Achilles tendonitis - How to fix?

[Dr Murdoch]

I've read conflicting methods of recovery from achillies tendonitis, some say lots of calf stretches, some say static calf stretching will cause further damage...

So whats the best way to recover and get back out running again?

Can I reduce my milage, or do I need to stop until symptoms disappear?

I have an office job, so calf stretches would be easy to fit in in dat to day, but I'm now worried that I may be increasing the damage.

Cheers

[ewenm]

I found lots and lots and lots of heel raises on the edge of a step helped my achilles problems.

[Dr Murdoch]

Cheers!

Heel raises to recover from injury, or to prevent injury or both?

And to clarify heal raises: - Stand on your toes on the edge of a step, lower your heals below the step level, then raise the heals up so they are above the step line (and then repeat 10 times)?

[ewenm]

Dr Murdoch said:

Cheers!

Heel raises to recover from injury, or to prevent injury or both?

And to clarify heal raises: - Stand on your toes on the edge of a step, lower your heals below the step level, then raise the heals up so they are above the step line (and then repeat 10 times)?

Both - I started them to recover from an achilles injury and still do them to prevent recurrence.

Your description is correct, but I'd do lots more than 10, more like 100, but it takes time to build up to that. Obviously stop if it is painful etc. If you get to the stage of really good control, then I've been advised "fast up, slow down" in the movement, so power on the raise and control on the drop.

[IroningMan]

Google 'Alfredson's Protocol' or 'eccentric heel drops'. You use the good leg to raise yourself onto your toes, and then heel drop on the bad one. 15 reps at a time with a straight knee, and then the same again with a bent knee, two or three times a day.

It should hurt, and it's counter-intuitive, but it works. After a week or so it will stop hurting - and you should put on a rucksac with some weight in it and keep upping the weight until it hurts again.

[Dr Murdoch]

Thanks chaps

What if both achillies are sore?

[dirty boy]

Dr Murdoch said:

Thanks chaps

What if both achillies are sore?

I went to the doctors, they said...rest...

6 months later I put on 2 stone

I'm only in pain with the left one now, and have been for some time, I simply do lots and lots of calf raises, and it 'appears' to manage it, but never goes away.

I can only say i'm patiently waiting for the f**ker to snap!

[IroningMan]

Dr Murdoch said:

Thanks chaps

What if both achillies are sore?

You're fked.

Perhaps use the handrails at the bottom of the stairs to raise yourself with your arms?

[Bill]

Dr Murdoch said:

Thanks chaps

What if both achillies are sore?

Lift on two, lower on one. The idea is that tendon recovers far slower than muscle builds so by doing eccentric work the tendon is loaded, encouraging healing, while the muscle isn't working hard.

[pilchardthecat]

Bill said:

Lift on two, lower on one. The idea is that tendon recovers far slower than muscle builds so by doing eccentric work the tendon is loaded, encouraging healing, while the muscle isn't working hard.

Apart from the fact that muscle fibres are torn (and hence strengthened via over-compensation) more doing the eccentric portion of the exercise.....

[Bill]

That damage only occurs once you have fatigued concentrically and are putting in the last effort with assisted lifts and eccentric lowers, no?

[aero93]

IroningMan said:

Google 'Alfredson's Protocol' or 'eccentric heel drops'. You use the good leg to raise yourself onto your toes, and then heel drop on the bad one. 15 reps at a time with a straight knee, and then the same again with a bent knee, two or three times a day.

It should hurt, and it's counter-intuitive, but it works. After a week or so it will stop hurting - and you should put on a rucksac with some weight in it and keep upping the weight until it hurts again.

Sounds like a man that has been through it?? It worked for me after months of wasting my time trying other options..