Achillies Tendonitis

[Deleted User]

Greetings-

I'm racing IMLT 9/20/15. I injured my left achilles tendon racing IMCA on 7/26/15. NEVER in my life has either achilles tendon whispered injury to me. Being greedy, I raced a local Olympic distance a week after my injury. Achilles felt great until mile 3 of the run.

Now I'm getting nervous this injury won't heal in time for IMLT in 5 weeks. I'm hoping a few have struggled with this injury before, as I feel it can be coming among triathletes. I would appreciate some suggestions in terms of balancing rest/recovery with my workouts suffering.

Ice packs, Aleve, evening hot tubs, infrequent compression socks, infrequent sports tape have been my remedy modalities thus far...

PLEASE HELP!!!

[Deleted User]

In the future, I promise to proofread my threads. #mybad

Peter Greagg

Are you doing any rehab?
I am no doctor but have had this problem last season and the sports doctor got me to stand on a step in shoes (facing towards the steps) with the ball of my foot just on the step with my foot parallel to the step. Then I would lower my heel which is sticking out from the edge of the step all the way down as far as I could. Then using the other leg, raise the heel up to be level with the step again. Lather and rinse and repeat.
This is supposed to hurt and he had me doing 3 x 10 reps, three times a day.
Hopefully the smart guys will post as well.

Kirsten Surprenant

I've got the same issue and have been doing eccentric heel drops and foam rolling my calf. I stopped running so I wouldn't exacerbate it but I don't have a major race coming up. Seeing the sports doc on Tuesday to discuss progress.

Peter Noyes

One exercise the helped me and I still do is to:
1) Stand and use both feet to go up on your toes
2) Pick up the good foot so that you are now standing on your toes on the bad foot
3) Slowly lower yourself back down on that one foot
4) Repeat 9 more times

When I had Achilles problems this was my go to exercise that seemed to help the most. I also did the stair thing mentioned above. Good luck!

rlh2000

I recommend using one of those night splints to keep your ankle at 90 degrees- the ones marketed for plantar fasciitis. Some people swear by ART by a PT or chiropractor as a "quick" fix. You can also do some cross friction massage yourself on it.

Scott Alexander

I had Achilles tendonitis for years, then a few years ago I started doing PT for it - and it's basically no more.

One of the best exercises my PT had me do is the same one that everyone describes above, which are variations on a single theme. Also try doing it with toes facing forward, then outward ("duck footed") and then inward. I usually do them slow, then also add in a set of fast versions. These all do a great job of strengthening the calf, which is the main "meat" of the muscle chain that benefits the Achilles.

rlh2000

Ooh, one other "must do" exercise- STRETCH YOUR HIP FLEXORS!! Tight hip flexors -- > more stress on achilles. It's all connected :-)