High School Miler: Achilles Tendinitis Ruining Season

Just did the same route as yesterday, which is about 2.01 miles, except this time it was even slower, 22:25, rather than 20:00 yesterday. Although it is very slow I feel like it might be good stimulus for the Achilles. The pain isn't increasing on the run. There was a bit of crepitus before I started. I'm gonna go do some eccentric heel drops now, then ice it.

Okay it actually hurts now...

I am thinking of recieving treatment soon. I tried performing some graston on myself tonight with a spoon. Im not really sure if I did it right.

What other treatments are available.

Go to a reputable running store and make sure you are in the right shoe. Forefoot strikers do put more stress on the calf and achilles complex(especially if forcing the strike) however overpronation of the foot or rotation of the tibia can greatly increase the stress your achilles and calf go through to stabilize your foot through mid-stance. If I were a betting man, I would bet you are wearing a neutral shoe.

I have had a few bouts of achilles tendonitis during my college running career. The most important thing to remember during all of this, is that you will recover and be back in shape. So take a deep breath and take my advice.

The following routine worked for me:

1. SEE A DOCTOR and take his advice. My doctor prescribed me nitrate patches to place over my achilles for 12 hours a day. They stimulate blood flow in the achilles, which promotes faster healing. I noticed a significant difference after about a week of this treatment.

2. If you currently still have lots of pain in your achilles, take enough time off, so you can walk around with little to no pain. In the mean time just heat and stretch lightly before you head to school. And then ice it 3 times a day.

2. If you can, get ultra sound treatment everyday.

3. Once your walking pain free begin eccentric calf raises.

4. Once you are cleared to run by a doctor or trainer, start slow. My first run was a few 100 meter jogs, my second was eight 100 meter jogs. I ran every other day for over a month, before i was running consecutive days.

5. Don't aqua jog. My doctor advised me that aqua jogging is not good for an injured achilles. In fact, aqua jogging is what caused my first achilles injury to hang around so long.

6. Don't do graston by yourself. Let a professional do it.

7. Be patient, recovery is the most important part of training. My favorite running quote in regards to healthy training: Rest today, so you can train tomorrow.

good luck

Achilles Tendinitis Miler wrote:

I am thinking of recieving treatment soon. I tried performing some graston on myself tonight with a spoon. Im not really sure if I did it right.

What other treatments are available.

Graston without a spoon. Based on your posts, I'm assuming you're a troll. If not, get serious and find yourself a certified Graston practitioner.

No im not a troll... im just desperate. Can anyone testify to graston?

Achilles Tendinitis Miler wrote:

No im not a troll... im just desperate. Can anyone testify to graston?

Check out the first post in this thread not written by you. :-)

the handles look the same to me. Any variation would be due to use between my phone and comp

Achilles Tendinitis Miler wrote:

No im not a troll... im just desperate.

Have you looked at videos on You Tube? There are lots of different ways to treat this. Have you not been to a physical therapist yet?

I have spent numerius hours researching.. I think im aware of most things. Im looking for persinal advice /anecdotes

Personal advice: See someone who does ART and Graston. Don't be stupid about running through Achilles tendonitis. Give it time to heal. Don't take anti-inflammatories; it's not an inflammatory injury anyways. Do eccentric heel drops, 3x15 with a straight knee and 3x15 with a bent knee, twice every single day. Start up running very slowly once you are ready to get back into things. Ice if you want to. Foam roll or use The Stick on your calves.

Achilles Tendinitis Miler wrote:

I have spent numerius hours researching.. I think im aware of most things. Im looking for persinal advice /anecdotes

Then just do what Marius Bakken recommends, that guy was a professional runner and a doctor and probably have way more knowledge about this problem than anyone else in this thread.

dfasfads wrote:

it's not an inflammatory injury anyways.

It's Achilles Tendinitis rather than Achilles Tendinosis. So it is an inflammatory injury. Could you please elaborate?

It does get inflamed when it hurts, most of the time. Other times it has been achy with crepitus absent of inflammation.

In the first weeks of the injury, I stretched and rolled my hamstrings and calves vigorously. Now, I cannot tell which treatments are helping, and I cannot tell if the the 10min/mile shuffles or calf drops are helping. Or rather if I am in the right stage to do certain things.

It would be helpful if someone could elaborate a bit about the Marius Bekken article (I have read it), and reveal some of the caveats or anything else hidden or implied from this article that I should know.

I can attest to the effectiveness of Graston. Just about a year ago I was having significant issues with my left Achilles. I took a few weeks off and tried the whole heat/ice/stretch routine, but every time I ran it came back. After reading about Graston testimonials here and doing some research on it, I finally sucked it up and went to see a local chiro who was certified in the technique. She worked on my Achilles twice a week for the first two weeks, then once weekly for another 6 weeks. And part of the treatment was to actually continue running during this time. That activity helped the Achilles cords to properly realign themselves. Anyway at first there was some slow progress, but then there was a sudden noticeable improvement. After the tenth session, I was about 90% improved with complete recovery coming within the next two weeks. My running returned to the point where I wanted it to be and I have had no further Achilles issues since that time. It worked for me. Good luck.

Achilles Advice wrote:

5. Don't aqua jog. My doctor advised me that aqua jogging is not good for an injured achilles. In fact, aqua jogging is what caused my first achilles injury to hang around so long.

good luck

As you can see, aqua jogging is mostly all I have been doing. What exercise would be better? It has not been paining me while aqua jogging, to what should I express my concern? Or rather, would a low impact exercise be more beneficial than a non-impact exercise?

What other treatments were you subjecting yourself to during the course of the graston treatments, besides heating, icing, and stretching?

While undergoing Graston, the only additional treatments were running, stretching, and a little yoga.