Injury advice...achilles tendonitis

linzi1985uk
linzi1985uk Posts: 17 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello.
I have been bothered with sore/painful calves previously where I have struggled to walk. This improved and I returned to exercise. However I have now done some damage to my Achilles' tendon and I'm not sure of the best way to go about its recovery? Have read lots online but all seems quite conflicting. I am TRYING to test but with lots of meals out/holidays approaching I don't really want to let go entirely. I have an ankle strap but it doesn't seem to give much relief.
Anyone suffered similar problems? Or can give advice on recovery times?
Many Thanks
It really hurts :(

Replies

  • TheDarkestStar87
    TheDarkestStar87 Posts: 246 Member
    I got tendonitis last July, kicked off during a 6 mile run. I thought it would just go away so stopped running for a few weeks, even got well enough to go on a hiking weekend. Then I started running again and got about half a mile before it all flared up. Resulted in 2 hours in A&E, x-rays to ensure my Achilles hadn't ruptured, 2 weeks of crutches and 3 months of physio.

    I got stretches and strengthening exercise, it still flares up if I don't do them regularly. So my advice would be don't try to "fix it" yourself with stuff you read online. Go to your GP or hospital, an get a referral to physio for the right exercises.
  • EuroBirdbrain
    EuroBirdbrain Posts: 3 Member
    I've dealt with this problem for years. I'm a bit hard headed, so I tend to ignore the signs when I'm overtraining. It has taken me a while to change my program to give myself consecutive rest days when I feel the tightness/pain. I also take a Advil right before bedtime to aid in recovery. I have also increased my Magnesium three fold and this has eliminated any calf cramping. I use polyurethane sleeves on both ankles and it really helps. I do about 75 km's a week normally. This week I'm taking off to rest after doing 55 days in 80 to start the year. Ten years ago I would have pushed through the discomfort. I have finally learned my lesson.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
    Plan a dr appointment, in the meantime do nothing that causes pain in the area, even if it means limiting everyday walking . Expect recovery with rest and physiotherapy to last several weeks, if it truly is the tendon, up to many many months if you ignore it.
  • becclesbecca
    becclesbecca Posts: 68 Member
    I have achilles tendinopathy (the new name for tendonitis) and it is driving me mad. I walk for a living and usually like to do high impact exercise such as Insanity. I have been given heel drop exercises to do (180 per day!) and an orthotic to correct my over pronation and am not allowed to exercise except for cycling. I still have to walk a lot and it just doesn't seem to be clearing up. It has been months already!
  • TheBigFb
    TheBigFb Posts: 649 Member
    I had a very sore tendon post exercise. ANd it was sore to tocuh, I believe it was tendonitis. What worked for me was foam rolling my calves and stretching then. Think it took some of the tension off my tendon.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,444 Member
    Go to a sports Dr, chiropractor, or physiotherapist. Get medical attention.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Only rest, ice, stretching/foam rolling, ibuprofen and time will heal it, I'm sorry to say. Try doing something non-impact like swimming or weight lifting until you're fully recovered. Don't rush it or it'll come back worse and take longer to heal.
  • Lois_1989
    Lois_1989 Posts: 6,410 Member
    I damaged mine last summer, I was told not to do heavy walking/running for 6 months so I swam and it was fine. I went back to the gym in February. It does take time to get better, I was stretching it out with a towel and putting ibuprofen gel on it in the morning and evenings. Apparently because there is little blood flow to that area, it does take a long time to heal.
  • pzarnosky
    pzarnosky Posts: 256 Member
    I know your pain. I'm training for a 25K and have posterior shin splints and achilles tendonitis. Your best bet is rest. If it starts to hurt, back off what you're doing. It's the only thing that will make it better. Tendons heal slowly.
    Here are all the things I've tried:
    Ice, ibuprofen, compression sleeves/socks, foam/ball rolling, bio freeze or tiger balm, being fitted for running shoes, strength exercises, and lots of stretching. This is all good for prevention, but to heal you, it just takes time... Which really sucks, I know.
  • linzi1985uk
    linzi1985uk Posts: 17 Member
    Thank you for all of the replies. It's so frustrating! Keep thinking it's ok, so I return to exercise and it comes back with a vengeance :( It's ok-ish if I wear heeled boots or shoes but as soon as they are off OUCH, getting out of bed in the morning REALLY hurts and I struggle with the first few steps and driving. It's driving me crazy. Really don't want to gain weight, which I know sounds ridiculous. I'm not a swimmer at all so that's not really an option unfortunately. Really getting me down.
    Will make a Drs appt, wasn't sure if they'd just tell me to rest and not give me anything helpful.
    Would a sports massage therapist be able to help at all? Really can't afford private physio so guess it's a case of waiting and being patient.
    GRR :(
  • becclesbecca
    becclesbecca Posts: 68 Member
    The GP referred me to the Physio Direct service in our area and they have been pretty helpful. They did an assessment over the phone, gave me exercises to do and then posted those to me. I have a physical appointment in a couple of weeks. I wish I had contacted the GP months ago but, like you, I thought they would be worse than useless especially as rest is not an option for me but it would have been good to get the process underway sooner. Do you cycle? That is the main exercise I am doing as I am also scared of gaining weight.
  • mamachina69
    mamachina69 Posts: 1 Member
    I feel your pain. I have strained both Achilles (right/left) and my left Peroneal tendon. It hurt to get out of bed and take the first steps, even standing in the shower. Went to family practitioner and in addition got a second opinion which confirmed the strains. I am also going to a chiropractor who provides STEM therapy three times a week. This is my 3rd week and the healing is excruciatingly slow..even using a wheelchair at work and home to stay off my feet. Everyone says plenty of rest, ice, elevation, compression sleeves and patience. It's very important to give them time to heal. Dr said it could take 6-8 weeks before seeing improvement.
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    I had an insertional Achilles injury, doctor ordered MRI (expensive) and said it had torn a little.

