Anyone ever had Achilles Tendonitis? - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

132,410 members158,563 posts

Anyone ever had Achilles Tendonitis?

Jonny1 profile image
Jonny1Graduate
16 Replies

I have not been able to run for almost 3 weeks now due to this. My last run was a really good 10k, but decided to take a cross country route on the way back for the last 3-4k. My doctor says that is probably where I did it but the pain and swelling won't seem to go away. He has given me Naproxen but that doesn't seem to do much. It sometimes feels fine first thing in the morning but soon flares up again.

Has anyone got any advice as it really is frustrating.

Written by
Jonny1 profile image
Jonny1
Graduate
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
16 Replies
Oldgirl profile image
OldgirlGraduate

Have you been to a Sports Physio, its money well spent for a runners injury in my opinion. Hope it settles down soon, don't try and rush it though.

Jonny1 profile image
Jonny1Graduate in reply to Oldgirl

Thanks Oldgirl. I'll try that I think.

Naproxen just eases your pain.. Give a rest to the leg.. and a heel rise might help in the heeling process.. and give it some time..

Jonny1 profile image
Jonny1Graduate in reply to

Thanks sub1nd. I've just finished the weeks course and have stopped taking them. Haven't noticed a change at all though. Still hurts.

Janeymiddlewife profile image
Janeymiddlewife

Oh yesss, got injured back in May doing a park run when only on week 7. Physios can give you a programme of stretches, tendonitis is apparently old hat now, the term for it is tendinosis as it's less to do with inflammation and more to do with repeated small tears causing fibrosis, shortening and pain. Ice, stretches, friction massage, rollering and a very gradual return to running were what my physio prescribed. No running initially, switch to cycling, swimming, weights and resistance bands, then start power walking. When able to power walk for 20 minutes without pain, then return to the programme. So far I've managed week 4 a couple of times, but can't seem to get much beyond that, mind you if I stretched and frictioned regularly it would probably make a difference too. I was wearing properly fitted shoes and socks, but just increased my run time, stupidly from 30 to 45 minutes !

Jonny1 profile image
Jonny1Graduate in reply to Janeymiddlewife

Thanks for that janeymiddlewife. I had a gout attack flare up for the first time at Xmas which put me out of the game for 6 weeks. I think I'll go and see a physio as well.

I had some trouble with my Achilles earlier in the year - I found ice and friction massage helped enormously. I also wore an ankle support briefly when I picked up my running again. I agree that you need to do more than just take painkillers if you want to speed up your recovery - getting the advice of a sports physio would be a good investment as GPs really don't have much specific advice on sporting injuries.

DizzyMum profile image
DizzyMumGraduate

Having lived through a surgical Achilles tendon repair (6 months off work), I'd recommend going to see a sports physio and follow their advice and stretching plan to the letter.

Thorough warm ups before exercise, slowly build up the speed and duration of your runs and a visit to a good podiatrist (mine was recommended by the physio) and ask about the best support for your feet in your trainers.

jezzamck profile image
jezzamck

Hi I am sure a physio visit, ice treatment, rollering and other remedial treatments suggested are excellent ideas. Have you looked at changing your running shoes. I have started to run in shoes which provide a more natural stride pattern which are built up around the ball of my foot ... This protects my knees and heals from the type of repetitive strains you describe. There are several ty

jezzamck profile image
jezzamck

... Types of shows available worth having someone look at your stride pattern and make a suggestion

Jonny1 profile image
Jonny1Graduate in reply to jezzamck

Thanks jezzamck. I'll see if the physio can do it.

As @saruma, @janey, @jezzamck points out icing will ease your pain. Don't start on stretches in an acute phase without professional help, and on your own..

@Dizzymum already pointed out a cause for your problem- insufficient warmup probably..

Use footwear with high heels, ankle support will transfer your body weight from ankle, lower down and In the meantime will rest the injured area..

Jonny1 profile image
Jonny1Graduate in reply to

Thanks sub1nd. The doctor told me it was the uneven surface of going cross country that was the probable cause. I always do a 5 minutes warm up walk and a 5 minutes cool down so I would be surprised if that was the cause.I have been trying an ankle supsupport bandage for the last 4 days and the pain seems to be subsiding. I will make sure that it has gone completely though and ease myself back with some power walks to start with.

FirinBlanks profile image
FirinBlanksGraduate

I feel your pain, I did mine around 9 years ago (before I started running) and was prescribed Coproximol for the pain and Diclofenac for the swelling which worked well for me. R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) helped massively during recouperation although the thought of even walking any kind of distance for a month or so had me in sweats so I would definately seek profesional advice before attempting to run. It can take up to three months or so before you get back to feeling secure on your feet as you were before. I foolishly didn't go to physio after doing it and even now I get a couple of days a year (normally spring and autumn) where my ankle gives up completely so I'm sure that would have helped. What I will add however is that since I started running I haven't had any flare ups at all so perhaps the streches and excercises that I now do has kept it at bay.

pingle profile image
pingleGraduate

Hi Jonny1

I've had problems with my achilles tendon in the past and have found this exercise very helpful tho I would wait until things have settled down and take your doctor's/physio's advice.

youtube.com/watch?v=M6EKuuZ...

Be aware that I've never had a proper 'medical' diagnosis of tendonitis - just figured out the problem from this and other running and medical sites

Another exercise I found useful is to 'write' the alphabet in the air with your feet. Good for boring meetings and train journeys but be careful someone doesn't think you are trying to play footsie! :-)

Jonny1 profile image
Jonny1Graduate in reply to pingle

Thanks Pingle. After 4 weeks the pain has at last gone. I think I'll try something light on Saturday or Sunday. I have been doing the heel lifts most of the time apart from when it was just too painful to do.

You may also like...

Does anyone else suffer from Achilles Tendonitis?

sure this has been one of the factors towards my weight gain as I'm not able to walk or run like I...

Strained Achilles tendon

1, first 2 runs were great all on nice smooth path. Decided to run somewhere else for run 3 and path

Running with Achilles tendonitis

idea to run with this injury? I did couch to 5k about 4 or 5 years ago. Progressed through 10k...

Achilles tendon advice please.

tendon is now very very sore, the last thing I want to do is damage it :( Has anyone got any advice...

Achilles’ tendon problem Advice please!!

Hello everyone, I’m due to run Week 7 day 2 but am suffering from possible tendinitis. It started...