Tender tendon
June 4, 2007 10:04 PM Subscribe
When do I need to pay attention to pain in my Achilles tendon?
Last October I hyper-extended my Achilles tendon. It hurt a lot for a couple of weeks and then hurt only if I hassled it- usually by squatting for a long period or lifting heavy things from a squat, the next day after which my heel would have sharp pains (only on the heel where the tendon seems to attach) until it stretched out a little from walking on it. Then it would just ache slightly. At the actual time of the insult, it hardly ever hurts past a little ache, which means I don't notice it and ignore it.
I recently aggravated it for the first time in a couple of months, and I'm wondering how much I should be babying it. When I'm on the treadmill, at a slight incline, it hurts OW! OW! OW! for about 1-2 minutes and then it doesn't. Afterwards it aches a little.
Can I keep treadmilling? Should I learn some stretches? (Any suggestions on those, btw?)
Thanks, all. Anything sports-injury-like is new and alien ground for me.
Last October I hyper-extended my Achilles tendon. It hurt a lot for a couple of weeks and then hurt only if I hassled it- usually by squatting for a long period or lifting heavy things from a squat, the next day after which my heel would have sharp pains (only on the heel where the tendon seems to attach) until it stretched out a little from walking on it. Then it would just ache slightly. At the actual time of the insult, it hardly ever hurts past a little ache, which means I don't notice it and ignore it.
I recently aggravated it for the first time in a couple of months, and I'm wondering how much I should be babying it. When I'm on the treadmill, at a slight incline, it hurts OW! OW! OW! for about 1-2 minutes and then it doesn't. Afterwards it aches a little.
Can I keep treadmilling? Should I learn some stretches? (Any suggestions on those, btw?)
Thanks, all. Anything sports-injury-like is new and alien ground for me.
I concur: see a sports doc or an orthopedic doctor. Don't rely on your walk-in clinic. Orthopedic doctors have a level of specialized knowledge that is far beyond your GP or an ER physician. They deal with this kind of thing all the time, and can probably give you a treatment plan before you even finish your explanation.
posted by The Deej at 10:20 PM on June 4, 2007
posted by The Deej at 10:20 PM on June 4, 2007
Response by poster: I won't have anything to show them- it's never swollen or anything.
posted by small_ruminant at 10:30 PM on June 4, 2007
posted by small_ruminant at 10:30 PM on June 4, 2007
I won't have anything to show them- it's never swollen or anything.
Who cares if it's not swollen. Do you think back injuries are visible to doctors? No.
Doctors who specialize in sports injuries will be able to figure out what's going on most of the time by talking to you about what the pain is like, and by understanding what sorts of movements cause that pain, etc, to figure out what it is that's likely injured.
They can also, if need be, do things like ultrasound, etc, to see inflamed things that aren't obviously swollen from looking from the outside.
Seriously, you're not going to get anything valid here from askme as much as you want to avoid going to the doctor and discount the two people who said you should go see one.
Go see a doctor. Pain is the body's way of telling you something is wrong.
posted by twiggy at 10:56 PM on June 4, 2007
Who cares if it's not swollen. Do you think back injuries are visible to doctors? No.
Doctors who specialize in sports injuries will be able to figure out what's going on most of the time by talking to you about what the pain is like, and by understanding what sorts of movements cause that pain, etc, to figure out what it is that's likely injured.
They can also, if need be, do things like ultrasound, etc, to see inflamed things that aren't obviously swollen from looking from the outside.
Seriously, you're not going to get anything valid here from askme as much as you want to avoid going to the doctor and discount the two people who said you should go see one.
Go see a doctor. Pain is the body's way of telling you something is wrong.
posted by twiggy at 10:56 PM on June 4, 2007
Response by poster: okay, I'll go in. But if anyone has any ideas I'd still like to hear them.
posted by small_ruminant at 10:59 PM on June 4, 2007
posted by small_ruminant at 10:59 PM on June 4, 2007
I think I have the exact same thing. I'm seeing a physio this thursday - after a couple of months of occasional "ow" I've had enough. Will report back here if you want.
(I played in a 5-a-side football tournament - first game fine, sat still fr 15 imns, second game ow!, next two games fairly sore, next two days limping, now occasionally stairs or moving strangely sets it off).
posted by handee at 12:18 AM on June 5, 2007
(I played in a 5-a-side football tournament - first game fine, sat still fr 15 imns, second game ow!, next two games fairly sore, next two days limping, now occasionally stairs or moving strangely sets it off).
posted by handee at 12:18 AM on June 5, 2007
Every time I have gone to a sports doctor they have said two things:
1. Rest
2. They don't know for sure what it is; they can do expensive diagnostics and refer me elsewhere if I really want to know, but treatment is going to be the same.
All in all, I have not had very satisfying encounters with sports meds; they just tell me what I already know and don't want to hear.
But since this is a recurrent injury for you, it might be helpful to get some exercises/isometric advice from the dr for the tendon. Be sure to ask about that so you get more than 1. and 2. for your money.
posted by bluenausea at 3:58 AM on June 5, 2007
1. Rest
2. They don't know for sure what it is; they can do expensive diagnostics and refer me elsewhere if I really want to know, but treatment is going to be the same.
All in all, I have not had very satisfying encounters with sports meds; they just tell me what I already know and don't want to hear.
But since this is a recurrent injury for you, it might be helpful to get some exercises/isometric advice from the dr for the tendon. Be sure to ask about that so you get more than 1. and 2. for your money.
posted by bluenausea at 3:58 AM on June 5, 2007
For mild injuries, the achilles probably won't swell like muscle injuries as it gets crappy blood flow in the first. I pulled/strained/something mine a few years ago and the doctor pretty much told me, "Yea, resting it's not going to help any faster so feel free to run [cross country] if you can tolerate the pain." I find the healing part dubious, but I did continue to run with no ill effects now.
