A&H

Achilles tendon

Will_A

Well-Known Member
Level 4 Referee
I’ve been struggling so far this season with suspected tendonitis in my Achilles.
Has anyone else ever had the same and if so how did you treat it?
I’m resting as much as my fixture schedule will allow and icing the tendon after a game but it still bothers me for a few days after each match.

Not to the extent where I can’t get through a game or work but enough that it’s getting on my nerves!
 
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Been there done that.

Outside of the usual stuff ie. rest, ice and anti inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen there's little you can do mate.

Try taking more Omega 3 fish oil into your diet which will work it's way in there over time and do it good.

Achilles problems are generally related to tight calf or hamstrings so ensure you incorporate a good stretching routine for all 3 prior to a game and avoid being immobile for more than a few minutes after the match has finished. (I know that's easier said than done when you have to drive home).

If it worsens, the only thing that will make it go away ultimately is weeks/months of rest and physio unfortunately. Achilles flesh tends to scar inside easily which will eventually make every occasion of soreness a little worse and compound the problem.

As I said, I speak from experience (although I was in my 50's when it began to plague me). After months of the above, I eventually had to have surgery to correct it.

Good luck with it. :(
 
Been there done that.

Outside of the usual stuff ie. rest, ice and anti inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen there's little you can do mate.

Try taking more Omega 3 fish oil into your diet which will work it's way in there over time and do it good.

Achilles problems are generally related to tight calf or hamstrings so ensure you incorporate a good stretching routine for all 3 prior to a game and avoid being immobile for more than a few minutes after the match has finished. (I know that's easier said than done when you have to drive home).

If it worsens, the only thing that will make it go away ultimately is weeks/months of rest and physio unfortunately. Achilles flesh tends to scar inside easily which will eventually make every occasion of soreness a little worse and compound the problem.

As I said, I speak from experience (although I was in my 50's when it began to plague me). After months of the above, I eventually had to have surgery to correct it.

Good luck with it. :(
Oh joy!

I’ll give the omega 3 a try, cheers for the tip.
I am a bit slack with warm ups to be honest, always been fortunate that I’ve never really needed to worry about it. Time for that to change!
 
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Warmups become much more important the older you get. Not just to prevent injuries during the game, but also to prevent soreness and potential injury in the days after.

I had achilles problems for a while, and I have always had calf issues, so there is definitely a link. I was told to stand with my toes on the edge of a step whilst holding onto the handrails, then slowly lower my heels together, slowly come back up, and repeat. That worked a treat for me, both for achilles and calf problems.
 
Oh joy!

I’ll give the omega 3 a try, cheers for the tip.
I am a bit slack with warm ups to be honest, always been fortunate that I’ve never really needed to worry about it. Time for that to change!

Mackerel, pilchards, sardines etc. All a great source of fish oil mate.
If fish ain't for you then you can buy capsules in any supermarket or health store.
Works best early on with Achilles pain ie before you start hobbling after/during every match. 😉
 
I've never really had any injuries and I've just started with the exact same symptoms this year. I've always played alot of sport as well as reffed (which I started 5 years ago) and never had any long lasting issues but now I'm struggling to walk when I get out of bed in the mornings due to sore achillies which also rises up my lower leg too. As I get moving during the day it eases up. Been like this since I started up pre season games in July
 
Agree with all the advice given by other posts plus I had shock wave therapy and wore air compression boots which I continue to use. I can now run without the achilles pain
 
Yoga.

Once a week I go to a yoga class. For me, its not about the spiritual side, or wellbeing, but for the stretching. For an hour a week I just stretch. My suppleness, balance and flexibility have all improved.

Exercise like running (either for training or whilst refereeing) makes our muscles “stronger” but it also makes them tighter. Look at body builders - they may be as strong as an ox, but they can barely bend and flex - that’s because their muscle fibres are so taught.

Stretching (through, for example, yoga) loosens those muscle fibres and will help prevent injury. @RustyRef correctly highlights the importance of warming up. Just as important is warming down after exercise. Through my yoga, I have a 5/10 minute routine of stretches I do after exercise - this is great time to stretch as your muscles are already loose
 
Have you thought about wearing compression socks, either during or after the game? That may also help.
 
@Will_A I too had been struggling with my Achilles for a number of months (back end of last season in particular)

I rested it throughout May and after seeing a physio, was told that was definitely the wrong thing to do!

Apparently tendons need "load" and to keep active / stretched. I've been doing lots of calf based stretching and heel dips on the stairs to keep load on the tendon. Usual anti-inflammatories and gels especially the day before a game and gameday.

The other thing to check is footwear. I'd changed my day-to-day trainers and match boots and that's when the problems started. I've reverted back to my old boots and trainers (that have a better support/fit) and problems have subsided.

Well worth seeing a physio for a session or two.
 
3 games in 5 days coming up so we’ll see how it holds up!

Plenty of stretching and compression socks!
 
Having same problems. Need to ease back on the running load, but also NOT rest. Twice a day I do heel dips, using a book on the floor, lowering down slowly - it's called 'eccentric strengthening'. 3 sets of 15, with straight leg, then repeated with knee forward. Slowly getting better. Been working on it for about 2 months. Last step in rehab in double leg hopping on the spot - again daily. Each day the tendon wants some sort of loading challenge, while at the same time being careful not to overdo it and take a step backwards. On game day nothing except the game itself.. Hope that helps.
 
I think my achilles pain has been 3 or 4 years in the making. One recent research opinion I came across is that poor calf muscle function means the achilles takes more of a strain (lengthening) for each time foot lands. Weighted calf raises in the gym help to get the calf muscles better working - I noticed a significant weakness in the leg with achilles pain. Either way once the tendon has an issue it also needs the rehab I mentioned above to sort it out...

Seems loads of people get in a cycle of getting pain, resting for a few days.... rinse and repeat for 5 years until tendon ruptures or they stop running.....
 
A mixture of stretching, ibuprofen gel and compression socks seems to have helped ease the trouble a fair bit.

I still have a dull ache the next day but very little trouble during the game.

I’ve had a run of sat/wed/sat/mon so far the last week or so and I’m still walking! Just Thursday and Saturday to go before a rest! 😂
 
I think my achilles pain has been 3 or 4 years in the making. One recent research opinion I came across is that poor calf muscle function means the achilles takes more of a strain (lengthening) for each time foot lands. Weighted calf raises in the gym help to get the calf muscles better working - I noticed a significant weakness in the leg with achilles pain. Either way once the tendon has an issue it also needs the rehab I mentioned above to sort it out...

Seems loads of people get in a cycle of getting pain, resting for a few days.... rinse and repeat for 5 years until tendon ruptures or they stop running.....
My calf weakness strained the Achilles meaning the calf had to take more load and ended up with badly damaged soleus tendons in both legs. Part of my issue was that I've always been overweight while refereeing. I am an ex-rugby league prop forward meaning the load from my upper body weight put additional strain on joints and tendons.

This was the issue that finished my career and sent me back to just refereeing Juniors/Sunday League. My advice stretch, strengthen, surgery. Option 3 as a last resort as its a long and expensive road to recovery.
 
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