Hi
I have a recurring tendonitis problem in my Achilles, often on both sides. Any ST tips on prevention. I go into PT a lot with this, but eventually it comes back when i start upping the miles.
Would like to get a good icing boot, would love some recommendations on this as well,
cheers
p
Do a search here. There is a ton of good stuff written by many, including me. You can beat it if you do all the things suggested here previously. Good luck!
TT
There is a good article on the web (one version is here http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0832.htm ) about simply doing “eccentric” achilles stretching (calf/heel “slow drops” on the edge of stairs) 15x/day has documented to prevent the problem. After I had some issues, I started doing that (in honestly mostly in response to a flare-up) and my problem goes away.
thanks, yeah it sees heel drops could be the way. ive found a lot of people recommend that.
I battle with the achilles all the time. I let it get really bad once a few years ago and now it lingers and pops up a lot. At the first sign of it I do 3 things.
I ice 15 min on/15 min off for about a hour a day
Use the roller, all the way up the leg to the hip, use the roller on the front outside of the calf, use a tennis ball on the calf. You’ll feel when you have the right spot.
I do eccentric stretches 3-4 times a day. 15-20 reps. Stand on a step with your shoes on, raise up with both feet, lower yourself down on the bad leg until your heel is below the step. Lower slowly 7-10 seconds. Doing these really helped me. My PT gave me an article that talked about a study that shows these reduced the size of some of the blood vessels in the achilles and reduces the inflammation.
It usually takes 2 days and I’m good to go and I haven’t even missed a run.
When I foam roll regularly-every other day- and do the eccentric stretches 1-2 times every other day I never seem to have achilles problems.
Hey,
I’m also currently fighting a flare-up in my right achilles. I’m using the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) method, and doing eccentric calf exercises. It really seems to be helping the pain go away. I’m also avoiding all running for a little while, since the pain seems to come back after about 10-15 minutes. Cycling also seems to help keep it loose and stretched out, but I’ve never really seen anything else to back that up, just my N=1 observation.
Achilles Tendonitis can be a real annoying problem. I did a blog on it February 4, 2009 that may be of some small benefit http://johnpostmdsblog.blogspot.com.
First thing I think of is differentiating heel pain from retrocalcaneal bursitis vs achilles tendonitis, etc. The achilles originating pain is usually higher up the leg than the heel bone (4-6cm.) The fact that you have this on both sides would make me want you to examine your running/biking patterns over the past couple of months. Any acute changes? Simply more than your body can handle at this time? I’ve had patients with an increase in hill work suffer on both sides.
If you’ve tried all of the above pretty good list of remedies and are still faced with the problem, think about this rarely mentioned assist. During sleep, without the force of gravity across your feet, the plantar fascia and achilles tendons both shorten a tiny amount. There are commercially available night splints (orthoses) which keep your foot at 90 degrees while you sleep so when you first step out of bed in the morning, both conditions seem less painful. In bilateral cases like yours, we recommend that you scoot to the bottom of the bed and let your feet hang over (sleeping on your stomach) as a poor man’s alternative. Give it try and see how you make out.
thanks for everyones replies. really appreciate it. I wasnt convinced with the treatment i got from my last set of PT. a lot of massage and electronic stimulus and that was about it. i have bought some lifts, started to do the heel lifts and ordered some good icing equipment.
Chimp:quickie follow-up. Icing and cheap ways to do it. First, many of the flexible freezer gel packs work very well. Work out, wrap up the back of your lower leg with the gel pack, cover with an ace wrap, and then go about you chores until the gel warms up (about 20 minutes) and pop it back in the freezer.
Additionally, Dixie cups, filled with water, placed in the freezer make for great ice massage. When you’re ready, grab one from the freezer, tear off about half the paper from the open end keep the rest as a “handle” so your fingers don’t freeze too, then ice massage away. We always remind folks about frostbite on this one. You’re all set. John
In addition to many of the other treatments mentioned, I’ve had good luck with the Strassburg Sock. It works great for PF too.
Heel raises every day with eccentric emphasis (slow on the way down) Load it, load it, load it. Do 2 x 15-20 reps before you run and another 20 or so after. Every day, even if you don’t run. It works for our patients it will work for you. If it’s a long standing problem it will take a little longer maybe, but it will work none the less. EVERY DAY!!!