Hi Sean, sorry to hear about your achilles pain. Your best bet would be to go see your doctor, and they can diagnose you, once they give you this information, you can come back to this post and determine where you should start. Sorry this is not what you are looking for, but we cannot diagnose you unfortunately. Hi Suzy, sorry to hear that. Hopefully someone will be able to help you out, but it may be difficult as our readers are from all over the world, and are not likely to be near you.
Your best bet is to keep listening to your doctor, and hopefully it will improve. Hi, I posted this reply to another similar post above. What type of pain should be expected as normal. Or is it a different type of pain akin to muscle-fatigue pain or stretching pain or something else?
Hi Greg, thanks for your question. When we talked about pain in this post, it was specifically during the motion of those exercises. It will probably be similar to those flare ups, but most people will not be running at the point where they are in pain for these exercises as they will be taking time off to recover.
It will be a similar pain to that ache you feel during the flare ups. Curious, is email a requirement of successful therapy via this eccentric exercise?
I slowly built up to 35 lbs straight legged only and never felt any ache or pain. Too much multi-tasking. Is inducing pain via the eccentric movement and critical component for success? When do you feel the tendon pain otherwise? If you never felt any pain, and you are sure you are doing the exercise correctly, then there may be something else going on.
Hi Greg, it sounds like you understand your body pretty well by now. Just listen to the pain, and stay away from exercises that bring it on…. I have ruptured both of my Achilles tendons. The first one 35 years ago and the next 12 years later. I have been doing these exercises religiously for years. They work! Thanks for sharing Garry! This will be a great affirmation for others to read! Hopefully it never happens again!
So if you feel mild sporadic achilles pain coming on, you should start the eccentric heel drops right away, even though you have mild pain? Or should you wait awhile? Hi Dave, it is probably safest to begin these exercises now, so that you can start building strength, and making sure the fibers are building in the right direction. Thank you Coach Tina. Great research combined with real world experience from runners in easily understandable language. Happy we could help Dave! Thanks so much for your kind feedback!
Is there anything else we can help you with? Thanks Tina. Follow up: the mild sporadic pain is on the right side of the Achilles, right foot, lower down adjacent to the bony prominence end of fibula? Could this be a case of mild insertional AT? If so, am I damaging anything by doing flat ground heel drops if I have mid-point AT instead and not insertional? Hi Dave, thanks for going into a little more detail, helps us understand a bit better.
I would say yes, use the flat heel drops, as they will not do you any harm even if it is mid point. Thanks again Tina! Much appreciate your help and the resources on this site..
With that being said, I can crack my left ankle and left big toe at will. Not sure if that is related or not. Should I be worried as a 23 year old? Would you recommend I see a specialist? Hi Bruce, sorry to hear about your achilles pain. We suggest you should try using the weighted backpack for a while first, and then if it does not improve, then check with your physician.
However, if you are concerned, it would definitely not be a bad idea to see a specialist. Hi Coach Tina, One more question: should the insertional eccentric heel drops be done after runs so as to not overly stress the tendon if so, about how long after?
Thanks for any input you can provide! Hi Dave, yes, probably best to do it after runs, although it does not really matter. I was already almost doing more than 20miles per week between running and going up down and stairs. No issues at all. We walked with 30pund bags first day 9 miles, second day 12 miles. After that trip, the pain on my Achilles was really bad.
I went to the Dr. They said, I can start training again, little by little. But every time I wear my running shoes, the pain come back.
I need some help from you guys with what brand or shoes i should get. I will really appreciated any help on this. Thank you so much!!!! Hi Angelica, thanks for reaching out. Unfortunately we do not make specific recommendations on brands as we like to be neutral to all brands, but if you follow our recommendations in this post, you should find that the pain begins to subside, in addition to continuing your exercises that your PT gave you.
Hope this helps, sorry we could not give you more specific advice! Thanks for this. I shall now be regimental in the heel drops and warming, cooling and give it time. Hi Ivan, thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed the article.
Hi Brandon, glad you enjoyed it. You may enjoy this article, have you considered this? I have always had seriously tight calves and Achilles tendons. I envy those folks that can squat flat-footed without their heels pulling up off the ground. About two years ago, I took up a regular running program and had some great success getting healthy, dropping a lot of weight, and eventually increasing my mileage to about 45 miles a week. I had some improving half marathon times and was building for a marathon as I increased my mileage.
I also was playing soccer in an adult league. I was feeling fit and healthy and confident and my foot problems seemed to finally be a thing of the past. But then the hammer fell on me and chronic Achilles pain erupted in short order on my right foot.
