Achilles problem

lawlorka
lawlorka Posts: 484 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So about 5 weeks ago I started getting a pain in my ankle. Just in the mornings when I got out of bed - it was very sudden - just got up one morning and there it was. I figured maybe I'd turned it running. I run 3/4 times a week on a treadmill at the gym - I did the C25K and then followed up with a few weeks of interval running.

So I decided to give the running a break, in the hope that it would ease the pain in the ankle, and as it was Christmas its been rested for about 2 weeks. Its only gotten worse. Now it hurts if I've been sitting for an hour and stand up rather than just in the morning. It goes away once I start walking or exercising.

The pain is in my heel but moves up through my Achilles rather than down the arch, so that's why I think its an Achilles problem rather than Planter Fascillatis (sp?). I'm not sure whether to go to a GP or not, because it seems from Google the most they'll probably do is assign some stretching exercises. I'm going to start some of these myself today.

Has anyone had any similar experiences? Did you stop exercising completely or did you run through the pain? I have a 5k and a 10k planned for March and May which I need to start training for. Did you go to the GP? I just don't know what to do - I don't want to stop exercising - I'm on a bit of a roll and really really enjoy it!!! But I also don't want to do serious damage that has me sidelined for months!!!

Replies

  • crafty30
    crafty30 Posts: 132 Member
    Hey! I don't have any advice but I have exactly the same problem! Mine started doing Insanity...I figured its because its a lot of impact on the calves and in the warm up and cool down no calf stretches are included so I've started adding my own and also using a foam roller. Its helping a bit, I am still getting twinges though...

    I have just ordered one of these from amazon
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007QVLOGK/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    and praying its going to help as there is no way i want to stop exercising! Mine is also worse when resting, I don't feel it at all during exercise, only after at rest...
    I dont know if I should go to the Docs either. I think they will probably recommend stretches and rest! I'm going to see if the strap Ive ordered from Amazon helps and go from there..
    Like you I dont want to do any damage but don't want to stop exercising either!
  • Greytfish
    Greytfish Posts: 810
    If you have access to a gym or a pool, try swimming or cycling. Tendons get little blood flow, so rest alone won't help it heal. You just want to get some blood flowing through it.

    If you have pain/swelling, ice it.
  • umer76
    umer76 Posts: 1,272 Member
    You have to do the following:
    R: Rest
    I: Ice
    C: Compression
    E: Elevation

    Ice it every day. You also need to go the physio therapist. I am guessing you might have over-pronated feet and for that you need to have good fitted running shoes with insoles custom-made by the doctor.

    Strecthing (after warming up) is needed every day and calf raises have to be done. I have had very bad achilles problem and now I am recovering but it takes lots of efforts to go away. Take it seriously!
  • _db_
    _db_ Posts: 179 Member
    I injured my achilles a couple of months back and it took three weeks before I could walk on it without some pain. Mine only hurt when walking on it, so I moved minimally and gingerly for that three weeks. I'm able to walk on it now without issue, but I have to run very carefully or I can feel that pain creeping back in; the most I've run on it since is 1/4 mile. I expect it to take 5-6 months to completely heal.

    If possible, have a doctor look at your ankle. They'll be able to determine your problem and advise you on a treatment/management plan. If it is your achilles tendon, the last thing you want to do is injure it more...that much I did learn from my research...scary stuff! I went to an orthopaedic urgent care and the doc confirmed my suspicion that I'd likely had some micro tears that were irritating/aggravating the sheath around the achilles tendon.

    I hope your ankle feels better soon. It was hell being handicapped for three weeks.
  • lawlorka
    lawlorka Posts: 484 Member
    Is icing necessary if its not inflamed - its not inflamed or tender to touch - it is just sore when I walk on it after rest.

    I'll move onto the bike, as I can't swim and do all the stretches I've found via Google - hopefully it will heal and I can get back to running.

