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Achilles - no pain only on pinching and first thing in mornjng
samsunguser
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Hi To keep this to the point: Have been running regularly and my last run was last Sunday (6 days ago) and did my usual 17 miles. No pain after or during or no indication of anything building. Next morning and subsequent mornings my heel has been stiff in the mornings and tender on pinching. Is starting to feel less stiff but still tender. No pain during spinning swimming or walking. Will be a week tomorrow since I ran. Ok to run my usual long run? Answers gratefully received.
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go and see a physio, sounds like an Achilles problem.
i have had a issue with mine over past few months, and have thought it would get better in time.
i was accepted for GNR so went to doctors yesterday, they referred me to local specialist to check the extent of damage - i am not going to do anymore running, or play football until i see them ( prob end of Jan early Feb )as i want to get fit and ready for the GNR. so if i were you, go and see doc before it gets any worse
By the sounds of it relatively mild achilles problems at the moment, both. Probably tendonitis (or tendonosis).
Unfortunately it is liable to get worse if you do nothing. In no particular order of importance I'd:
Unless your dr is a runner not likely to be the most help. You could see a physio or sports injury therapist who could check out that the tendon is not torn.
I had a very bad bout of achilles tendonitis that lasted 15 months from 2010-12, but all clear in that foot now since. Now have got a milder case of it in my other foot which I have had since May 15.
I feel the culprit in my case is my running shoes - ones with too high a back which digs into and inflames the achilles area. I'm going to be looking into getting a range of shoes with low backs ready for the 2016 season.
Physio told me to rest a further week to ice and stretch the gastric and soleus.
Going to see her again next week. I have been doing the eccentric heel dips.
I think I have actually made things worse by pushing off too hard when swimming which I've ramped up due to not running.
Made myself a makeshift night splint which I wore last night. So hopefully that has helped too.
Good ideas, samsunguser. The splint to keep the foot flexed? And you push off in swimming with your toes, don't you? Another thing to avoid for the time being!
I'd ice if swollen only.
Stretch the Achilles before you get out of bed, the strands will join up during the night, if you simply get up they will break again. I have suffered for the last four years, so take it easy, I didn't and ended with injury after injury.
Thanks all for your thoughts, experience and advice.
TREX - I made a splint with kinsielogy tape but i'm thinking of using a cereal box to keep the foot in a 45 degree angle without allowing the foot to bend in its natural position whilst sleeping. The tape was ok but it felt sore (had it taped to my big toe to my calf in order to keep the foot straight).
I push off with my toes when swimming - just been for a swim and pushed off gently with my other foot. I didn't run all last week as I did the week prior leading up to my 17miles....and yesterday I did 10 and in hindsight I should have just done a few miles or none as my heel is more tender. lessons learnt!!
Still doing the heel dips and stretching.
Both my achilles are very sore at the moment after today's run. Don't know why they've become bad again. I'm sure it's the shoes, so I will be urgently looking for new ones with a low back and smaller drop between heel and toe.
samsunguser - a splint that keeps your foot flexed nearer 90 degrees would be best, if such a thing exists.
This injury is a real battle!
I really don't know anything... but I'd have guessed that a lower heel drop would increase the stress on the Achilles. No?
I ended up buying a proper foot splint to wear at night. It's quite uncomfortable but I'm persevering. It does feel like it's relieving heel pain first thing.
I have Physio this afternoon. Will report in.
I've been reading about Achilles today, because I got my first niggle there this week.
I read that you should avoid low heel to toe drops whilst managing the condition... at least at first. So make sure you satisfy yourself about your choice T Rex.
Went for a 6 mile run this morning and ok whilst running but still tender on pinching. I also didn't enjoy the run. Maybe I should just totally back off running until this is totally cleared up. Last three weeks now I've done one long run and rested all week. Just soul destroying isn't it.
As usual with Achilles will see how I am with first few steps tomorrow morning. Will wear foot splint tonight also. I'm away from this weekend and not brought splint with me past two nights.
How is everybody else getting along?
Went for a run today to test and no pain whilst running but mild tenderness now on pinching.
I've noticed that on doing the eccentric heel drops the straight leg type are ok and don't feel any discomfort but I do feel strain when doing the bending leg heel drop type. Just to add I only started to do the bend leg ones today after researching online.
stretch before you get out of bed, couple of mins will benefit you in the long run
Well I'm still getting nowhere with this.
