Achilles Heel Pain

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micoach

micoach

Active Member
Achilles Heel Pain

I have my own question today, probably for Liz but I thought I would put it here if anyone esle was having the same issue.

In the last few weeks I have a a recurring pain in my left achilles tendon. It happened last year too but went away.

The pain is best described as a sharp ache that is at it's worse if I have been sitting for extended periods.

It always goes away after a couple of steps but sometimes it comes back as a dull pain if I am walking. I never get it during exercise.

It's less severe than it was last year but it is not going away.

Any ideas?
 
Re: Achilles Heel Pain

Is the pain at the tendon's insertion or a couple of centimetres away?

Is there any hypertrophy of the posterior heel?

Do you get a crepitus feeling in the surrounding tissue?

Do you get the same sensation without shoes as with?

I'm sure there will be more questions ;)
 
Re: Achilles Heel Pain

If I remember my insertion points it's few cm away. Also there are a couple of tiny lumps when I run my finger over it.

I have not noticed it without shoes and there is no hypertrophy compared to the opposite heel. There is no crepitus feeling or sound, it's more like an initial sharp pain followed by a dull ache.
 
Re: Achilles Heel Pain

I can also go a few days without feeling it then it comes back. It has not been as strong this time around as last time.
 
Re: Achilles Heel Pain

Does the onset of pain cycle follow an increase in training?
How much hill/speed work do you do?
Do you wear air filled heels?

I would like to eliminate Achilles Paratendinopathy Injury first... you say there is no hypertrophy. However, there is evidence of localised nodules on the tendon?

Hmm... I don't think I can.

Try heavy-load eccentric calf-muscle training, firstly with straight leg (gastrocnemius) 3 sets of 15, then bent leg (soleus) 3 sets of 15, twice a day, seven days a week, after a good warm up. Concentric on good leg... weight off good leg as injured leg works [slowly] on eccentric. Your calf muscles may be sore for a few weeks but it should sort out the Achilles.
 
Re: Achilles Heel Pain

If anything, the more I train the less I feel pain. It's inactivity that causes the greatest inital pain.

I'm not doing any hill work at the moment and in the last 3 weeks I have cut out skipping, plyometrics and sprint/MDSA work (although there was no pain directly after any of these workouts). I'm still doing weight room work which is preceeded with a warm up and ankle mobility work.

I don't wear air filled shoes but I do wear trainers almost all the time.

The tendon seems to be lumpy on that side but there is no pain when I touch it.

What kind of exercises to you suggest, barbell calf raises? skipping? I'm trying to think of something eccentric and heavy loaded :embarrassed:
 
Re: Achilles Heel Pain

You could use a barbell. Not sure I would recommend it to most.* As you are having to change work load from one leg (concentric) to the other (eccentric), I would like to know that the performer had good core and balance. By the way, I should have said, the injured leg must go through full range of motion, so if you are standing on a step, weight on balls of feet only and lower as far as possible.

I was thinking of loaded backpack... when my boys were little I used to have a back carrier... or you could give your wife a piggyback ;)

I am not convinced it is paratendinopathy, it does not follow the text book form but I cannot eliminate it, if you know what I mean.

*Actually, I am not sure I would recommend this to anybody else unsupervised; you will have to readjust any muscle imbalance later :D.
 
Re: Achilles Heel Pain

OK thanks liz, I can fit that in with a weighted backpack.

I can't say I have noticed excess pronation but my ankles do turn over quite easily so possibly? I also have high arches and when I squat with full ROM my heels leave the floor about an inch.
 
Re: Achilles Heel Pain

Bingo! Happy with my diagnosis now ;)

Trainers, although essential for your work, are not the best for providing support for high arches. You may need to look for extra support for your trainers.
 
Re: Achilles Heel Pain

Update for you - that seemed to work thanks! After a couple of weeks I was still in a bit of pain but I added some more garlic, tumeric and olive oil to my diet and it is now just a very dull ache.

I also changed my trainers to ones with flatter soles.

Hopefully it will be gone totally before too long
 
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