    Think I'll see my GP anyway - I'd need his referral to a Physio anyway so might just have him give me his opinion first.
  • crafty30
    crafty30 Posts: 132 Member
    Sorry to gatecrash the thread but would strength training be ok? i.e squats, lunges, deadlifts etc..It seems to be high impact cardio, jumping and things that aggravates mine..
  • Rhumax67
    Rhumax67 Posts: 162 Member
    The doc to see is a podiatrist or orthopedic. My podiatrist flat out said "if it hurts, don't do it, a partial tear will heal, a complete tear requires surgery & you don't want that." Mine was probably caused by meds that effected tendons. I was really sick at the time. I had several months of pt before it finally resolved & I haven't had a problem again.
  • lawkat
    lawkat Posts: 538 Member
    I had it happen to me. I stopped running for about 2 weeks. Make sure you stretch it and some exercises that are the best are to find a stair and lower your heels down. It stretches the calf better than lifting on your toes. Also, get a foam roller and roll out your calves. You need to strengthen and stretch your calves. That is the main culprit as to why it happens. Just take it easy and it will get better. If not, it will continue to bother you. One other thing, you can do some cardio, just not running.
  • jennyshipman79
    jennyshipman79 Posts: 20 Member
    I have Achilles tendonitis in both feet and Plantars facitus in my right foot. It bothered me back in college when I was a little more active, and comes and goes a lot because I am a teacher on my feet everyday. I started working out 30 days ago and its flared up again. I was having extreme pain during exercise, and then could barely stand the next day.

    I also have a tendency to buy cheap shoes for work....

    A couple of weeks ago I purchased ankle braces that I wear for every workout and I don't have any more pain while I exercise. I also can't walk around my house barefoot without them on until a flare up has gone away. I too, wake up with the pain, but what it is, is that your Achilles heel typically shrinks back a little while you sleep, because typically your foot is naturally pointed while you sleep. When you go flat-footed to stand and/or walk, you're stretching your Achilles tendon back out, and if you're having issues with it, it'll definitely hurt. Sometimes, I even sleep with the ankle braces on and it helps. Here's a link to the ones I purchased:

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005BIRDB0/ref=oh_details_o03_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    I also bought some better everyday shoes for work and my feet have been much better. Hope that helps!
  • ka97
    ka97 Posts: 1,984 Member
    It sounds like Achilles tendonitis, however........GO TO A DOCTOR!!! You really need to get it checked out so you know if it is the ankle, or the Achilles, or a heel spur, or something else. Depending on what it is there are stretches and exercises you can do, but you really should get it diagnosed first.

    In the meantime, stop running. I know, it sucks. It really really sucks. But honestly I've been there, and trying to keep running just makes it worse. Eventually you will have to stop, and the recovery time will be longer.
  • DaWayne360
    DaWayne360 Posts: 261 Member
    See a doctor! Preferably someone specializing in sports injuries. My wife ignored her achilles pain and just toughed it out. It got so bad that they had to replace her achilles tendon a year ago with a toe flexor tendon. She is back to exercising but still hasn't recovered to 100%. Not fun for her.
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  • lawlorka
    lawlorka Posts: 484 Member
    Thanks everyone, I'm going to stop off on my way home from work and make an appointment with my GP. (For those recommending podiatrists/ortho/sports specialists, I'm in the UK so the GP is the first port of call for everything, you can't see any specialist without a referral).

    I've only run once in the past 3 weeks as I've been trying to rest the ankle but I'll keep off it and just use the bike for the time being and do some stretching during the day. Its hard because running actually got rid of the pain - it doesn't hurt when I exercise - just when I rest!!!!

    I'll let ye know what the doc says
  • Blokeypoo
    Blokeypoo Posts: 274 Member
    Hi. I'm in UK and paid to see a sports physio for about £40. I am an NHS nurse but do not use NHS for sports issues as they are not experts in the way that a sports physio is (I haven't tried a therapist so can't say about them).

    I was told not to stretch as I have poor proprioreceptors so can make it worse by stretching, be aware of that. I was taught a short massage technique and iced and elevated it. I bought some softer walking boots to wear until it settled as mine was mechanical cause from walking 85miles on rough terrain.

    Don't be reassured by how it is presenting, that is common for achilles to hurt then ease esp in morning, it doesn't mean it has got better or won't be a problem.

    Good luck :o)
  • lawlorka
    lawlorka Posts: 484 Member
    Hi. I'm in UK and paid to see a sports physio for about £40. I am an NHS nurse but do not use NHS for sports issues as they are not experts in the way that a sports physio is (I haven't tried a therapist so can't say about them).

    I was told not to stretch as I have poor proprioreceptors so can make it worse by stretching, be aware of that. I was taught a short massage technique and iced and elevated it. I bought some softer walking boots to wear until it settled as mine was mechanical cause from walking 85miles on rough terrain.

    Don't be reassured by how it is presenting, that is common for achilles to hurt then ease esp in morning, it doesn't mean it has got better or won't be a problem.

