Achilles tendonitis

Bomber

 Anyone have experience using Radial Shockwave Therapy to cure  Achilles tendonitis or anything else to make this go away asap.

it is in its early stages..I use the standard RICE treatment (without the R at this point), plenty of Ibuprofen - and I try to stretch..

The reason I haven't stopped running is

1, that I'm currently trying to do 100 runs in 100 days and

2, I don't actually think it is the running that is causing it..

I think it comes from me wearing a pair of very old, worn out running shoes as everyday shoes and the heel of one of these shoes has been irritating my achilles... - so I'm hoping that the pain could just be an irritation caused by this rather than being a full blown injury...although I'm not as hopeful of this as I was a few days ago...

I initially had this problem back in august on the back of an Ironman, and I feared that it would stop me doing an Ironman in September...but it disappered as quickly as it appered and there was no problems at the IM or later... (again, I was using the shoes as everyday shoes back then too).

This time, they reappeared about a week ago. One food, very local, hurts like hell the first 5 minutes of running and dull pain when walking down stairs..

 

Suggestions, ideas, miracles, etc?

Coach Patrick

1. fix those regular shoes ASAP.
2. start doing eccentric toe raises, slowly, to strengthen and lengthen your achilles.
3. reconsider your 100 run challenge...seems like you could be putting your 2012 season in jeopardy!

Kevin Walter

Agree with P. Especially #2. It is counter-intuitive, but the best treatment for Achilles tendonitis is working the Achilles harder with toe raises.

Matt Samojeden

Single leg calf raises work well my PT reomended them and they do help alot. If i am out on a run and the Achilles gets unhappy, I find a spot to do the calf raises and good to go!  I do one leg at a time.  ~20 reps twicw a day has bad a major differnece.

Calf Raise- Both Legs

• Stand on the edge of a step and lower the heels down slowly, both at the same time.
• Place the emphasis on the downward phase.
• Reverse the movement and rise up onto your tip toes.
• You can adjust the pressure on the injured leg by taking most of your weight on the good leg.
• Repeat this exercise as many times as is comfortable.
• Do not over-do it, especially in the early stages. It is better to do too little rather than risk causing inflammation to the tendon.

Calf Raise- Single Leg

• As above but using one leg instead. Repeat this exercise as many times as is comfortable.
• Repeat the exercise daily. Progress to doing two and then three sets at a time.
• Remember to do the good leg as well as the injured leg.

Do not do more on the good leg then the injured leg can cope with. Apply cold therapy to the achilles tendon after exercise. Remember, you may feel discomfort initially but the aim is to maintain the exercises at the current level until you feel no pain during or after exercise.

ebe4zippy

Bo,
I am dealing with this post IMWI, and through some hard work and muscle testing with a sports PT, we have found weakness in my hips. I have been laying low (minus a quick sprint 2 weeks post WI) and doing a ton of hip work. The cause of the weakness has been traced to my oh-so comfy position on my bike...maybe too comfy
I have been getting bi-weekly massage and A Stym (massage with hard plastic tools) along with lots of single leg squats, calf raises, side planks, side leg raises, and some lateral work with bands. I have started back running the past few days and have NO pain, so I think we have found the problem( I am sure all the rest, ice, and stretching has helped too). I am not saying you are having this, just something to look at when it comes to lower leg issues. Good luck with your treatment!
Ebe

Matt Samojeden

Ebe, The work you sited will make be helpul in you whole run mechanics "along with lots of single leg squats, calf raises, side planks, side leg raises, and some lateral work with bands." This is good work!! Glad to here it is helping!

Bomber

ok, so I have ditched the shoes, and held 11 days break from running while taking iboprofen, doing calf raises and icing the area...

I have located the problem as being two 1/4 inch 'spots' on the side and back of heel

Just started running again (three days now) and it seems a lot better...almost no irritation - although seems to vary greatly from day to day..

Jury is still out as to if I can continue ruunning, or if I should get a cortisone shot from my doctor...time will tell...

[Deleted User]

I've had this problem a few months back which kept me from running for about three weeks. I would say that shoes and running form definitely have some sort of effect here. I used to do some light barefoot jogging on grass just to get the legs moving again, though it probably didn't do too much for my fitness.