I've heard that eccentric raises can help to cure achilles tendon problems. How many should I do each set? How many sets per session? How many sessions per week? And how long does it usually take to see results? I have been off of it for over a month.
I've read that you need to do 3 sets of 10 reps every day.
You will kill your achilles if you start doing 3x10 daily, progress slowly. It's like Lydiard stating you need to do hills workouts everyday for 4 weeks, but later said that 3 times is just as good.
Start out with 3x5 reps 3 times a week then progress to 3x6 next week and then 3x7 etc. Alternate between straight leg and bent leg in the same set. Things will start to feel good the 3 rd week.
3 sets of 15
These are one piece I used to beat Achilles tendonitis. Another exercise I used was standing on the affected leg, flexed a bit like in the middle of the running stance, then swinging the other leg through in a running motion, exaggerating the knee lift a bit. I can't remember where I saw this exercise, but it was very effective. (Do the exercises on BOTH legs, so you don't create an imbalance.) The other key, and this is controversial, is starting up again with barefoot walking and then barefoot running. It really strengthens and elongates the tendon. For quite a while I'd do 20 minutes barefoot at the end of easy runs several times a week. It sounds crazy, but it was a real difference maker.
Progress up in intensity, and pair with calf stretching. Do them twice a day. You can start with 3x 10 and move up to 3x20. Go up on two feet, and down slowly on one. You can start on just a flat floor, and make them more difficult by doing them on a step.
Before you start anything, have you had the problem diagnosed? Is it a tear or is the achilles swollen? It is vital you know the cause of the injury as your rest and rehab will depend entirely on this.
I just spent a year out dealing with this problem, it was a wear and tear problem that emerged overnight, one morning my right achilles was twice the size of my left one. I was advised to take no exercise on the affected leg for thee months until the swelling went down. Lots of ice and Gentle massage only.
Only when they could x-ray the area with the swelling reduced [4 months after the first pain in my case] was i told it was not a tear but it was only then they said i could commence the calf raises you have been told about.
It is a ball-ache but you have got to be patient with this injury. The scare stories i heard about runners who rushed back scared the hell out of me. I endured a lot of frustration with this but after the time i spent i began core exercises and still incorporate the raised calves exercises in my warm ups. Be patient but make sure you find out how serious the problem is first. Good luck to you.
I haven't had an MRI, but two doctors looked at it and manually tested it and neither thinks there's any kind of tear. However, after doing the eccentric raises for a week, my tendon is if anything more sore than when I started them. Does this mean I should stop, or should I stay with the routine?
KEEP GOING! Give it another week.
The origin of this treatment was a Swedish doctor/runner. His Achilles were killing him, and he wanted to get them operated on. Problem was that in Sweden (public health care), to get an operation in 6 months, it would need to be a full out rupture.
No worries, thought the doc...I'll rupture my tendon, recover from the operation and get back to running. So he worked out a cunning plan to rupture his Achilles. Sets of eccentric heel drops twice a day would do the trick.
Only one small problem with this plan. After two weeks the pain subsided. He decided to do some research to determine if this was a suitable treatment. Lo and behold, it wasn't just his Achilles that responded to this treatment.
The only word of caution I would give is that if you still have the pain in another week or so, check to see if you have neovascularization (like vericos veins around your tendon). If so, you are into an entirely different treatment.
You can find a good sample schedule for eccentric calf raises here:
http://www.physioroom.com/injuries/calf_and_shin/achilles_tendon_exer2.php
If your achilles is still painful, you should probably take some NSAIDs and ice it before starting the calf raises. The raises really should not be painful.
forgot to mention that calf stretching should also be an important part of your routine. You can do posterior leg stretches in a doorway and against the wall. Doing these stretches before doing eccentric raises will likely decrease your pain
It doesn't actually hurt so much while I am doing the raises, but I have been sore the morning following the raises.
You can't raise your heel eccentrically. That requires concentric contraction. You must mean eccentric heel DROPS.
yes, this is true. you are correct sir.