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achilles issues
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 2009-07-18 10:49 PM |
Veteran  294   Papillion, NE |  Subject: achilles issuesLately, everytime I run, mostly when it is up and down hills, about 1.5 mi into it, my achilles really starts hurting. It takes a couple/few days of icing, elevating, etc. to get it to calm down. Any ideas? or more importantly, how do you or runners, run so many miles a week without issue? I am only able to run once a week at this rate. I have been doing a warmup and then stretching out before I run. I have my first tri in two weeks and am considering not running until it, for fear of hurting/damaging my achilles. I have already tore my calf on that side, 3 years ago, so am a little gunshy. The tri I am doing is a very hilly one, that is why I am biking and running alot of hills. Thanks for any insight. |
| 2009-07-19 12:20 AM in reply to: #2293965 |
Master 3127  Sunny Southern Cal | Subject: RE: achilles issues You really need to rest your achilles, which means no running for a while. How long exactly I can't say. At least a week, but probably more. If you are resting a week and it starts hurting during runs, then you need to give it a longer break. Stretching can also worsen an achilles problem, rather than helping. So go easy on that for a while. When you start back, you need to stretch some, but don't overdo it. I'd go really easy when getting back to running. Long walk warm-ups, then a run-walk routine with more emphasis on the walk than the run for a while. Build up slowly, go easy on hills. Hills are hard, your body is not happy. So go easy, and good luck. |
| 2009-07-19 1:38 PM in reply to: #2293965 |
Member 43 | Subject: RE: achilles issues I suffered from achilles tendonitis last spring. You might think you don't feel it until you get into your run but the condition is still there. Do the pinch test up and down your achilles to locate the worst area. As long as you feel any pain when pinching, don't run! Cross train, do whatever else you have to do, but don't run! Since running is my primary focus, I can understand how hard it is to stop running for a while but I just looked at it as an opportunity to improve my biking. I stopped running for 3 weeks and I did some electric stimulation therapy around the achilles (you can buy one of those machines off of amazon for like 50 bucks, they are awesome!). When I started back up with my running I went and got tons of advice on my foot shape and shoes that are good for me and I put heel lift inserts in to lessen the distance that the achilles has to stretch with each step. I've been back out running for over 3 months now with no further problems. Hope that helps and good luck!! |
| 2009-07-20 8:30 AM in reply to: #2293965 |
Veteran 294 Papillion, NE | Subject: RE: achilles issues Thanks for the replies. I was looking into the heel inserts. I know rest is the key, but I have a tri in two weeks and really want to do it, as it is my first. I may just not run for the last two weeks and see how it goes. |
| 2009-07-20 9:28 AM in reply to: #2293965 |
| Subject: RE: achilles issues I would back off the running hills cause that can aggravate the achilles. I ran into the same problem recently. I took some days off from running and consulted with some College Athletic Trainers and I was told to ibuprofen, ice and stretch it. Ice cup it for 10-15 minutes frequently (freeze a paper cup with water and tear the edges to make it easy to rub on the achilles) especially after exercise. The ibuprofen is good for the swelling. A small heel lift will help take some of the pressure off of the achilles when you walk and run as well. I would also try doing some eccentrics to strengthen it. Stand on the edge of stairs, raise up as high as you can on your tip toes and then lower yourself using only the leg with a sore achilles. Stretches and strengthens it! Good luck and hope you feel better soon! Edited by slickwilli2121 2009-07-20 9:29 AM |
| 2009-07-20 9:34 AM in reply to: #2295660 |
Veteran 1097 Elizabethtown, KY | Subject: RE: achilles issues slickwilli2121 - 2009-07-20 10:28 AM I would also try doing some eccentrics to strengthen it. Stand on the edge of stairs, raise up as high as you can on your tip toes and then lower yourself using only the leg with a sore achilles. Stretches and strengthens it! Or injures it . . . just saying. To the OP, you just received a fairly wide range of advice. Not sure how you expect to consolidate it all, but perhaps you should take the time to visit an actual physician? And it probably gets tired that I post the same advice over and over in these "here's my injury, what should I do?" threads, but for me the test is simple: If a pain you're feeling is of enough magnitude or frequency that you're asking for advice online, just take the time to see a qualified doc, preferably a sports med type. Remember, if you're training for triathlons, you ARE an athlete. What would an athlete do? |
| 2009-07-20 9:56 AM in reply to: #2295687 |
| Subject: RE: achilles issues For the record, I did consult with a physician(Sports med type), multiple certified athletic trainers and a professor in an Athletic Training program at an accredited university, who has received all-america status in their age group for multiple years, for my achilles injury... If they recommend and say eccentrics helps to stretch and strengthen it I would think it does... I know it worked for me. I'm not a non-knowledgeable person giving advice, if I don't know it I won't say it. But Roch is correct that if it is that painful go see someone. I was simply offering advice and I'm lucky to have the resources that I do cause a lot of people don't... |
| 2009-07-20 11:11 AM in reply to: #2293965 |
Veteran 294 Papillion, NE | Subject: RE: achilles issues I know the logical thing to do is go to the dr. and I wasn't asking for a medical remedy on here. Like I had stated, I am 2 wks. out from my first tri. I was simply trying to get some input from you more experienced tri'ers on how to nurse this or things to possibly do to get to the race. I have been a competitive powerlifter/strongman for the last 10yrs., so I know all the angles of "rest it" "go see a dr.", etc., that come along with competing. Being new to this sport, I was just trying to get an idea of if there was something I needed to change to help with the achilles problem. I don't have a running background and now that I look back at things(and from reading posts on BT), I probably increased my distance too rapidly also. Too late to worry about that now as I need to be ready in 2 wks. I don't mind having the pain, I just don't want it to tear during the 5K portion of the tri. It doesn't hurt too walk on during the day, or when I squat during workouts, just when I get into a run a ways. Thanks. Edited by DJS 2009-07-20 11:14 AM |
| 2009-07-20 11:24 AM in reply to: #2295474 |
| 90 miles south of Titletown, USA | Subject: RE: achilles issues DJS - 2009-07-20 8:30 AM Thanks for the replies. I was looking into the heel inserts. I know rest is the key, but I have a tri in two weeks and really want to do it, as it is my first. I may just not run for the last two weeks and see how it goes. I agree with the advice that SevenZulu gave you. The achilles is not worth messing around with as it can put you out of commission for a long time. I dealt with achilles tendonitis a couple of years ago and it shut down my running for 2 months...when I did come back, however, it was pretty healthy and I had only a couple of minor flare ups the rest of the year. For me, the doctor prescribed ibuprofen and ice. He told me to take a couple of weeks off, give it an easy test, and use my common sense from there...pain=more time off...no pain=running again, EASY. I would REALLY think twice about giving your achilles it's first test in a race. It's very easy to get the adrenaline flowing and trying to run through the pain with the HTFU mentality. If nothing else, test it out a couple of days prior with an easy mile or two. There will be plenty more reces. |
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