For the next ten months I tried all sorts of programs to get back to running. I tried foam rolling, eccentric heel drops, stretching programs, and taking a month or two off. Each time I tried to start with some modest running, my heel pain immediately flared back up. The pain for me was insertional, right above where the Achilles attaches to the heel. I could press my thumb on the area and it would hurt. When I ran, the pain would crop up with each step very quickly.
The worst part was that I was limping noticeably with simple walking each time I got up from a chair or out of my car. If I ran even two or three miles at a slow pace, I would be limping the next day. As I hit Thanksgiving last fall I was limping around, had lost my fitness from the year before, and was carrying extra weight again. I resigned myself to remedy this with surgery on my heel again after I had seen my doctor.
The stairclimber has always been a go-to method for me to get a great cardio workout. I have used this equipment off and on for spells at gyms and at home for many years, but mainly as an augmentation to running or soccer.
So, before I followed up on the referral my doctor had given to me for an orthopedic visit, I committed to working out an hour a day on my Stairmaster. After about four or five weeks the results became noticeable that I was moving with a great deal less pain in my heel.
At about ten weeks, the pain had virtually gone away, my legs were stronger, and I was not limping at all. My conditioning was back on track and I started playing full field soccer again with no heel pain. That was a big deal for me! It is a lot of hard work, but the results have really been well beyond my best expectations.
But, I setup my iPad and listen to music, read, watch Netflix, watch videos, etc. If I cut a workout short one day then I make up the time the next day, so the numbers keep me motivated as well. Importantly, I also wear a heart rate monitor and keep my pulse at a challenging target level — not usually over the top but consistent. This allows me to vary the step range from short and rapid to longer up and down strides.
I also will work hands-free and not hold the rails to work on my balance and involve other leg muscles. As I work out, I also will vary my foot positioning on the pedals, hang my heels off the back, or work out for a spell up on the balls of my feet.
I will keep things interesting by working in some tougher HIIT sessions once in a while. I have been a lifelong Achilles heel sufferer. This rigorous stairclimber regimen has made a great difference for me without surgery or physical therapy. I believe the Stairmaster offers a focused strengthening of the muscles in the calves, and also duplicates some of the benefits of eccentric heel drop therapy.
The bottom line is that I feel great and can run without heel pain. Hi Kasey, thanks for sharing your story, and it is good to hear that you have found something that works for you.
It is wonderful that you are able to play soccer again, and we hope you have continued joy in your sport.
We have lots of posts for masters runners if you are interested in keeping up with the running. Just let us know if you need anything! Thanks for the post. I plan to try the stair master. First time, I ran through it. Dec of it got worse again, after 2 more marathons, I went to ortho doc in February She gave me a cortisone injection, boot for 2 weeks, and pt.
I thought it was a miracle until July Pain came back worse than ever before. More pt, in sept, another injection. Dec , consulted podiatrist. He gave me a nerve block, which only lasted 2 weeks, now awaiting orthodics! Not running is killing my spirit! Again, thanks for the advise, it sounds like it may benefit my situation. Great exercises! Thank you. I have definitely been using some of these in my recovery. After suffering with this condition for so many years, and missing so many marathons because of it, I was almost ready to consider it.
I actually have links posted above to the products because I really believe in them as well. I have the achilles and the wrist wraps pregnancy induced carpal tunnel…who knew!
I agree. The body does have the ability to heal itself and it is best to avoid surgery. Just wanted to say a big thank you for this post as it seems to have finally cured my problems. I tore a calf muscle 5 years ago and ever since have had AT problems. Despite huge amounts of rest and stretching of the problem calf it always came back. I read your article and it made sense so I spent the last month resting and doing the exercises.
I knew it was going to work for me when the day after I could barely walk due to the pain in my calf — it was clearly a part of the muscle that was very very weak in me. That was a month ago. I ran yesterday and for the first time in 5 years felt nothing in my achilles at all, nor this morning. I will continue the exercises as I slowly up my mileage and fingers crossed it continues like yesterday. Thanks for sharing Niall, and that is why we do what we do!
Thank you for letting us know, and best of luck with the rest of your running…. Just wanted to add one thing which hopefully can be confirmed by one of the coaches. As I posted in June this nailed a long running Achilles problem I had. I would just add that this exercise is worth doing with foot straight, slightly pointing inwards and slightly pointing outwards.
By changing the foot position and doing the exercises I found it strengthened all of the soleus that I needed to run pain free. Hope that might help anyone with similar problems. Hi Niall, thanks for checking in. Yes, that would make sense, and we are happy to hear that you found this exercise worked for you, especially with the slight modification you mentioned.
