Heel pain
step83
Posts: 4,170
As ive ramped up the miles this has started to show its head an at time is getting quite painful.
Pain is roughly where the Achilles connects an is painful initially when I walk or if ive not moved for a while. Has anyone had this in the past? From what I understand its due to either poor stretching or not enough calf muscle but any insights or advice would be great.
Pain is roughly where the Achilles connects an is painful initially when I walk or if ive not moved for a while. Has anyone had this in the past? From what I understand its due to either poor stretching or not enough calf muscle but any insights or advice would be great.
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I trained through what I thought was a little niggle on my right achilles tendon last year and ended up spending 7 months off the bike. This will only get worse and worse if you continue to train. The pain when you haven't moved in a while is classic symptoms of achilles problems. This can also be accompanied with a creaking feeling (think old oak door style) and pain when you pinch the tendon itself.
Eccentric heel drops and plenty of foam rolling of the calves is the way forward but you need to rest before you can take this on. Luckily you sound like you could be at the early stages so if you catch it now you should only be off the bike for a few weeks.
Your best bet is to go to a sports physio for an assessment and a calf massage. Google achilles tendinopathy for some more information.
I'd already backed off slightly on exercise last week an started stretching an doing basic calf work. My thinking was as id ramped up training my upper legs were well ahead of my lower.
Shoe wise could be fun at work my most supportive shoes are a pair of trail running shoes. They get very angry if you wear anything else.
Easty commuter
Tripster AT
I hear you on the shoe front mate, I wear steel toe caps and am on my feet all day and I think that played a significant part in delaying my recovery I think. The physio had me walking around in a nice comfy pair of running trainers whenever possible and this helped.
Make sure any exercises you do are eccentric rather than just stretching the muscles as the idea is to re-align the fibres in your achilles. Putting too much strain on it has the same effect as pulling on either end of a knotted rope and it's key to avoid this. Youtube has got some good videos on eccentric heel drops.
Couple of web sites show different exercises I can do an like you said its to break down the new collagen thats not lined up correctly to encourage more uniform build up else it will be like a knotted rope.
I've elevated it best as I can on an old computer an some anti inflammitries till I can get home an cold compress the thing. Always the way though its now more painful the docs been prodding it than it was before.
Easty commuter
Tripster AT
Mercia Man, I picked up one of these earlier seems sort of similar but the gel bits help stabilise the ankle, probably guilty of poorly fitted shoes thinking about it. Only ones that fit correctly are my trail running shoes.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Airflow-Ankle- ... =neo+g+456
Easty commuter
Tripster AT
You can also wear strutz if insoles arent your thing that can help to and they wont bulk up your shoes when you wear them.