I have recently come down with what I have self diagnosed with achilles tendonitis. I have searched st and come up with some good ways to rehab. Any suggestions on cycling and swimming? Will cycling delay recovery? I am assuming that swimming would be ok. I have stopped running, but am considering pool running. Anyone been through this and found something that worked for you?
Have been through it four years ago. A training partner and I did pool running 3x a week for 30-40 minutes (it’s exhausting at first!). I kept swimming, BUT
NO PUSH-OFFS from the wall, just hand touch so that you aren’t doing anything ballistic with your heel or feet. Also, make sure that you start a new religion, called “DON’TTOUCHANYFLOORBEFORESTRETCHINGYOURFOOTWHILESTILLINBED-ISM”. Honestly - pee in an old water bottle by the bed if you have to go during the night.
Every time you plant your heel or foot on the floor after sleeping, you reinjure. And of course get a doctor (who appreciates Type A Triathlete personality disorder) to give you advice on the best treatments available. Some believe in ultrasound, others don’t. I had ultrasound and feel it helped.
Good Luck!
I found swimming was fine except as noted above, try not to push off the wall with the injured leg. Is it re-injuring your leg everytime you push off? I don’t know. Does it hurt like hell? Yes.
Any thoughts on cycling, thanks for the advice. How bout strassbugh sock?
fwiw I just started PT for it (been dealing with it on my own since May) and he gave me the ok to keep cycling and of course swimming (blech). He has me working on strengthening and stretching the calf muscles as well as working on stabilizing exercises from the core down. He’s a fellow cyclist/triathlete so he knows what I’ve been going through as he has listened to me grumble about it on group rides all summer.
Suffering my own nasty case. Can you share more of what he has you doing? I am very committed to have this cured in the off season this year. Mine has been going on for over 2 years.
I am doing ART with ecentric stretching and really feel like it was helping. Unfortunately I also am training for IMFL so screwed it up and pushed to hard.
since I just started, most of it is standard core stuff, planks plus some stuff on those pilates rigs. I rather slacked off on that and just rode my bike all summer as I get grumpy when I can’t train properly and race. One new thing was tying my foot to a theraband, legs straight and doing the ‘windshield washer’ with my feet, keeping my hips and legs stable. I think that is what got my quads fired, both sides right above my knee. Hopefully in 5 weeks or so we can start working on my running mechanics. They (as in all 3 PTs at the clinic doing the hmmm, interesting, that’s odd, thing while I ran) think I run oddly to them as I am a forefoot runner. Going to try to turn me into a mid foot runner.
I find that a night brace makes all of the difference. It keeps your tendon stretched so it heals a lot faster. I just had another flareup and am trying a SpiderTech calf-ankle tape and it’s pretty amazing.
I find that a night brace makes all of the difference.
x2. That and complete rest - no running for three months (YMMV or lack thereof, but I vowed not to run until I was pain free). I was able to continue to bike and swim.
I bought this one. http://www.heel-that-pain.com/...ts/htp_night_splints
I found it hard to sleep through a night with it on as it’s such an unnatural position but it works. I do wonder if softer versions are more comfortable?
Oh, the soft ones are better. However, I still wake up in the morning and find it on the floor sometimes…and I don’t remember ever pulling it off in the middle of the night.
I have been dealing with the same problem since May. First, I would suggest taking off running completely for up to 6 weeks and even longer depending the extent of the achilles injury. Riding easy is OK, but I would suggest not hard riding. I think I re-injured mine again on a hard ride. Swimming is the best. You can do all the swimming you want. Don’t push off the wall hard. I would also recommend PT.
In just the past three weeks have I seen real progress. I am just now running near normal. I will take it easy getting back to it.
wearin the strassburg soc right now on both legs… PF and AT… night splint and celebrex works! AT has been bad for 2 months and 2 weeks ago got the night splint…PF is down big time and AT is almost non-existant.
I have had a mild case of AT all year. I just started the off-season and had planned on taking 6 weeks off of running to try to heal up but oddly enough two doctors (who are not ortho’s) recommended instead that I continue running. They have advised me to warm up slowly, run an easy pace, max out at like 45 minutes and avoid hills. They feel that running will keep the blood flowing to my tendon and additionally believe that stopping for several weeks will result in a higher chance of additional injuries when running begins again. I did get Orthotics (boo-hoo) 2-3 months ago so it could be part of the reason they are advising me to keep running (maybe now that I am better supported the strain on my tendon will be much less?). Anyhow I am going to continue running as advised but if I feel that it is getting any worse I will stop and take the time off. FWIW I think my AT is due to a knot in my lower calf just above my ankle that I keep getting. It is deep and I cannot seem to work it out when it tightens up. Ultrasound by an ART seems to be the only thing that helps loosen it up.
I should add that I have been doing achilles and ankle strengthening exercises. Also, more stretching of the major leg muscles and tendons. I have found that jumping rope for a few minutes before running has also helped in warming up.
i’ve also bought a bunch or Trigger Point Therapy stuff that i use to massage my entire lower leg and i feel that it helps too.