masterstrack.com

The No. 1 site for masters track discussions

Login | Register

Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 

Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:18 am

Offline
Junior Masters Athlete
Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:32 am
Posts: 1

I have been dealing with this injury for about 2 years. I will describe details below, however a lesson I've learned and I imagine most other masters athletes will learn is we need to listen to our bodies more than when we were young and it takes FOREVER to heal.

Now for my Achilles injury, two years ago during the winter I was doing the Achilles stretches I did when I was young, i.e. keeping my heel on the ground and leaning forward to feel the stretch. This time I felt a little “something” not a pop, not pain, maybe a little “give”. I do not know how to describe it better. Anyway I went ahead and ran, 100s and during the workout I felt discomfort and eventually a little pain. The next day I could barely walk due to pain in the Achilles tendon. Clearly I had injured it during the stretch and ran on it making it much worse. The point is there was little to no pain during the workout, but the next day………!!

I think I stayed off of it for 2-3 months and competed fairly normally during the summer. I did get an Achilles strap which seemed to help [who really knows?].

Next season it was feeling ok and I was jumping rope to strengthen my calves. During a workout over hurdles on a slight incline I felt a pain in the same Achilles when I landed on it [it is on my lead leg], which surprised me because it seemed completely healed from the prior year. I iced it some and it felt better and I competed in the 400 IH a couple of weeks later, after which BOTH my Achilles were so sore I could hardly walk. I attribute this to my rope jumping [which I had not done for years, of course]. So the season was over, but clearly I had Achilles trouble. The one on my right foot was clearly injuried, i.e. tender, and swollen/thickened. I went to a specialist, who thought it was not torn and probably not serious. He gave me a “night splint” to keep it stretched during the night which I have not used much.

This year I promised myself I would give it complete rest to recover and I used lots of ice which the doctor also recommended. The ice seems to be the only therapy that has a real positive affect. I also learned to assess the Achilles injury state at the following site.
http://www.achillestendon.com/default.asp

So this summer it is feeling pretty well, seems to be really healed [soreness gone, thickening mostly gone]. I was doing some eccentric stretches on some stairs.
Eccentric stretches can be found at:
http://bjsm.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/abstract/38/1/8

I think I stretched it too much and have had soreness and swelling again that seems to resolve in about 1 week after a workout or competition.

Anyway, the struggle goes on. Again I am promising myself to heal completely, then slowly build up strength by doing the eccentric stretching. Wish me luck.

My lessons are: 1) listen to your body, 2) heal completely [it will take a long time], 3) Achilles injuries are nearly painless when they happen and 4) strengthen your body everywhere.

_________________
ross jones
M53
hurdles, sprints



Top Top
  Profile

Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:20 am

 
Offline
Junior Masters Athlete
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:15 am
Posts: 2

I know this post is a little old but I still wanted to post a reply. I just returned to vaulting this year after a 14 year break. I jumped in too quickly with plyometrics and developed tendonitis, which seams to be what you have. I found a really good sports medicine doctor who prescribed prednoosne (20mg). It is an oral cortisone and works wonders in controlling the inflamation. Tendonitis is an "overuse" injury so on top of the medicine to get the inflamation down you should probably give it a few weeks (in the off season for example) to heal. By the way the medicine works way better than ibuprofen or other anti-inflamatory for this kind of injury and since it is an oral vs. injected cortisone there isn't the risk of weakening the tendon.



Top Top
  Profile

Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:22 am

 
Offline
Junior Masters Athlete
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:15 am
Posts: 2

I just noticed a spelling typo-the medicine is called prednisone



Top Top
  Profile

Sat Nov 03, 2007 9:48 pm

 
Offline
Senior Masters Athlete
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2007 3:33 pm
Posts: 13

This post has just become very relevant to me as I developed a troubling case of Achilles tendosynovitis this week! I am a physician in my "real job" and a discus thrower for fun. The October 2006 post was very good-great linked website with good info.

I am laying off my discus drills and turns until this heel feels normal again. I am using ice 3 time a day and very little ibuprofen. I have a heel orthotic and am employing very gentle and careful stretching. Too much stretching at this injured phase is not good. So I wait. I cannot afford to be hobbled by a ruptured tendon-that would be a big drag!!

As a physician who is very familiar with the drug prednisone I would caution the other athlete on taking this drug for Achilles tendonitis. While not as bad as injectable steroids, it can cause serious complications INCLUDING making the tendon MORE prone to eventually rupturing (yes, even though it was taken orally). There is nothing worse for an orthopedic surgeon to repair than a prednisone-induced, shredded, metlted, ruptured Achilles tendon. Be careful.

_________________
SE Wright M,45 Discus



Top Top
  Profile

Thu Jul 29, 2010 1:28 pm

 
Offline
Junior Masters Athlete
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:23 pm
Posts: 3
Location: Thousand Oaks, CA

There are ways to tape for achilles problems on YouTube. I had plantar fasciitis and couldn't even jog without pain. I found a way to tape for it on YouTube and was able to go full speed sprinting with no pain. Sprinted in 4 races at Nationals.



Top Top
  Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Moderators: Jess, trackinfo, Ken Stone, Larry Barnum


Search for:
Jump to:  
cron