Achilles - Calf Issues - NEW

I've had Achilles issues in the past including insertional on left leg and midpoint on right leg at the same time. I've tried a ton of stuff - here's what actually made a difference and how I'm able to sprint around the track in spikes with no issues today:

1. Foam roll or get a deep massage to look for knots in your calves (above the pain area of course). Be thorough - I had a huge knot toward the outside of my calf that I was able to work out using some hard foam rolling and massage that made night and day difference.

2. Integrate eccentric heel drops into your routine. If the pain is low (on heel), then do it on flat ground, if it is higher (midpoint achilles), then go below parallel. I like to do 25 reps of straight-leg and 25 reps of bent leg drops on each leg after runs.

3. Start doing hip/glute strengthening exercises. Search for the Myrtl routine from Coach Jay Johnson on Youtube. I try to do this 2-3 times per week as a warm-up to my run. I think sometimes calf issues can come from weak hips.

I hope you can have your achilles issues resolved!

Thank you for reply!

I just went to the podiatrist and he said it was tendonitis. Gave me some stretches and now it hurts more. My calves feel like they are on fire.

How can I do eccentric heel drops if they are both in pain? How long before most of the pain goes away?

Hi update its now been exactly 6 weeks and am no better. Just did my first eswt therapy. In more pain. Should I be in a boot?

ibadger wrote:

Hi update its now been exactly 6 weeks and am no better. Just did my first eswt therapy. In more pain. Should I be in a boot?

Have you been running or resting? What pt are you doing?

Currently have the same issue in one leg. I have read that the only thing that helps is slow (very slow - 4 sek in/out) of strength training for calves. In that way you strengthen the tendon. And then rest of course. Rest sucks but mine got worse from running a lot last week. And then I heard that anthiobitics (ciproflaxicin) makes it worse and can cause tendonities - just in case you have used that recently.

You received a diagnosis of ...________ (It doesn’t matter one iota). You didn’t receive anything resembling the reason WHY you have xyz pain and a method of how to overcome. Sh!t can your dullard PT ... move on to the new paradigm of neuromuscular reprogramming or neurokinetic therapy. Depending where you live you should find a great therapist that isn’t ‘churched and booked’ like most of the people being churned through PT schools. The problem isn’t more education it’s an issue of not being wise enough to look up stream for the real answer to your dilemma.

Your muscles and tendons need high quality protein to recover from the stress of training. Up your protein intake from high quality sources.

flex your calf muscles for like 20 minutes before your run, it helps warm them up.

flex, break, flex, break

Do not run in the Nike Free.

Even when I ran 10 miles a day in racing flats the Free still hurt my calves.

1. Don’t run long distance without shoes that are cushioned. Flats are good only for short distances. For longer distances they are used only for races. If you train in them, it increases the risk of injuries.

2. Strengthen the muscles with weights. Get only to the point were it hearts a little bit and not too much, and each day try to raise it if the pain is smaller.

3. Massage the injured muscles.

4. Stretch it as well. Always to a point of minor discomfort

You don’t say how old you are or what your mileage is like.

Your injury was caused by the uphill - uphill treadmill, running sprints uphill.

Depending on what was injured, which sounds like your tendons, you will have a long road to recovery, because tendons have less blood supply.

When it heals, don’t ever do uphill training again! If you must run sprints, do 5 x 30 meters at most.

Sorry, that is, if you must do UPHILL sprints, do 5 x 30 meters at most