Thanks for sharing, and this may help other runners. We appreciate it! Best of luck with your training! I have IAT in my left foot , it has been there for around 5 months. I have tried a lot of things to treat my foot. Then I went to a physiotherapist ,he advised me to treat it by putting the foot in a bucket of warm water with salt in it for min daily.
Can you tell me what is the use of these tablets as they are clearly not for treating IAT. I want to ask you if cycling has any affect on the injured part?
In the beginning when I started experiencing pain ,it was during running but when i stopped running ,it pained only when it was pressed. I also wanted to know for whom this heel drop exercise is for, is it for the people who have problem even in walking due to IAT or for someone like me who has pain only while pressing the injured area. Hello, thanks for reaching out and sharing your story.
The detail you gave helps us to understand a little more. If you do not feel pain in your achilles while cycling, it has probably not been doing any damage or making it any worse. If you feel pain during or after, then it may have prolonged recovery. AS for the exercises, we are happy to hear that you are feeling better with the exercises, and it would be a good idea for you to continue them as prevention. These exercises are great for preventing achilles injuries, which you may be at risk of again in the future.
Good luck! Increased my running to prepare for a Rugged Maniac…this included hill running. Yesterday I was going to do a light run. Yesterday it was sore… I iced, wrapped and elevated throughout the day. I will continue my icing and wrapping…but, is it possible to do Rugged Maniac in 6 days.
In a tough spot because the girl I like wants me to do race with her haha. Hi Corey, thanks for reaching out.
Sorry to hear about your achilles pain. It is impossible for us to tell you as we cannot see it, but if you do have a tear and you do decide to do it, you could be putting yourself out for a very long time. It would probably be better to race and go support the girl anyway!!
Follow the advice in this guide, and hopefully this helps! Ultimately it is your choice! To confirm, I assume I should start or continue, but this time add weight when they become easy the flat ground eccentric exercises now, even with mild soreness?
And should I stick to 3 x 15 twice daily 90 per day total , or will even more help as some other places say? Hi Dave, Sorry to hear about your achilles pain. Yes, you are correct, that should all allow your AT to calm down enough to continue running, as long as you continue to listen to your body and what it is telling you.
Hi, After 10 yrs on and off with chronic tendinopathy, and various treatments, some worked for a while. I decided to see a Specialist who has researched and developed model and framework on this condition.
The most up to date treatment for achilles chronic tendinopathy is tailored to the individual. If u have a chronic condition eccentric may work for a time but eventually come back. Isometric exercises are a vital component in the treatment. Talking from experience. Most with a chronic condition are complex. Its all about the kenetic chain, not purely isolating the gastroc or soleus with treatment. Glutes come into it. Muscle imbalance and muscle atropy. Im writing this because i know hoele frustrating it can be to be doing what we think to be the right thing for our tendon but only eccentric exercises wont do the trick if you have a chronic condition.
All the best. Very informative article. My question is about the timing of performing the heel drop exercises. I usually run in the evenings, does it make sense to do one set before and one set after the run? Thanks for your help! Hi Russell, thanks for reaching out. These may be a little more painful in the morning, but as we mentioned in the post, it is okay to have some pain. If your achilles is particularly sore right now, by all means start with them just in the evening, and then add in another time during the day also.
Hope that helps! I injured my achilles in July After six months of pain I went to a local podiatrist who diagnosed me with insertional achilles tendonitis. He recommended the calf achilles stretching only. After three months of no progress doing these stretches I began researching online for other options.
I read your article and immediately began the modified heel drops. I did them throughout the day and was still in intense pain most of the time and walked with a severe limp. Six months later I am back to full motion, no pain, and able to walk without the limp. I have added the modified heel drops to my regular exercises and continue to do them daily. Thank you so much for the in-depth article and giving me back my mobility.
Best, zz. Hi My doctor recently told me I had AT but he never specifically said which one. I am training for a marathon and I am 3 months into my training the actual marathon is in march. I recently swapped from a normal Nike trainer to Nike Free Fly knit shoe.
To me pressure hurt it and also it looked as though a bone had swollen not a tendon because the swelling was hard.
But the doctor told me to stop running and do calf raises. Resting calmed it down but I think this is only because I am not doing the exercise that was irritating it. Does this sound like AT to you? I recognised a lot of what you were saying in the article and I really want to be able to finish this marathon!
So I will start the exercises, what do you recommend I do about me shoes? I saw in the comments that the more people wore their minimalist shoes or barefoot the more it improved. Hi Amy, sorry to hear about your pain. As you are still a good amount of time away from your marathon, it is important to get this taken care of now before you really get into the part where it could affect you and put your training to a stop.
