Stretched achilles

[Alec3720]

Has any one got any tips on how best to recover from a stretched Achilles. I slipped off a stair about 8 weeks ago and since then have suffered with a stretched Achilles. There is no tear or rip but it is taking ages to get better. Some days it feels great and the next I am back to square 1. I have not tried to run on it but have managed 2 5 mile bike rides without making it worse.

[roseabi]

It does take a long time to get better I'm afraid! Be sure to keep up regular walking if you're not doing so already - keeping the tendon mobile is very important. Try running a little when the tendon is less painful, and build back into running slowly.

The exercise commonly recommended for Achilles tendinopathy (that's the fancy name!) is eccentric heel drops (see vid below). I suggest doing ten of these two or three times a day if you can, and I recommend doing half of them with your knee bent as this will hit more areas of your calf. The Achilles tendon is attached to the calf muscles, and the heel drop exercise essentially works on your calf muscles. It's also very good for the feet - winner! Pay attention to your pain and only dip your heel as low as is moderately uncomfortable at first. As you improve you can go lower.

youtu.be/3tc0lN_bW5o(Not working as expected?)

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

I was going to recommend eccentric heel drops, as mentioned by roseabi

My only true running injury was a tweaked Achilles (not a technical term) and recovery took over a month doing the heeldrops and cycling. The latter improves blood flow to the area and keeps the joint mobile.

[nowster Graduate]

Sadly, ligaments and tendons take ages to heal compared with muscles, due to the lesser blood flow. Those heel drop exercises will help, and possibly some calf stretches too (for example the ones in the NHS C25K post run stretch set). Again, just to reiterate what has already been said: when you're healing, only do the stretches to the point of mild discomfort and no further.