    Generally speaking, healthy tendons are strong, flexible, and don't hurt or tear; pain is a signal you are doing something wrong.

    What eventually worked for me was months of rest from running, acupuncture weekly, modified positions in yoga, eccentric heel drops, and not wearing high heels for the duration.

    Once there was zero pain in normal activities, I very slowly added in running again, am careful to warm up before and stretch after. Have had a very faint soreness on occasion but nothing bad or persistent.

    Acupuncture helps because tendons don't get much blood flow so heal slowly. Eccentric heel drops are supposed to help it heal more organized so it's stronger, stretching is to help it be more functional by stretching everything around the tendon (calves and feet) so it's load isn't so high - you aren't really stretching the tendon itself.

    Talk with a good orthopedist or sports med doctor, not someone who will tell you to quit exercise.
  • kristinegift
    kristinegift Posts: 2,406 Member
    1. Get it checked if it's painful
    2. I had very mild achilles tendinitis last summer. I iced it and used KT tape, and that healed it up fairly quickly (~2 months, but I was still running during this time)
  • hockeysniper8
    hockeysniper8 Posts: 253 Member
    @linzi1985uk I tore my right Achilles 11 years ago. My physio therapist gave me Thera bands to work the calf muscle and Achilles back to strength. Do basic stretches at home
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    True achilles tendonitis is potentially degenerative, meaning you will probably need to manage it in some form for life because the damage makes the tendon less functional, which paves the road for further damage. It's been about 2 years since I hurt mine (which took about 8 months to heal), but if I overdo running or even walking at any point it flairs up again.

    Here are a few things I learned from experience:
    - Stretching the tendon while it still hurts is a BAD IDEA... You can introduce gentle stretches in later recovery phases, but at first it could make things way worse (thank you Google for a week of hopping on one leg fun)
    - Alternating hot and cold therapy is amazing, especially if coupled with binge watching a show you like. It turns into a ritual.
    - Who would have thought your butt had anything to do with it. Strengthening my glutes and making sure to use them while walking or running made a dramatic difference.
    - Appropriate eccentric exercises and phisotherapist prescribed resistence band procedures are boring... but necessary.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    BerryH wrote: »
    Only rest, ice, stretching/foam rolling, ibuprofen and time will heal it, I'm sorry to say. Try doing something non-impact like swimming or weight lifting until you're fully recovered. Don't rush it or it'll come back worse and take longer to heal.

    ^^^ This.....LFMF!
    Machka9 wrote: »
    Go to a sports Dr, chiropractor, or physiotherapist. Get medical attention.

    Don't go to a chiro (for anything, except maybe to borrow their bathroom in an emergency)

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