[hot foot]

I've had a tight feeling in my right achilles for a few months now and initially thought that it would clear up soon enough. It hasn't hindered my running as I have raced several times with the problem. I have also given it 3 or 4 weeks with virtually no running at all. Had a massage too but still no joy. It's not painful and hasn't improved or got wosre over the period. but it's really annoying. Any suggestions please???

 

[Granty]

I was going to say rest followed by massage, so bang goes that

Have you applied the cold / hot treatment, not sure if it will work for you but I swear by applying ice and then have a nice warm bath followed by ice for my various niggles. (got to be worth a try eh !!)

Other than that, maybe think about seeinga physio to see what they say.

Hope you get it sorted.

 

[Steve]

I've had a tight feeling in my right achilles for a few months now and initially thought that it would clear up soon enough. It hasn't hindered my running as I have raced several times with the problem. I have also given it 3 or 4 weeks with virtually no running at all. Had a massage too but still no joy. It's not painful and hasn't improved or got wosre over the period. but it's really annoying. Any suggestions please???

One of our lady members has an achilles problem too and it has persisted for months despite rest and physio. I suspect only answer is complete rest but would have thought 3-4 weeks would have been sufficient. Maybe be a longer period of rest will do the trick but I know how hard that can be....!

 

[hot foot]

Thanks for the replies.

I'll give that a go Granty as I've not tried that yet. Well,not consistantly anyway.
Your right Steve rest totally is probably the answer but there was no change at all when I tried it for a few weeks.
I've just started a half marathon schedule aswell and don't want to take time off from this and still have no benefit.

 

[Steve]

Total rest is so difficult!
I plan a rest after my 5k on 8/7 but I know I'll still do 2 club runs a week so my idea of rest will be to take it easy and not put much effort in. Come August training will need to pick up as the rest of the year is packed with races!

 

[Steady Edwina]

Hot Foot are you doing any strengthening exercises? Make sure you always stretch out your calf muscles as well and you need to stretch both the soleus and gastronemus. I find it most effective to stretch out my calves using the bottom step of our stair case. I stand on the bottom step I bend my left supporting knee slighly and lower my right heel over the edge of the step until I can feel a stetch in my calf upper muscle. I hold this stretch for 30 seconds then I repeat on the other leg. That stretches out my gastronemus (the top of the calf) to stretch out the soleus I lower both my heels over the edge of the step so I can feel a stretch in the lower part of my calf and hold for 30 seconds.

To strengthen your achilles you can try balancing on one foot, or balancing on a wobble board but I found this exercise quite useful:
http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/achilles-heel-injury.html

 

[hot foot]

Hot Foot are you doing any strengthening exercises? Make sure you always stretch out your calf muscles as well and you need to stretch both the soleus and gastronemus. I find it most effective to stretch out my calves using the bottom step of our stair case. I stand on the bottom step I bend my left supporting knee slighly and lower my right heel over the edge of the step until I can feel a stetch in my calf upper muscle. I hold this stretch for 30 seconds then I repeat on the other leg. That stretches out my gastronemus (the top of the calf) to stretch out the soleus I lower both my heels over the edge of the step so I can feel a stretch in the lower part of my calf and hold for 30 seconds.

To strengthen your achilles you can try balancing on one foot, or balancing on a wobble board but I found this exercise quite useful:
http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/achilles-heel-injury.html

Thanks for the link SE.

I do already do the stretches that you have suggested but will make a point of ensuring that I hold them for long enough.

 

[steepler]

I've had a tight feeling in my right achilles for a few months now and initially thought that it would clear up soon enough. It hasn't hindered my running as I have raced several times with the problem. I have also given it 3 or 4 weeks with virtually no running at all. Had a massage too but still no joy. It's not painful and hasn't improved or got wosre over the period. but it's really annoying. Any suggestions please???

If you continue running on it then it will get worse eventually.
Physio and fottwear normally sort this out. It may be that you are overpronating too much.
Get your gait checked out and get thee to the physio!