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Ouch achilles

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I have been doing 10km a game in the middle +/- a bit. But the last two weeks I have had a really sore right achilles after. I have done 3 middles and 3 lines in the last two weeks. And feeling great except for this.

I am icing it, i put in gel heels and an ankle sock but faaaaaak. So far it has recovered ok but after tonight's game it feels stiffer and a little more painful. Faaaaak I only have 4 weeks left of the season and a promotion push and I think I am faaaaked.

Ironically it might have been triggered by a couple of weeks prior of wearing flat day shoes!
Any tips gratefully received...
 
The Referee Store
I have been doing 10km a game in the middle +/- a bit. But the last two weeks I have had a really sore right achilles after. I have done 3 middles and 3 lines in the last two weeks. And feeling great except for this.

I am icing it, i put in gel heels and an ankle sock but faaaaaak. So far it has recovered ok but after tonight's game it feels stiffer and a little more painful. Faaaaak I only have 4 weeks left of the season and a promotion push and I think I am faaaaked.

Ironically it might have been triggered by a couple of weeks prior of wearing flat day shoes!
Any tips gratefully received...
Go back to wearing high heels for your day job?

Seriously though standing on the bottom step of some stairs and doing heel raises and drops can strengthen Achilles tendons and surrounding muscle to support it better.
 
I've been seeing a physio recently for a ATF ligament injury (outside of the ball of the ankle) and Brian's suggestion is one of the exercises he's been having me do for that. Do it on both feet initially and then once you can do 3 sets of 20-ish reps with no pain, drop back to 10 reps on only the injured leg and build back up to sets of 20 from there. If that's still OK, add weight in the form of a heavy backpack and start again.

I don't know if this is the way all physio's work, but he's placed a big emphasis on re-building surrounding muscles as well, to avoid related injuries nearby. If you can keep your calf muscle strong while rehab-ing, you'll reduce the chance of a knee injury developing as a result.
 
Significant calf stretching is needed, as Brian says stair raises will give a full movement of the tendon and linked muscles. Look up stretching techniques such as standing stretches for both upper and lower calf.

Usually such injuries are related to overuse, but if it continues after rest and stretching consider some physio as early treatment and diagnosis is key. If you push, you can ask your doctor for an ultrasound scan to rule out tendonitis.
 
i had something similar at the back end of last season, and i sought advice from 2 different physios.
the first recommended resting it completely for a few weeks, which i a) didnt agree with, and b) didnt want to do as i still had fixtures coming up i didnt want to pull out of.... hence the second opinion.
she recommended icing and stretching exercises as per @Brian Hamilton , that did the trick... it was still sore for a period but improved daily, even after exercise
 
Yeah, I tried resting mine and although it recovered to the point that I could go about my daily life without too much trouble, going up stairs or running for more than about 5 minutes never came close to being OK. Hence the physio.
 
I have one of these at the minute. I am finding the stretching exercises mentioned above and using tiger balm on it daily is really helping.

I blame the hard pitches we have at the moment!!!
 
I blame the hard pitches we have at the moment!!!

That was the bit I had forgotten! I knew there was something - first recommendation would be for heel pads which raise the heel slightly and provide much greater shock absorption. The hard ground plays havoc as football boots are not normally the most comfy or padded in the heel area
 
I am doing most of my games on fake grass with the rubber pellets, so yes, hard ground could be a factor.
Heel gels in have certainly changed the use of calf and related muscles.
Thanks for the encouragement. I am monopolising any steps I find and doing the raisin's :)
 
What helps me a lot is a long warm-up before a match. Walk around the pitch 2-3 times, calf raises, lateral lunge... when getting older a gradual use of legs is important.
 
Vintage thread from the end of summer. I did get a trainer in October and a routine to help with the achilles, including dynamic stretches and heel drops. The heel drops started gently though - up on two, down on one heels. I learnt a lot of other dynamic stretches as well to help my stiff right knee from crabbing, and an upper back strain (climbing - stoopid). Dynamic stretches. Oh and heel gels and compression socks after heavy exercise;)

I got the heel fixed well. The shoulder has been a real niggle though. I'm 43 so have to be careful.
 
Vintage thread from the end of summer. I did get a trainer in October and a routine to help with the achilles, including dynamic stretches and heel drops. The heel drops started gently though - up on two, down on one heels. I learnt a lot of other dynamic stretches as well to help my stiff right knee from crabbing, and an upper back strain (climbing - stoopid). Dynamic stretches. Oh and heel gels and compression socks after heavy exercise;)

I got the heel fixed well. The shoulder has been a real niggle though. I'm 43 so have to be careful.

Blooming youth, try having postural back issues, rotator cuff tears and calf muscle pulls at 61!........
 
Noooooo! Don't do the heel drops on a damaged Achilles unless your physio tells you you can......get professional advice!
Yes, best piece of advice that can be given. After my Achilles tear I had a certified trainer create a program to recover from that injury. Being 51 it was a 9 month program that gradually strengthened my muscles and brought me back to my old self. But after an injury of that caliper, there is a greater risk of that injury, so now I have a program to follow year round so I can referee, play tennis, and etc.
 
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