazdog Posts: 223
    Loon,



    Sorry for being a doofus but whats a trampets?



    jaz
  • madnursemadnurse Posts: 782
    [image]http://www.geocities.com/e2davies/georgia10.jpg[/image] thats a trampette .. is loons a tiger one ???
  • duphduph Posts: 13
    The whole stretching thing is so controversial!

    There are those who believe that prolonged stretching can make the whole thing worse!

    There is some recent evidence that a single 20 sec stretch once or twice a day is all we should do! Any more can cause microtears.

    I looked at some running web sites last night and saw that some people advocate shorter stride, very short distance at very low speed. I was thinking about doing 1 -1.5 k at 5 mph for a few weeks as long as I did not get symptoms. Another site suggested increasing mileage from that by no more than 10% per week! That is really pretty slow progress.



    On my way out from the gym I met an aquaintance who has just ruptured his Acilles so I am concerned!
  • loonytoonloonytoon Posts: 673
    and how many times have I told you about playing on it after your bed time
  • BonusBBonusB Posts: 279
    duph wrote:


    The whole stretching thing is so controversial!

    There are those who believe that prolonged stretching can make the whole thing worse!

    There is some recent evidence that a single 20 sec stretch once or twice a day is all we should do! Any more can cause microtears.

    I looked at some running web sites last night and saw that some people advocate shorter stride, very short distance at very low speed. I was thinking about doing 1 -1.5 k at 5 mph for a few weeks as long as I did not get symptoms. Another site suggested increasing mileage from that by no more than 10% per week! That is really pretty slow progress.



    On my way out from the gym I met an aquaintance who has just ruptured his Acilles so I am concerned!



    r.e. microtears. I thought this was the point with prolonged streching, its not for warming up but to gently elongate the muscle (lengthening it by tearing and rebuilding in the same fashion that muscl building damages the muscle by tearing it and then rebuilding it) so that the tension is reduced and the chances of injury lessened?



    I'm not sure of my biology here so please note that this is a question!!



    (Would hate any body to take the above as advice and injure themselves somehow)
  • loonytoonloonytoon Posts: 673
    duph ... to try and help you stay positive its only slow progress to start with as each 10% gets bigger as the distance increases
  • DOtriHarderDOtriHarder Posts: 307
    Duph This is common stuff, people (me especially) think that they can return from injury much too quickly. I always find that i will carry recurrent injuries unless i stop for long enough that i am unfit and have to take it slow and short. My way takes much longer than the suggestion that you take it very slow and short, building up by small increments each week.



    On stretching the argument is that if you stretch pre-race/training you will leave the muscles open to greater risk of injury partly because of the stability give to the core by the tighter muscles which relax as they get warmer. A good reason for a reasonably prolonged warm up routine based not on static stretches but dynamic gentle excercise. static Stretching is best performed after excercise to prevent fatique/toxin related tightening/shortening but should always be done gently by relaxing into the stretch not pushing.

    David
  • duphduph Posts: 13
    Microtears - the problem is that they tend to occur in tissue with a poor blood supply and so are slow to heal. Whereas a microtear in a muscle may help in an avacular tendon or similar structure it is a disaster!

    Tonight I got on a treadmill did 1 mile at 5mph and felt like an invald as I did it; and still I get some minor discomfort afterwards. That was after 7 days of rest from running!

    Talk about frustrating! All my Tri aspirations seem to be going rapidly down the plughole! For once the desire to persevere has become the enemy!!!!!!!!!
  • jazdogjazdog Posts: 223
    Heheheh.. nice trampette mad one... you've aged well too!!! [:D][:D][:D]



    Duph I know this is not what you want to hear but I would take mad nurse's advice and take a good few weeks possibly even a month off... let it all settle down... if you think thats too much.. have you tried running in the pool.... Did you see that run for glory thing on the telly about the beginners doing the London marathon... one of the guys in that had an achilles injury and did some pool running to maintain the run fitness.. water deadens any impact and should therefore be kinder to your achilles...



    worth a shot after a week or so!



    jazdog
  • loonytoonloonytoon Posts: 673
    good idea jaz...most of the guys on run for glory were made to row or cycle to keep fitness up if they had impact injuries..



    the guy with the achillies injury finished in about 4.5hrs

  • mc5000mc5000 Posts: 1
    I have been a long term sufferer of Achilles tendinitis and found the excersices in this link really helped...



    http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/0125-achilles-tendon-pain.htm
  • susiepsusiep Posts: 11
    I've had this injury several times over the years and every time it was due to tired legs and too much speed work.

    It usually hits quickly, over 2 or 3 footstrikes and then it is 21-24 days before it is safe to train again.

    I have a field near by where I start back training and only walk, then jog until the slightest twinge is felt and then stop immediately. Ice and rest for a day then try again . I find that the injury does not get any worse and each time I can run a little bit further until one session it has gone (up to a mile on the grass).

    Then I progress to the canal tow path and then to the road.

    Recently I have made sure not to overtrain and avoidance is best.

    Good luck
  • guv001guv001 Posts: 227
    I cannot vouch loudly enought for non impact training, as you will be all aware I broke my leg 8 weeks ago I was in plaster for 4 weeks but since then I have done pool running (excellent), isolated exercises for muscle strength, swimming, bike, and rowing all have keep up a fair level of fitness for me. With about 4 weeks to go before I will be able to attempt to run it is a way of exercising without massive pain or further injury. Also it can be good to train on one part of tri in isolation for a few weeks, so take the oppertunity to improve your bike or swimming.
  • pharriespharries Posts: 1
    I had an MRI of my achilles, tendinosis with 2/3 tear. So I am on crutches, in a plantar flexion cast and will be in a cast for at least 8 weeks.

    Any suggestions for training?

    crutches are a bit of a work out on their own!
  • guv001guv001 Posts: 227
    When I was getting my plaster off a couple of weeks ago I saw an advert on the wall for Waterproof covers for casts so you can use the pool. Apart from that not much you can do really.
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