Tendon

[Zev1963]

Hello again running chums 🙂. I'd like to ask for your experience with achilles tendon issues. Over the last couple of weeks I've had discomfort from my left achilles tendon towards the end of my longer runs (9km - 17km). Often, the discomfort goes away before the end of the run. It is eased by wiggling my foot when it is off the ground during running. Even if it is uncomfortable during a run, it is no longer uncomfortable when I stop. Last week I stopped a run at 8km instead of 9km, because I was worried about the discomfort. Strangely, as soon as I stopped running, the discomfort went away. Has anyone else experienced this? Did you find anything to help?

[Annieapple Administrator]

🍏 Best advice will come from a physio who will check it out thoroughly but I do find a roller helpful!!

[Zev1963 in reply to Annieapple]

Yes, I tried the roller before my run yesterday, and it did seem to help. But as I replied to TailChaser, I've decided to incorperate a recovery week (50 normal distance), for the first time. Hoping riooler + recovery week will help it settle down. Also I'll try a period of consolidation instead of increasing distance every week

[TailChaser Graduate10]

I’ve had an achilles issue for about two years, regularly get flare ups, and am constantly on the look out for the holy grail of fixes. However, I’ve learned to live with it as it’s very rarely a game changer, so don’t panic.

Mine started irritating when I started pushing the distances as well. My left achilles sticks out (due to tendonopathy) so I have to be careful with shoes as some can really rub and make it worse. I also have several pairs of shoes with different heel drops, so it doesn’t get ‘lazy’ and ’fixed’. That definitely helps but it’s been an expensive journey to find ones that suit. Compression socks & sleeves also help, and make sure any socks rise well above the back lip of your shoes.

In terms of strength and conditioning, if you’re on a Strava subscription the Recover app has a great rollering routine (and several routines for the achilles). Heel raises twice a day are also good to get your calves stronger, which will help your achilles (they definitely help - I’ve only recently started doing them regularly, when brushing my teeth - 2 minutes twice a day is perfect!). I also have a monthly deep tissue massage as standard, and sometimes a sports massage to target particular areas.

These are just my experiences, your needs will be different, so of course, if you’re really concerned, you know what to do, see a physio.

[Zev1963 in reply to TailChaser]

Thanks for the reply. Your experiences seem to be pretty much in line with what I was thinking. I've been gradually increasing distance, types of terrain, and incorporating speed runs. I think that I hay have slightly over trained. After a few weeks on the couch, I built up from 3 times 30mins per week, to 9km, 9km and 17km with a speed run each week. This over a period of about 4 months. I've read that you should incorporate a lighter recuperation week every 4-5 weeks. I hav'nt been doing that. So this week I'm running at 50% of my current load (8km long run yesterday instead of 17km, and I'll do 5km on tuesday and Thursday). Thanks again for your thoughts, I think that with a little recuperation week, and a period of consolidation, it may well settle down

[TailChaser Graduate10 in reply to Zev1963]

Sounds like a good plan Zev. It may well just be something you have to live with and manage. All the best for your training 👍