I have it in both heels but left one is more so. I don't think the heel dips are making things better so going to lay off doing these also. Found this really interesting article on line.
http://www.runningwritings.com/2013/11/achilles-tendonitis-in-runners.html?m=1
Hi all, just wondering if anyone has experienced the same niggle as what I have at the moment???
I don't run very far at the moment, normally just between 4 and 6 milers. I have had problems in the past with numbness in my right foot, which i think is related to my right calf / Achilles.
During a run my Achilles sometimes feels a bit achy, but is normally fine. After i have finished, my Achilles starts to hurt a little about 7cm up from the heel, but only on the side on the inside of my leg. It's not stiff in the morning, and sometimes goes away with a bit of self massage. It is the same on my left leg too, but not as bad.
I'm not sure whether it is just due to running more regularly, or if i'm doing something wrong. I have the correct shoes for me, although i'm wondering if it could be the orthotics that i have (they mould to your foot when they get warm).
I'm just a little concerned as i have really hurt my achilles in the past and don't want to be sidelined any more!!
It is a mystery what causes these symptoms we all seem to have.
I seem to be just about getting by as long as I don't do mad, headlong downhill running. But it's a constant niggle, and therefore a worry.
I am sure it is something to do with running shoes and I'm now looking very carefully at the construction of my shoes at the sides of the heel. Some, typically the road shoes, seem to have a harder band halfway up and then extra cushioning on the top half. The way they are built like this may aggravate the side of the tendon? I notice in my lighter offroad shoes (La Sportiva) the inside of the heel area is of uniform construction and material from top to bottom, and I can seem to run better in these with no obvious rubbing.
Looking for something else, this caught my eye,Achilles pain plagued me for years (didn't actually go to physio or doctor), I didn't actually run a lot when it started mostly played soccer. It was just a slight nip in the mornings at first. When I started running it got worse to the point I was putting Ibuprofen gel on the Achilles and cold spray all day......what I eventually discovered fixed it was my calves were too tight and were straining the tendon, its nothing do with the tendon or the foot. Mine was pinching at the top of the Achilles were it meets the calf yet there was no pain or even tightness in the calf, it never occurred to me.
I bought a muscle roller and gave the calf special attention rolling and stretching after each run and its still a little tender now and then (presumably from years of neglect) but no pain or pinching in the morning.
samsunguser - just read the whole of your linked article. Very informative, thanks! Eccentric heel drops here we come. (Not using the injured leg to bring back to middle position.)
I'm still cycling and swimming.
Wishing you well.
I decided to bin the shoe inserts that I had in my Mizunos. A physio I saw gave me some to try that mould to the shape of your foot when they heat up. They are really comfortable, but decided to revert to the originals. When I took them out, I noticed that they are really hard, and don't flex at all. I don't think that can be a good thing! Maybes too much support?
I have done a couple of 3.5 mile runs without any problems, walked about 16 miles around London last weekend, swam a bit, and been out on my bike. The slight tenderness when I pinch the tendon is slowly going down I think.
I have been doing the heel drops quite a bit, and lots of foam rolling. I have also been using some heel inserts for the last few days and they seem to have helped a little too. As long as I can keep my calf muscles nice and soft, the tenderness appears to be easing off. Keeping the area warm seems to help too. I've been using some Aloe deep heat a couple of times a day for a bit of self massage.
I have an appointment on tuesday for a proper bio-mechanical assessment, so will see what they say. I'm beginning to think it is all caused by weak glutes / hips etc. I have had tight hip flexors for years now, maybes its all related?!
Your Achilles is attached to your plantar fascia.. so if thta tight you will probably get plantar fasciitis ontop of everything else... oh the mad cycle of injuries we runners have to endure!
I went for the assessment today, apparently my pelvis was tilted, so it has been causing tightness in my hamstrings, calves and achilles. I have some pelvic tilts to make it stronger. Its basically from sitting in a vehicle all day.
I've been told to continue to use my heel inserts in all my footwear for now, and give the running a miss until the tenderness has gone. I also have to continue with the heel drops, do the stretch where you put your knee to the wall, and another to stretch my hamstrings.
Fingers crossed that this will clear up soon!
Oh and the heat mould inserts that a physio gave me were completely wrong for my feet ( for pronators not neutral)