Yesterday walking out the kitchen at work my achilles tendon “went”. Sudden agonising pain, inability to walk at anything more than a steady lurch. I’m putting it down to running (I’ve been running a couple of months, changed my routine a bit on Tuesday too) and I don’t think it’s *too* bad.

A quick google suggests that the best thing to do is immobilise it until recovered, so that’s what I’m doing now. If it deteriorates / doesn’t get better I’ll pop to the doctor.

Anyone done this? Any idea on recovery times? Anything I can do other than Xbox and Netflix recuperation time?

Get a sports injury doctor to look at it. Both myself and Madame have had inflamed tendons from over use. Three months without running for Madame and it was fine. Mine tends to come back if I do too much.

Oof. I was hoping you were going to say rest for a few days and I’ll be fine. I’ll try and get to a GP over the weekend to get it checked out.

Just read up on the potential causes (running uphill, forefoot striking, being a male over 30, using minimal or low-drop shoes and increasing speed)and basically that’s me (although I’ve been more mid striking). Doh.

I’ve not ridden a bike since August because my Achilles are so sore. Not really sure what to do now, icing does help it but the recovery seem to be so slow it’s non existent. 🙁

I think I got it from running too high a saddle on my C2C trip and not realising. I was using casual shoes with flat pedals and the more my Achilles hurt the more i pedalled toe down which I think (after doing some reading) made it even worse.

Can’t run either more than a few yards.

Getting really annoying now but not sure what I can do.

Stretching helps me, not the Achilles but everything along the back of the legs – the foot on a table and gently lean forward stretch.

Are you happy that you haven’t actually ruptured the tendon ?

Are you happy that you haven’t actually ruptured the tendon ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simmonds%27_test

Honestly I don’t have a clue what I’ve done. There’s a self referral physio service in Hull, I’ll give them a call.

@flyingmonkeycorps: How’s your calf? Any swelling, redness or other discolouration, itchiness or numbness?

I’ve not ridden a bike since August because my Achilles are so sore. Not really sure what to do now, icing does help it but the recovery seem to be so slow it’s non existent.

What interventions have you had so far?

Try the test in the link and see if you can move your foot away from you. It was more obvious when mins snapped as the tendon wasn’t there any more. That’s the bit you can pinch just above the heel. I went straight to A and E.

Shermer – none so far. Been taking painkillers. Gentle stretching, have been icing it too Was using ibuprofen 10% cream which I thought was doing some good but not sure really, the ice worked better.

Get thee to a professional.

Doctor? Physio? What can they do about it? Doctor will just presribe what I’ve been doin and put me on a waiting list for 10 weeks to see a physio for 10 mins. 🙁

@shermer – not noticeably no. If I don’t move there’s no pain, I can lurch at a funny angle ok but try and walk normally and it’s agony as I rise onto my toes after a couple of steps.

Ruptured mine a few years ago, went to A&E realising something was wrong and they did the Thomson (?) test and confirmed it almost straight away.

Basically lie face down with you feet hanging off the end of the bed, get someone to squeeze your calf and check for any reaction/movement of your foot…

Doctors can (Where’s DrP?):

Carry out an examination and simple tests
Send you for echography or an MRI scan
prescribe shock treatment (impact not electrical)
advise you

Ruptured mine in May, I think if you had done that you would be in A&E. I thought I had broke my leg it was that painful.

Thomson Test nearly put me through the roof.

Surgery and 8 Weeks in a CAM walker boot.

I can just about jog. Been riding bike ok since about august.

Robdob- get yourself to a physio. I’m feeling your pain if haven’t been able to ride since August! A GP will just refer you to one anyway. A lot of trusts let you self refer now: this means you phone up the clinic, there’ll be an assessment over the phone and then you book an appointment.

If the waiting list is too long then go private for an assessment- it’ll be around £60 and at least you’ll know what you are dealing with then. The treatment for either rupture or other stuff (bursitis etc) are quite different so it’s worth knowing what you are up against.

Also, painkillers aren’t fixing the cause of your problem- it sounds like you have something that you actively need to fix there.

Ruptured mine in May, I think if you had done that you would be in A&E. I thought I had broke my leg it was that painful.

There are several degrees of rupture, each with there own pain level and degree of impairment, so I wouldn’t rule it out just yet

flyingmonkeycorps – get yourself to a physio, get it looked at, it needs working on. Doing nothing will most likely lead to an unnecessarily long recovery.

As above, self referral or private, they are likely to offer equally high levels of expertise but private will probably get you seen sooner and for longer.

There is a self referral place as part of our NHS, I’ll give them a call and see what they say. If they recommend getting seen and there’s a huge wait then I have a recommendation of a good private physio.

I’ve just spent a fortune at a really good physio to sort my neck out. Don’t want to have to pay more. 🙁

You need to find out asap whether it’s anything serious.

Pay the £50 and visit a physio. I’ve got a friend who’s a physio. She once had a client limp in complaining of a sore achilles – Doctor had said to rest it. Yeah, he’d snapped it. You could put your finger square in the massive rupture apparently! Sounds rank. 10 second diagnosis.

Could be something, could be nothing, could be something in between, but with an achilles I simply wouldn’t risk it.

Waiting on a callback from the local NHS physio self referral place this afternoon, I’ll see what they say and take it from there.

Good luck!

Bear in mind that an “acceptable” outcome may be different for you and the NHS. Ask direct questions and don’t be afraid to push for information.

I’ll bear that in mind. I’m not averse to going private if I need to.

Robdob – what can a Dr do? They can give you an educated assessment and refer you on to whichever servce you might need. Whether that be physio of whatever sort or orthopaedics who knows.

fix (ish) mine doing strengthening ..i dont know how to explain it in words properly in english… it is like tip toeing but you slow in going down kinda.. took ages but it gets better now

Physio has suggested either A&E or Minor Injuries Clinic to get it checked out – doesn’t sound ruptured, but best to be sure. I’m not off to A&E tonight so I’ll pop into the walk in Minor Injuries tomorrow.