UKC

One for the runners (or physios).

I'm showing all the symptoms of achilles tendonosis (very painful an inch or so above the heels, more painful when pinched, calf pain, legs just not working when I run).

At present I'm laying off the running for a couple of weeks and icing the tendons, but does anyone have any advice on preventing a re-occurence?

I'm loath to stop running as it's the only aerobic exercise I enjoy and that actually keeps the weight off.

All advice greatly received.

In reply to Ridge:

I had achilles tendonitis 18 months ago, and it was excruciating.
To the point of not being able to walk in the mornings after it had been rested.

If it gets worse you need the physio, that hour of massaging and 'working, it helped me tonnes.

Other than that do regular stretches. with your palms flat against a wall, push the leg in question backwards with your sole flat on the floor and slightly bend your front knee until you feel your achilles stretching.

Also do this stretch with the toes on your 'bad' leg facing '10 0clock and 2 oclock' if that makes sense.

Leg raises on a step, where your heel can dip slightly below the step your stood on. Doing so one your affected leg only will prob be too painful so if need be do so using both legs.

Just some exercises the physio showed me.

putting a foam or padded insert into the heal area of your shoe releaves some strain from your achilles and volterene anti inflamatory gel helps a little.

Hth

Allan

In reply to vincentvega:

Thanks Allan,

That's just what I was after.

Ridge

In reply to Ridge:

My sports therapist reccommended using hot packs/hot water bottles to improve the blood flow. The achilles has very poor blood supply apparently. Then use ice later to reduce the swelling.

I also invested in custom footbeds on his advice, they were/are amazing!

The stretches sound the same as the ones I was told to do.

In reply to Ridge:

Purely anecdotal this, but I've been struggling with this condition for a while and as it's improved and I've increased my exercise I've found that rock-climbing has a very beneficial effect. I think it has a similar effect to the exercises others have described in terms of flexing and stretching the tendon (and is a lot less painful to perform!). Probably not for the acute phase though.

In reply to Ridge: I found that previous injurys to the calf muscle was the cause of mine.Have a poke around and if you hit a sore spot try icing it and giving it a rub for ten minutes.You still cant beat a good physio though. Worth every penny to get fit faster.

I've had recurrent problems of this nature for a number of years and seen a few physios along the way.

All the advice you've had so far on exercises and massage is in line with my own experience.

The last time I started to show symptoms a different physio took some time to investigate my posture and identified some problems with pronation and the arches of my feet.

She suggested I try some off-the-shelf sports orthotic inserts (I got mine from Boots) and these have been very effective so far - could be worth investigating.

In reply to Ridge: Ive also got tendonosis in my right achilles. The treatment and rehab for tendonosis is different to tendonitis. In tendonosis little or no inflamation is present. Its degeneration of the collagen fibres in the tendon thats the problem. According to my physio, and studies i have googled, eccentric contractions are one of the few ways of sorting this problem. Google tendonosis+achilles+eccentric and you will find some pages that explain it more clearly than i can.

The advice i was given was stop running, do the eccentric contractions, stretch, rest a bit more (Had about 4 months off and that was'nt enough - now on another lay off) then build back up slowly.

Sorry if that all sounds a bit depressingly long term, but apperently if you don't get it sorted and try to train through it, the chance of a full rupture goes up.

Get a diagnosis - It might 'just' be tendonitis - bit quicker to sort out with the usual RICE treatment.

Good luck,

Jack

In reply to Ridge: some excellent advice on how to alleviate what can be an excruciating pain and a problem that can be the warning sign of a real weakness that could end with a dreaded 'snap'.

Orthotics are a very good way of stabilising your foot and it might be worth your while consulting an Osteopath who may well help you locate other weaknesses that are related to your spine and pelvis but refer their pain to both the knee and ankle.

aye, Andy

In reply to Ridge:

Thanks all, some very good advice there.

Ridge