    Good luck :o)

    Unfortunately I can't afford £40 for a physio so I'll have to wait to see what my GP says next Wednesday :( hopefully its not too serious and can be easily treated at home.

    I know its not healing though as its getting worse even with taking 2 weeks off exercising - Google has been my friend in helping me at least guess at what's going on so I know that the morning pain is common in Achilles injuries.

    Appointment is made for Wednesday morning so hopefully my GP will be able to at least recommend something to get me back on the road again!!!!
  • Blokeypoo
    Blokeypoo Posts: 274 Member
    I know £40 doesn't seem cheap but not sure what your GP will say other than rest and ibuprofen which is not very helpful. Some GP's have an in-house physio now though or a GP with an interest in sports so you will hopefully do fine :o)
  • lawlorka
    lawlorka Posts: 484 Member
    I know £40 doesn't seem cheap but not sure what your GP will say other than rest and ibuprofen which is not very helpful. Some GP's have an in-house physio now though or a GP with an interest in sports so you will hopefully do fine :o)

    Hopefully he will at least refer me to someone if he can't help.... rest won't help since I've been resting it for weeks and my foot isn't sore most of the day so taking painkillers is pointless... :(

    If not, then there's nothing I can really do except wait until later in the year when we might have a bit more spare cash...the recent bad weather knocked a load of slates of our roof and we need to fork out to get it repaired so cash is extremely tight.... I'll just have to stop running which sucks.
  • elainecroft
    elainecroft Posts: 595 Member
    Achilles problems can be tough. Definitely see a doctor - its one of those things that may take months to heal, unfortunately.
  • Greytfish
    Greytfish Posts: 810
    If you want to see a doc to get some help with this, skip the GP unless you need it to get a referral. Insurance will actually balk at less if you skip the unnecessary step. It may or may not be Achilles. You'll have pain in that area with posterior and anterio tibial tendonitis as well. A good sports medicine orthopedist can be a great help, but it'll be hit or miss without an MRI, so be prepared for trial and error not promoted as such.


    Most posterior tendon issues are the result of imbalance in leg muscles - building the rear calf muscle more than the front of the calf.
  • lawlorka
    lawlorka Posts: 484 Member
    If you want to see a doc to get some help with this, skip the GP unless you need it to get a referral. Insurance will actually balk at less if you skip the unnecessary step. It may or may not be Achilles. You'll have pain in that area with posterior and anterio tibial tendonitis as well. A good sports medicine orthopedist can be a great help, but it'll be hit or miss without an MRI, so be prepared for trial and error not promoted as such.


    Most posterior tendon issues are the result of imbalance in leg muscles - building the rear calf muscle more than the front of the calf.

    Hi thanks for your advice, but as I'm in the UK and we have the NHS, unless I want to pay to go private, I have to go through the GP. I'll keep all this in mind though when I'm speaking to him
  • Greytfish
    Greytfish Posts: 810
    In that case, just hold out for/insist on seeing a specialist, even if you have to jump through hoops. Tendinitis properly diagnosed and treated can be resolved completely in a few months. If it goes on longer it can become tendinosis, which takes longer to resolve can be very painful, and can cause perment changes that leave you in at least intermittent pain for the duration. Not fun.
  • Zomoniac
    Zomoniac Posts: 1,169 Member
    DO NOT USE IT UNTIL IT HAS BEEN EXAMINED.

    Trust me. Been there. I decided I could just go lightly on it and it would sort itself. Made it worse, couldn't run for 6 months. Not worth it.
  • Greytfish
    Greytfish Posts: 810
    Nice advice, but that's fantasy advice unless she can use an ortho boot before seeing a doc (not saying she couldn't if she had one from, say, a prior injury). That's what makes tendons int he lower legs difficlut. You really cannot easily take the strain off them even with lack of exercise. Well, unless you can handstand walk. :wink:
  • baby_valiant
    baby_valiant Posts: 86 Member
    Going throught the same at the moment....mine was misdiagnosed and the trestment given has worsened my condition. So frustrating - havent run for three weeks now, but kept going to gym and training - now have had the brakes put on and Im on rest for four days to reduce the inflamation before a reassessment. All i can say is I feel your pain and wish you thr best with your recovery!
  • Greytfish
    Greytfish Posts: 810
    It's so important with sports/usage injuries that you get a specialist and a good one. Stay clear of a GP except if needed for a referral.

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