I am a keen (but not TurboFetter elite standard) runner and unfortunately I picked up an achilles injury six weeks ago (I have never suffered with achilles issues). I have been running up to 10 miles this season and I was ‘just’ doing a 10k race – I was fine during the race (no indication of issues) however immediately on finishing (well after about two minutes as I sat down briefly) my achilles hurt pretty badly (causing enough discomfort to make me limp).

I went to see my physio and she gave me some exercises and all seems to be doing okay (she did say that I had caught it really early) so I tried a gentle 1.5 mile run yesterday and all seems okay (just a VERY faint background niggle but that might just be in my head).

So my question is (as my physio is on holiday FFS), is six weeks enough recovery time as I am mindful that coming back too early from such injuries can set you back more? And, given that it held up okay, would another short run later in the week (or even a parkrun on Saturday) be a sensible thing to do?

Any advice gratefully received!

There have been several threads on this quite recently and many over the years. I commented on this one which may be helpful but is really my thoughts and experience of such injuries.

Achilles Tweak…

IME no – I was training for a 1/2 and was suffering a bit of tightness, when a mate pointed out my whole ankle had ballooned. I then kept running and suffered a very bad achilles strain. Had to hobble home and couldn’t walk for a week.

I kept trying to get back to running too quickly and each time it recurred. The only thing that worked for me was staying off it for about three months (i.e. not running or walking too far), whilst doing the physio exercises throughout.

Of course, YMMV (literally!) dependent on age, fitness etc but that’s my experience.

Personally, if it was fine for a gentle 1.5 miler I’d be happy to do a gentle 2/2.5 miles later in the week. I’d be making sure it was on a flat ish, ideally soft surface though (a running track is ideal if you have one close by). I’d add the proviso that it’d need to be slow, and that I’d stop if/when I got any discomfort.

As you say, you don’t want to re-aggravate it, but part of the recovery is getting it used to running again and 2 miles on a flat, soft surface is about as good as it gets.

I’d not do parkrun as if it was me it’d be all too tempting to go a bit fast. That may say more about me than you though.

I’d not do parkrun as if it was me it’d be all too tempting to go a bit fast. That may say more about me than you though.

You are right – I would want to go fast (that’s fast for me which I know isn’t in the same league as your ‘fast’)!

Cheers

Return for me took about 6months from granny-2k runs to build up to a very tame half marathon time.

Don’t rush it, you’ll **** yourself.