 Poster: A snowHead
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So, about 5 weeks ago I took a brutal kick to the back of the calf playing footy...
After a few weeks of hobbling around and hoping that my stretching etc would sort out the pain I went to see a good sports physio... I have Achilles Tendonopathy.
Anyone here suffered from this? How long did it take to fully recover. At the moment, I can't run at all, I can bike but not with too much climbing and even walking for more than 15 minutes causes pain.
I'm really hoping that it heals completely before the ski season comes again.
I have creams (bruise healing and anti-inflamitaries) and am doing my exercises etc, but it's not feeling like getting any better at all.
Snowhead down!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Have you tried the two most universal cures known to medical science?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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beer and wine?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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shoogly, I'll give you a clue. The first one is lemsip.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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shoogly, I had it a year or so ago, reasonably bad with a lot of creaking and pain.
Surprised you've been told you can bike to be honest, as I was told absolutely no bike & no running + as little walking as possible. I took about 2.5 weeks of complete rest (other than physio exercises), which seemed to sort it out. The exercise that helped the most was concentric(?) calf raises, the ones where you do a single calf raise standing on the edge of a step so that when you hit the bottom of the calf raise, your heel is below the ball of your foot. I still do those now to keep the achilles problems at bay.
Was also told not to take ibuprofen - think there are some studies which show it delays healing.
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sarah, Batman_123, thanks for the feedback.... i've been doing the calf raises and i've actually been wrapping my ankle in clingfilm at night to get heat into it (physio instructions) but did wonder about this.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I've got a touch of it at the moment. Not as drastic as yours, I run and it kind of crept up on me.
Eccentric heel drop are recommended. I can't find the link at the moment for a decent site that deals with everything achilles, but basically about three set of 10 - 12 eccentric heel drops three times a day. If the pain is at the top end of the tendon, use the stairs, if at the lower end, use the floor. Raise using assistance and lower using the strength of the calf muscles of the affected leg. Yes, it will hurt.
You are trying to align the fibres of the affected tendon. Go easy on the calf stretches, use a foam roller to stretch the gastronemicus and soleus.
Try to wear shoes with a bit of a heel or use heel lifts.
Possibly sleep in a night splint to avoid the tendon healing shorter.
Anti inflammatories are reckoned to delay healing. Analgaesics are preffered.
Opinions vary on suitable activity levels. Runners keep running anyway, so are told to keep off the hills and uneven ground.
Warm before exercise, ice after and ice a few times a day.
10 to 12 weeks is quoted as a recovery time, but that might depend on the severity. Runners tend to get it as an overuse injury, not suddenly.
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This is all really good advice, I couldnt add much more. A reasonable plan would be:
1)Foam roll affected calf for two to three minutes if you find a really sore bit spend some extra time rolling very slowly over it. I prefer to do one leg at a time, with the uninjured leg crossed over to increase pressure. If you find you cant "get at" the calf enough with this you can try a similar technique over a lacrosse or field hockey ball but be prepared for pain!
2) Eccentric heel drops, go up on both feet, down on the bad one, be prepared for moderate pain, start 10-15 aim to be doing 25 eventually.
3) Stretch, if you over pronate the best calf stretches are ones with the foot on the floor rather than dangling off a step as it is a bit more controlled.
Test before, stand facing a wall, ankle bend until your knee touches the wall, see how far away from wall you can get and still touch with your knee (heel should stay on floor). 10-12 centimeters normal. test again after foam rolling / stretching.
A good physio should advise on correct orthotics. if you are desperate the scholl orthohell sports orthotic (blue) costs about 27 from boots and depending on your biomechanics may give you alot of relief whilst there is acute pain. benefits of orthotics vs. strengthening improving your own biomechanics much debated. Ali
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
10 to 12 weeks is quoted as a recovery time, but that might depend on the severity. Runners tend to get it as an overuse injury, not suddenly.
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That sounds about right. I developed this through running, and it came to a head one evening in December 3 years ago, when I just couldn't run through the pain any more.
All the advice above is sound. COMPLETE rest and ice in the initial phase, followed by gentle but progressively more demanding stretches (but still within a general context of rest): unlike muscle injuries, the tendon takes some time to repair and you definitely don't want to take the risk of damaging it further by a too-aggressive rehab programme.
I was fine for skiing in March, but the downside was that I wasn't very aerobically fit.
I haven't had a recurrence (touch wood), and like sarah says, the ski boot supports the tendon pretty well.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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do the eccentric calf raise exercises also help to avoid the risk of this occurring?
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I'd agree with what's been said. Rest initially to reduce inflammation. Then Physio (ultrasound can be good) exercises and stretches to help it get back to normal. Orthotics to help with any gait issues. This sort of "regime" has helped me. Won't stop you getting hoofed playing footy though.
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