Heel pain

step83
step83 Posts: 4,170
edited August 2017 in Training, fitness and health
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.

Comments

  • helmetberg
    helmetberg Posts: 36
    You need to stop exercising and rest ASAP. I really can't stress this enough.

    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.
  • step83
    step83 Posts: 4,170
    Doh, meant to be doing ToC next month, ive gone out an picked up a support which seems to help with the pain when starting to move so should sort the compression side of things.
    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.
  • helmetberg
    helmetberg Posts: 36
    Sorry to scare you!

    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.
  • step83
    step83 Posts: 4,170
    Could be worse ive fractured the big toe on that foot too!. I have done a bit of reading up seems to be something runners get more.
    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.
  • Elfed
    Elfed Posts: 459
    Sounds to me like we suffer the same thing, plantar bursitis, burning sensation at the Achilles base and heel pain after sitting down for a while.
  • mercia_man
    mercia_man Posts: 1,431
    Sounds like it may be plantar fasciitis. Much more common than plantar bursitis. Affects one in 10 people and a common ailment for runners. I'm a runner and cyclist and suffered with it for 18 months. The cure for me was an FS6 foot compression sleeve, first worn all the time and later just at night. Have a look at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Orthosleeve%C2 ... B00C09NNDK
  • step83
    step83 Posts: 4,170
    Well ive done six hours with a support on taken it off an definite improvement, not sure which of the two problems I have but looks to be that the recovery process is similar lay off moving gentle stretching an building muscle etc. Small steps etc.

    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
  • What I found helps alot if wearing shock absorbing insoles to absorb hamrful shock from daamgning your heels. I fidn these ones are the good at absorbing shock http://shoewawa.com/product/footreviver-running-insoles/
    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.