The calf raises ill probably still help, but it would be impossible for us to diagnose what is going on, however, if you try the recommendations in this post, and notice it starts to feel better, then you are doing the right things. Otherwise it would be best to follow what your doctor is saying. As for shoes, you may have to try around with a few different types, to see which ones help to ease the irritation, sometimes runners find those minimal shoes actually make it worse as they have a lower heel to toe drop which makes the achilles work harder.
Is there a reason you are in those flyknit? They may be a little too light for your every day training, it would be best to go to a running store and try a few pairs of running shoes on to see which ones feel most comfortable to you.
Sorry we cannot be more specific! Let us know if we can do anything else! I am a 62 year old female and have had Insertional AT in both heels for two years. I then formed bone spurs on the back of my left heal. Was then dignosed with Haglunds Syndrome and told by Orthopedic surgeon that I needed surgery to shave the bone spurs and lengthen the tendon.
I have stopped playing completely for almost 4 weeks now, and have been doing the IAT exercises along with the encumbant bike which does not exasperate the archillies because of foot position. My husband is a massage therapist and has been doing deep massage on my calves, heels and under foot.
I also use ice and heat on and off and roll my calves. Things have been improving slowly but still have soreness and stiffness in my left heel. I have read in blogs that some people have had good results by aggressively massaging their heels with vaseline nightly. I notice in a couple of replies here that massage was not recommended as it is thought to agrivate the situation.
Now I am wondering if I should stop massage and just continue with exercises. Would love any thoughts regarding this. Also want to say thank you to everyone involved in these posts. It is so helpful to realize that I am not alone with this persistent and frustrating injury. Hi Heather, sorry to hear about your AT, glad it is slowly getting better.
The massaging technique is risky, especially for those who are not certified. We try to base our posts off the science and the evidence backed research studies. We would recommend you follow the treatment plan we have in this post, and see how you get on. Glad the discussion was able to help you, and hopefully provide you some comfort too!
We know how frustrating this injury can be! This is a great summary of the problem with tendonitis and it offers the right exercises to come back from this injury. I have had this for about 7 months and it was really depressing.
Sometimes the achilles seemed almost ok and no pain occured. But then all of a sudden it hit back. So and forth I struggled with this ugly injury losing hope. The exercises presented here really helped me and after about 2 months of exercising, the pain left and the achilles seemed to get normal. Thanks for this valuable information. And keep patience guys! It really heals very long! Hi Paul, thank you so much for the kind words.
We really appreciate you letting us know how much it helped, that is exactly why we put so much time and energy into articles like this. If there is anything else we can help with in the future, please let us know! Now go enjoy your training…. I definitely overused my arms, but for all the other areas I have no clue. Oddly, once I stopped the crazy amounts of stretching my tendons started feeling better again.
Not so sore and achey! Pain at the bottom of my heels at insertion and at midpoint…. My question involves not knowing how to proceed given certain painful symptoms. When this all started I had stabbing heel pain randomly while I was walking and always going upstairs, but then it became super sore tender spot on my midpoints. By the end of this period my left glute became so unbearable tight I had to stop.
I started very gradually again and not using full weight at first. The midpoint calf drops made my calfs and then my shins so sore, but I loved it!
The soreness subsided and I had very little symptoms during and after the exercises So excited! I started getting the super sharp pain in my heel like at the beginning of the year. Just the left side, the right side was fine and it occurred during the first 3 drops of the entire exercise and then for the rest of the day I would intermittently get the sharp heel pain going up stairs.
The pain is directly on the inside of my heel near the bottom and sometimes on the outside of my heel. What could this be? Thoughts, suggestions, advice? After 3 days of trying to calf drop anyway, I stopped the exercises and the sharp pain no longer intermittently accompanies me up stairs or randomly while stepping on flat ground…On the last day of trying I did the exercises once in the morning and it reproduced the sharp pain.
Been resting the past 5 days. Then, I stood on my toes for about 5 seconds yesterday and oddly enough the sharp pain came back for the rest of the day whenever I went upstairs. What is going on? Also, my left glute is still insanely tight. Hi AJ, it is definitely possible to have AT in both areas, it sounds like you definitely have AT, and the stretching you talked about was making it worse. We would recommend using our guide to rehab you back to strength, it is unlikely that it will go away on its own.
If not, it would probably be safest to go see a physician to see if something else is going on. Best of luck with your recovery! Thank you so much for responding. I read the link on hip strength. I am more than willing to strengthen my hips, but earlier this year I was doing the bridges mentioned in the link you sent, in addition to physical therapist prescribed chair squats and a couple of other exercises for the supposed patellar tendonitis I developed several weeks after the achilles tendonisitis.
