Did a six mile run about a week and a half ago. Left calf/Achilles felt a bit tight, and continued to get progressively worse over the course of the run. Finished the run and could barely walk. It felt like a rubber band was constricted around my Achilles about 10 – 11 cm up from the heel insertion point (I think that is right where the Achilles and calf muscle comes together). Along with that, I also had crepitus in that area. Prior to that run, I did not have any symptoms. So, I shut down running and biking for the remainder of the week, started icing and doing eccentric heel drops. I saw a doc on Friday, he said the Achilles felt good, was probably tenosynovitis. He gave me Voltaren gel and said to continue the eccentric heel drops. By Sunday the Achilles felt good, and the crepitus was gone. So, I ran 3 miles and again over the course of the run the pain got worse. After the run, the crepitus was back and walking was difficult. Took Monday off, and by Tuesday morning everything felt fine again. Tried to run on Tuesday, same result, except made it 6 miles before the pain set it (post-run walking was difficult, crepitus, etc). Again, woke up this morning to very minimal (1 out of 10) stiffness and the crepitus was gone. I don’t have any nodules on my Achilles, but there is a slight sort spot in that 10 -11 cm area on the outside of my ankle when the symptoms occur. I am not quite sure how to proceed, and with my insurance I would have to pay $1000 for an MRI. I would appreciate any insight into this one.
What kind of shoes are you running in, and what is your weight and height?
6 foot/160 pounds. I am running in a variety of shoes, Last Monday and yesterday was Mizuno Wave Rider 16. Last Sunday was Adidas Supernova Glide Boost. No significant increase in mileage, hills, etc preceded this issue.
Fighting a similar issue now…but was diagnosed with a calf strain.
I think you need to take a step back and evaluate a bit more objectively. You had an issue with the calf / Achilles which basically wiped you out for a week. You “recovered”, ran 3 miles and symptoms came back. But you were only down for 2 days after that. You then ran 6, finished the run and symptoms reappeared. BY the next AM, you felt better.
Objectively, I would say that your symptoms are improving. Where it knocked you out for a week previously, you now feel fine the next AM. You are running longer and are recovering faster than when the symptoms first appeared…but you are on the razor’s edge. Be smart and don’t push it. I would say you are better off running shorter distances more frequently. Try 3-4 miles for your next run and see how it feels. And slow down…
You may also wanna consider some water-running as an alternative for a couple of your runs…ease the load on your calf / Achilles.
Oh, and do your calf drops with a weighted backpack. Eccentric calf drops are MUCH more beneficial that way. A bit of a waste without it (unless you are still in the acute phase of your injury).
This sounds very similar like a recurring issue I’ve had for the past several years.
I’ve gone this cycle at least 5 times:
- Everything’s fine for several months
- Sudden sharp pain of the exact type you describe during a run
- Can’t run more than 20 minutes without re-occurring pain, even after several days off
- 2 or 3 week recovery period
- Everything’s fine again for several months
The thing that consistently fixes the problem for me is to stop running for a minimum of 2 weeks, 3 is better. I up my biking and swimming volume to compensate, and I also sometimes water run. Main advice: don’t try to come back too soon. Just ends of adding more time to recovery.
I too have had similar issues. I did the heel drops and voltaran plus I stopped running on paved roads. I use the treadmill, track and dirt road. I now only race on pavement and Iv had no issues.
There’s been a recent thread about this very same issue, with some great advice, so do a search for a bit more help. I have had these very same issues since December, and now finally tracked it to a tightness in the muscle deep under the soleus. Some self massage, and using a rolling pin helped, but acupuncture so far has been amazingly curative. We do so much repetitive action that we need to work out the adhesions more often than we do. Also, I did run away from the no-drop/low drop shoes to a more ramped model and it has REALLY helped.
Sounds like a soleus issue. Just finished a few months of PT as I had issues with both legs. Use the roller and stretch all the time. I used to wait 2 weeks before returning to running just to have both legs go tight within 40 minutes of the workout and like you barely being able to walk… Found out that intensity was a big trigger. When i dropped under my 5k pace for say 400/800 repeats I could feel the tightness start to come on or when I’d push on hill workouts. Ran very slow and steady for about a month trying to get back in shape and i’ve now worked back up to being able to push again (though i will occasionally still feel some tightness which will worry me mid run and cut the pace down)
I am not an expert, but I have had soreness around there. If you went to a high to low heel to toe drop especially, you might have a strained soleus muscle. It took me a little bit for my soleus to catch up with the rest of my calf. Also, when I had tendinitis, my Achilles “creaked”.
How often do you foam roll your calves?
I’m astounded by how often I can fix a seeming ‘injury’ by working out a few trigger points. I had achilles issues for a long time and tried just about everything. The one thing no one bothered to emphasize was how frequently you need to foam roll and massage the calves to keep them loose (or even use something harder like lacrosse ball or pvc pipe).
This is all great advice. I don’t foam roll, but have been hitting them hard with the lacrosse ball 1 - 2x/day. I think rest is the key. However, I would still like to understand if this is an achilles or calf issue. Maybe it does not matter as the therapy modality seems to be the same.
I’ve been fighting the same issue for the last 60 days and I’m 90% healed. What helped me the most was using my opposite knee to do deep massage on the entire calf (lay on the bed, bend right leg so knee points to ceiling, pull your left calf across your right knee…HARD). Also, at the start of each run, I run 1/2 mile then walk for 1 minute. This seems to release the muscle. If you start to feel it getting tight again, walk for a minute.
Most of the achilles issues I’ve seen stem from tight or overworked calves. The achilles has to compensate for the calves not working properly. I wouldn’t bother with the MRI until you’ve exhausted other stuff that seems to work for most folks. Chances are there’s nothing actually wrong with the achilles. It’s just tight. I’d focus on foam rolling and massaging the trigger points in the calves first. If that doesn’t help see if you can find a good sports massage/active release/graston guy to work on the achilles. Where do you live?
I live in Minneapolis.
“Mad Calf Disease”. Do a search here, there’s lots about it.
It sucks. I have had it off and on for 7 years now.
That was some depressing reading. However, the pain is pretty low in the calf. It is right in the area where the achilles meets the calf. Although, I am right in age range for mad calf disease.
Got your PM
Your area seems a little low for “mad calf disease” - I just saw a patient with a nice case (full on gastroc tear, bruised and all).
Your location is at the aponeurosis and is typically amenable to what the other posters have replied with. But, Power13 was right on with stepping back and looking at your re-injury pattern. You have most certainly not given this enough time OFF. You only gave it enough time off running for only the crepitus to resolve. Remember, non athletes/runners get this as well, so what would their time “off” be? Time to work on that swim or suntan 
Oh, and forget the MRI for now - not going to be terribly helpful at this stage.
Thanks Rodney, that was helpful. Should I stay off the bike as well?
Thanks Rodney, that was helpful. Should I stay off the bike as well?
Yes, I would recommend. Also, when you do return, spinning easy, cleats all the way back on your shoes, seat height at the low side of the range.
I had the same exact issue… I was running 5-8 miles 3X per week…
The pain began just above my Achilles Tendon and below the calf muscle…
I was diagnosed with posterior tibia tendonitis – which was explained to me as basically a shin splint in the back of the tibia as opposed to the front of the tibia…
I had to take 4-5 weeks off from running to let it heal… The doctor said there was no quick fix and I had to let it heal otherwise it would keep reoccurring…
I really hammered down on swimming and biking and made big gains in those two disciplines…
I resumed my running program and had no additional issues…