And FWIW, I've had a wide array of leg injuries and the Achilles is the worst of them simply because it affects every bloody step moreso than other injuries.
posted by jmd82 at 5:48 AM on June 5, 2007
And FWIW, I've had a wide array of leg injuries and the Achilles is the worst of them simply because it affects every bloody step moreso than other injuries.
posted by jmd82 at 5:48 AM on June 5, 2007
All in all, I have not had very satisfying encounters with sports meds; they just tell me what I already know and don't want to hear.
I have had a lot of luck going to a doctor recommended by people in my sport, who also used to compete, and in going to a sports therapy place, as opposed to one that does physical therapy for people who have been in accidents, etc. In both cases, they have not tried to tell me to just rest (which is, in general, bad advice, because what is happening to you happens: it gets annoyed again as soon as you start up).
posted by dame at 6:16 AM on June 5, 2007
I have had a lot of luck going to a doctor recommended by people in my sport, who also used to compete, and in going to a sports therapy place, as opposed to one that does physical therapy for people who have been in accidents, etc. In both cases, they have not tried to tell me to just rest (which is, in general, bad advice, because what is happening to you happens: it gets annoyed again as soon as you start up).
posted by dame at 6:16 AM on June 5, 2007
2. They don't know for sure what it is; they can do expensive diagnostics and refer me elsewhere if I really want to know, but treatment is going to be the same.
I have not had the same experience. I've had to go a couple of times, once for a back injury and once for a knee injury, and both of them were identified and taken care of quite well.
If you have a bad experience you should try another doctor, seriously. The body is a pretty elegant thing, and pain is its warning system that you shouldn't be doing whatever it is you're doing. Most of the time, it's right.
posted by twiggy at 6:37 AM on June 5, 2007
I have not had the same experience. I've had to go a couple of times, once for a back injury and once for a knee injury, and both of them were identified and taken care of quite well.
If you have a bad experience you should try another doctor, seriously. The body is a pretty elegant thing, and pain is its warning system that you shouldn't be doing whatever it is you're doing. Most of the time, it's right.
posted by twiggy at 6:37 AM on June 5, 2007
Nthing the sports medicine route. If they're really paranoid, they'll order an MRI to see if there's a partial tear. At the very least, they might refer you to some PT or suggest some exercises to keep it stretched, plus maybe some Advil to keep down inflammation. If you're flat-footed, orthotics might be another route.
Obviously, you want to avoid doing further damage to the Achilles. I tore mine about two years ago, and it was a long, slow, difficult path to normalcy.
posted by adverb at 6:52 AM on June 5, 2007
Obviously, you want to avoid doing further damage to the Achilles. I tore mine about two years ago, and it was a long, slow, difficult path to normalcy.
posted by adverb at 6:52 AM on June 5, 2007
Response by poster: Thanks, all. I'll email my GP and see what she says- I can't get to a sports doctor without her referral.
My experience has been the same as bluenausea's, usually combined with irritation that I'm wasting their time when there are people with REAL problems that need to be seen.
twiggy, in my experience, most of the pains I end up with can be safely disregarded. I suspect this is the same, (as was jmd82's experience), but I'm not sure. I'll get it checked out by an MD.
posted by small_ruminant at 9:57 AM on June 5, 2007
My experience has been the same as bluenausea's, usually combined with irritation that I'm wasting their time when there are people with REAL problems that need to be seen.
twiggy, in my experience, most of the pains I end up with can be safely disregarded. I suspect this is the same, (as was jmd82's experience), but I'm not sure. I'll get it checked out by an MD.
posted by small_ruminant at 9:57 AM on June 5, 2007
In case you're still watching: my Physio said I have a minor case of tendonitis. (To recap - did something to the achilles a few months ago, it has never quite gone away, much worse in the morning, occasionally hurts during the day, always stiff, worst when squatting, walking up steep inclines, or going down stairs - sounds much the same as yours).
She advised stretching and gentle non-impact exercise (x-trainer, bike but not, like, mountain biking: no standing on the pedals). The stretches she gave me were:
* Sitting down on a surface with leg straight, use a towel or a pillowcase over the ball of the foot to gently stretch the achilles. If it starts to hurt, ease off.
* On stairs, stand with the balls of both feet on the same step (holding on to the rail) and drop the heels below the level of the step stretching achilles and calf.
Both of these stretches are 3x/day and hold for 30s unless they hurt.
She also did some tissue work (like hard massage) on my calf as that was tight - I am not sure it that is due to the injury or whether I've just got chunky calf muscles.
posted by handee at 1:05 AM on June 8, 2007
She advised stretching and gentle non-impact exercise (x-trainer, bike but not, like, mountain biking: no standing on the pedals). The stretches she gave me were:
* Sitting down on a surface with leg straight, use a towel or a pillowcase over the ball of the foot to gently stretch the achilles. If it starts to hurt, ease off.
* On stairs, stand with the balls of both feet on the same step (holding on to the rail) and drop the heels below the level of the step stretching achilles and calf.
Both of these stretches are 3x/day and hold for 30s unless they hurt.
She also did some tissue work (like hard massage) on my calf as that was tight - I am not sure it that is due to the injury or whether I've just got chunky calf muscles.
posted by handee at 1:05 AM on June 8, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
"Don't do that..."
Honestly, you should find a doctor who specializes in sports injuries and ask him. Don't listen to AskMeFi answers, because no two bodies are alike, no two threshholds for pain are alike, and nobody but a doctor who actually examines you is qualified to give you advice on this.
Do not ignore pain.
posted by twiggy at 10:07 PM on June 4, 2007