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Achilles tendinitis
duph
Posts: 13
in General Chat
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?
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?
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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
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
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.
Sorry for being a doofus but whats a trampets?
jaz
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)
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
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!!!!!!!!!
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
the guy with the achillies injury finished in about 4.5hrs
http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/0125-achilles-tendon-pain.htm
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
Any suggestions for training?
crutches are a bit of a work out on their own!