Achilles pain

JamieW

Hey, some advice would be great please.

Last weekend I did a long ride on new years day, nice easy 66 miles with no particular hard efforts or sprints or anything like that. Whilst on the bike i didn't cramp or anything. When i got back had a shower, i could barely walk up or down stairs. Pain in both of my Achilles tendons at 'top of sock' level.

Have done all the usual things, rest, ice, topical non-steroidals. Had a really easy session on the turbo last night and had no pains until i upped the power to something like tempo. Then it just started to niggle so i stopped.

What do u all think? I don't think that i have caused major damage but have obviously aggravated my achillles. More time off the bike??? Would rather loose a week of training now than more by trying to push on.

I haven't changed the setup of my bike in a long time, saddle heights and crack lengths across all the bikes are the same. Do you reckon saddle height needs altering?

CarbonCopy

See your GP

Loretta Damage

See your doc and get referred to a physio ASAP. I had the same problem a few years ago and tried to deal with it with Brufen and ice, played through it (was playing a good standard of rugby at the time) and generally just put up with it until the pain kept me awake at night. By the time I made physio aware, she gave me a bollocking and told me that the scar tissue was permanent and I would never get the original flexibilty back. On the up side, she recommended cycling as an alternative to impact sports so as a result I bought a road bike and haven't looked back.

Pep

I damaged both my Achille tendons because of too much running.

Rest. Stretch gently. Eccentric exercise. Check with a podiatry if need an insole.

Forget GP, they are useless for sport injury. See a physio instead, expect £35 per visit.

celbianchi

Pep wrote:

I damaged both my Achille tendons because of too much running.

Rest. Stretch gently. Eccentric exercise. Check with a podiatry if need an insole.

Forget GP, they are useless for sport injury. See a physio instead, expect £35 per visit.

Agree - GP will likely precribe rest and return to see him again in a fortnight if no better. Pointless

JamieW

Thanks everyone. I was going to avoid the gp. Last time I went with a bad knee (crashed a 10-15ft jump whilst windsurfing. Tearing and rotating let to damaged cartilage) gp prescribed rest. 2nd private opinion and i had arthoscopic surgery 4 days later...

Time has made things better, another gentle turbo session last night led to no pain, so another easy session and strength exercises again tonight i think. Think i might go for the physio opinion all the same.

unixnerd

I used to get this until I changed my cleat position.

ut_och_cykla

How high are your socks? I ask becuase if they are half way up lower leg there is a possibility it is a hamstring /back of thigh issue - some thigh muscles 'tie in' down the back/slightly to the outside of the lower leg.
Would definitley see a physio if you can whatever...

Pep

BTW, how come cycling gives you Achille pain?
I had years of abuse on my Achilles because of excessive running. Always I found that cycling was actually improving the Achille tendon. Cycling was a million times better than rest.

The surgeon that privately operated on of my Achilles wrote a book on Achille sport injuries. He does mention cycling could cause Achille problem, but he says this is very rare.

Any sport injury consult a sport physio. For cycling, checking your assett with a cycling lab is probably wise. Perhaps need tuning the assett and/or insole or wedges.

JamieW

i have never had the problem before. it just came on suddenly that day. i have had achilles tendonitis before where it has creaked and felt horrible when walking, but never on the bike.

@ut_och_cykla i would call them ankle socks. stop at about the same level as all of my overshoes do.

i'm wondering if it is down to cold and somehow straining both at the same level. wondering if pain is at the lowest point where muscle inserts into tendon.... who knows.

luckily it seems to be improving, more turbo sessions including to tempo and just above and it feels more or less back to normal.... maybe i'm getting old @ 26