UKC

After a long day of winter walking/climbing on December the 13th, I still have some pain and tightness when walking on my right heel. The doctor says its the achilles - a stain or tendonitis. It's taking an excrutiatingly long time to heal (its now been 5 weeks), though it is slowly improving.
I'm taking ibuprofen tablets and gel and putting ice on it; I've got gel supports to go in my shoes.
Does anyone have experience of this injury? When could I think about winter walking and climbing again?
It is very frustrating just sitting watching the snow fall!

In reply to davie.p.:
>? When could I think about winter walking and climbing again?

I'd say next winter. That way you will have rested your tendon long enough to heal it.

It took 3 months to heal my golfer's elbow last year and my arm isn't used half as much as my Achilles tendon.

Just a guess.

In reply to The Lemming:

When I sprained my tendon and nearly tore it, it was about 8 months before I could comfortably walk in hiking boots again.

In reply to davie.p.: I got the same diagnosis last week, but it is something that is largely due to badly damaging my heel many years ago, and re-occurs on a fairly regular basis.
I find that I can still rock climb, (and hopefully ski as I am away all next week ) even when walking is a problem. As long as the weight is on the front of the foot and not on my heel I seem to be able to cope.
My problem re-occurred after a hard walk on Xmas Eve, another attempt to start to get myself fit for some winter climbing, but it looks as through I am still constrained to roadside cragging.

In reply to davie.p.:

You need to use it! Go and find a physio who can talk you through actively rehabilitating the tendon. You need to do heel raises/drops off a step, building up reps gradually. Some recent research by a chap called Alfredson found this method to be highly effective. More info here if you're interested:

http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/achilles-tendonitis-1.html

In reply to ginger_lord:
Blimey, I snapped mine good and proper (at Burbage) and started climbing 6 months after the second operation to join it back together. Admitedly 2 months in plaster gave it plenty of rest but after that I was advised to try to use it as normally as possible but without overstraining it. However I understand with tendonitis the rest part of the recovery process is quite important - professional advice required.

In reply to davie.p.:

i have had tendonitis there before it takes ages to heal due to the poor blood supply

There are taping methods you can use the take the strain off the tendon

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xzRhIyw85Xk

In reply to bazk:

The poor blood supply and collagen disarray found in Achilles tendinopathy are part of a disordered healing process and make the tendon much more likely to rupture. Specific exercises such as those described above encourage the tendon to regenerate itself, resulting in quicker healing and less chance of rupture.

In reply to davie.p.: thanks for the advice, looks like I won't be back out any time soon then.
But to rest it or to exercise it?
I'll go and see a physio this weekend and get some proper help.

In reply to TeaGirl:

I bookmarked the link, just in case i ever get it again. I tried the taping method in the vid and personally it help me .

In reply to davie.p.: Saw a physio today and she didn't think it was too bad as far as achilles problems go (she gave it 3/10 on the seriousness scale). It is still slowly improving but hopefully with love and care and a few more physio appointments I could be back to normal activities in 4-5 weeks (or longer I suppose). The physio recommended stretches and gentle walking. I should do swimming and cycling to keep fit.

Perhaps I'll recover just in time to do a winter route before the snow melts.
thanks again for help

In reply to davie.p.: Hi Davie, I can recommend the heel raises. This has worked and I could climb throughout the injury - albeit traversing, sports climbs and walls (all not requiring huge walk-ins). Start easy by the following:

single leg heel raises - I used the bottom stair with the bannister for support. Drop heel below stair for the count of one, then raise for the count of 2. A set of 10 on each leg, 2-3 times a day for 12 weeks. You then begin strengthening by eliminating the bannister and then adding small weights. It hasn't come back and I still do them 2-3 times a week when I can remember. It has the added advantage of obtaining killer crampon calves! Hope that helps and remember I'm not a physio! Dave S

In reply to davie.p.:
>hey davie...get yourself some proper physio to rehab that achilles otherwise as soon as you start walking and climbing you'll tweak it again and each time it happens it is likely to get worse...there are various exercises and stretches you need to be doing before you start again.
Ange x