The pateller tedonitis went away yay! Still trying though. Would strengthening my hips possibly give relief to my tight left glute? Or would it cramp up more? Maybe my hips are the underlying cause of the patellar tenonidit and the achilles? Hi AJ, sorry to hear that the physicians have been less than helpful.
I would recommend listening to this podcast episode with brad Beer, he talks about the frustration of not finding a specialist who can help, but everyone CAN run pain free, you just need to find the right person.
It might provide you with some comfort. Worth a try right? Both chronically inflamed, I just could not seem to get them better. After a visit to a specialist I ended up completing a course of ACP autologous conditioned plasma injections.
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Skip to main content. Bones muscles and joints. Home Bones muscles and joints. Achilles tendinopathy. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. About Achilles tendinopathy Tendons explained Symptoms of Achilles tendinopathy Degrees of severity of Achilles tendinopathy Causes of Achilles tendinopathy Diagnosis of Achilles tendinopathy Treatment for Achilles tendinopathy Prevention of Achilles tendinopathy Where to get help. About Achilles tendinopathy Achilles tendinopathy is a painful condition affecting the Achilles tendon, which attaches the calf muscles to the heel bone.
Tendons explained A tendon is a band of connective tissue that anchors muscle to bone. You may need two to three physiotherapy sessions a week for about six weeks. It can take time to build up the eccentric exercises your physiotherapist gives you to do. Your GP may refer you to a sports medicine specialist or orthopaedic doctor. You may be recommended to try some other treatments.
Some of these are relatively new and may only be available as part of a research programme. Your GP can refer you to a specialist foot and ankle surgeon, who may want to do a scan to check the condition of your tendon.
The surgeon may need to use tissue from higher up your Achilles tendon, or from another one of your tendons, to do these repairs. Your wound may take time to heal and leave scars. Achilles tendinopathy is usually caused by overusing your Achilles tendon. This can cause very small tears to develop in your tendon. You may be more likely to get Achilles tendinopathy as you get older.
This is because your Achilles tendon becomes less flexible as you get older and less able to cope with strain. Sports and other activities can put a lot of stress on your Achilles tendon. You may also increase your risk of damage if you:. A podiatrist specialises in conditions that affect the feet and can analyse the way you walk. They can also advise you about wearing the right footwear to suit your feet, posture and activities.
Wearing orthotics special inserts in each shoe may help to treat and prevent Achilles tendinopathy. If you have a low foot arch, this increases the stress on your Achilles tendon. You can buy orthotics from pharmacies or other retailers or they can be custom-made for you by a podiatrist.
Ask your physiotherapist or podiatrist for advice. It can take weeks or even months to recover from Achilles tendinopathy. In most people, the pain and movement get better after around 12 weeks.
Wearing well-fitting shoes can help to prevent Achilles tendinopathy and stop it coming back. This will also depend on the shape of your feet and how you walk. You may need different shoes for different sports. A podiatrist can give you advice. Running shoes will give your feet and ankles the right support. A specialist sports shop can assess your feet and posture to help you choose the right shoes. Wearing high heels can put extra stress on your Achilles tendon, especially if you have a low arch, so try not to wear high heels very often.
Walking barefoot indoors may help to ease the stress on your tendon if you have a low arch. Our short survey takes just a few minutes to complete and helps us to keep improving our health information. At Bupa we produce a wealth of free health information for you and your family. This is because we believe that trustworthy information is essential in helping you make better decisions about your health and wellbeing.
It also follows the principles of the The Information Standard. An Achilles tendon rupture is when you tear the tissue that connects your calf muscle to your heel bone. Not only does regular exercise help you manage your weight and reduce your risk of developing diseases, it can help prevent and treat mental health problems. This information was published by Bupa's Health Content Team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been reviewed by appropriate medical or clinical professionals and deemed accurate on the date of review.
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The information contained on this page and in any third party websites referred to on this page is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice nor is it intended to be for medical diagnosis or treatment. Third party websites are not owned or controlled by Bupa and any individual may be able to access and post messages on them.
Bupa is not responsible for the content or availability of these third party websites. We do not accept advertising on this page. For more details on how we produce our content and its sources, visit the About our health information section. Back to top Menu. Achilles tendinopathy. Expert reviewer, Mr Damian McClelland , Trauma and Orthopaedic Consultant, and Clinical Director for Musculoskeletal Services at Bupa Next review due August Achilles tendinopathy is an injury to the band of tissue tendon that runs down the back of your lower leg to your heel.
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