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- Please help me runners!!! Achilles Tendon trouble!
Please help me runners!!! Achilles Tendon trouble!
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by Landree Fleming
on March 24, 2010
Hey guys! I really need help...I'm training for a half marathon, and in the past week or week and a half I've been having consistent pain in my achilles tendons. I know the one stretch against the wall for them...but what else can I do? When I run, they feel very sore (also when I don't) but what concerns me the most is that they feel very TIGHT, like they're in danger of ripping.
Any advice please?!?
Hi Landree!
The best advice i can give you is stretch/warm up very well before you head out on your runs. also, ice when you return to keep down any swelling.
some stretches:
sit on the floor and wrap a towel or rope around your toes, holding each end in your hands (making the towel a U shape...get it?). pull the towel back toward you, pulling your toes back to flex the foot.
another is to squat facing a fence (as low as you can go). hold the fence and rock back onto your heals as the weight of your body pushes your heals down.
also, stand on a stair with your heals hanging over the edge. hold the railing and drop your heals down below the stair then raise back up.
hope these help! What half are you running?
Ooo, nothing is more frustrating than a running injury. I feel for you.
Stretch very, very gently before a run, do not overstretch that can exacerbate the problem. And after, make sure you are gentle. Be especially careful with the wall stretch, I know of many people that have hurt their AT that way.
My suggestion...chiropractor. I have a fabulous sports chiropractor that fixes everything for me. I have lots of issues from overtraining and he always fixes me.
And never forget the cardinal rule of running injuries: RICE - rest, ice, compression and elevation. I have a hard time with the R :)
Good luck and happy running.
Kim
hmmm...I had Achilles issues last year training for Ironman. I actually thought it was the tendon but it was the sheath that holds it...it would become irritated and swell causing friction with the tendon. The only recovery for it is time off, no running what so ever or it will never heal and it will end up a cronic issue...if it's either the tendon or the sheath. Physio therapy for 6 weeks. I turned to the pool and did pool running...totally boring but it will keep your conditioning. It was actually easy for me as I did my laps then jumped in the leisure lane to run.
R.I.C.E wont work because as soon as you go for your next run you will feel it again. It needs time to heal.
Achilles issues falls into the category with hairline fractures etc = no running.
Good luck,
Kathryn
thanks all for your help and suggestions!!! i really really appreciate it. and i'm running the Flying Pig in Cincinnati May 2!:)
Good luck with your training Landree!
Susan
Ice is amazing: ice packs work fine, but ice massage is even better. Apply & rub an ice cube over the area. Only do this as long as it takes to numb the area (2-3 minutes--no more than 3!). The most crucial benefit of this comes with the rewarming process as your body rushes blood & nutrients back to the area & flushes the toxins/by-products of the injured tissue out, so let your body completely warm itself back up. I love cryotherapy--very beneficial for healing! Do this daily.
Kathryn is right. Your body has been stressed, & you should probably take some time off so it can heal properly. Find a sports & injury massage therapist in your city; he/she can really help speed recovery. You also might want to see a orthopedic or sports med doctor if things don't start to turn around.
Only GENTLE stretching: if you can feel it / if it's painful, you are further DAMAGING & making it worse. Also, muscles must be WARMED UP before any stretching! Stretching cold muscles before a run is one of the worst things you can do. A good warm up for you would be alternating between walking around on your toes, then your heels; do this with feet forward, turned out & turned in. Sounds silly, but it's simple & works. Think of "lengthening" the muscle, rather than "stretching" to avoid overdoing it.
Good luck. I wish you a speedy recovery. Keep us updated.
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