Roadwork pains

[Nigel_Benn]

I love doing roadwork but my ankles and achillies are now really starting to play up they used to be really sore after a run now there sore all tge time have any of you had probs with ur achillies and if so what did u do to make it better?

[salsanchezfan]

..........Could be any number of things, but first off, the basics: Do you strecth before AND after you run? If not, you should. Stretch easily before your run, as it's not a good idea to do exaggerated stretches when the muscles are still cold. Ease into the run and warm up properly, then after you're done, stretch your calves out. Getting a gel insole with added support in the heel can help too, as this means the achilles doesn't have to stretch as far in the motion of running. Try that.

With the added propblem of ankle pain, though, my guess is you pronate when you run (feet tend to point inward). This needs to be corrected, as this ankle pain will begin to graduate into knee pain, then possibly hip pain, since all those joints are used in concert when you stride.

My advice would be to get to a specialty running store, where they have staff that can watch you run and analyze your stride. They will only then be able to pick the right type of shoe for you. Some are better for pronators, some are better for more neutral runners with a cleaner stride, etc. Not all running shoes are alike, not by a long shot.

[rodney]

I love doing roadwork but my ankles and achillies are now really starting to play up they used to be really sore after a run now there sore all tge time have any of you had probs with ur achillies and if so what did u do to make it better?
Calves, hams, quads, hips --- no problem.
Just stretch alot, swimming and hot whirlpools to keep from tightening up.
Dont be afraid to cut back your mileage or take a few days off.
Then when you feel good -- pick it up.
Now --- Achilles ?????
Thats a different storey.
Get professioanl (specialist) to do a proper accessment.
It is not unusual to have chronic achilles problems last 1, 2, or even 3 years before it subsides and goes away.
If its not operable, then stretch , ice, rest and topical anti inflammatory.
You may even have to stop roadwork for a while.
Substitude with biking, swimming and cardio machines.

[salsanchezfan]

Calves, hams, quads, hips --- no problem.
Just stretch alot, swimming and hot whirlpools to keep from tightening up.
Dont be afraid to cut back your mileage or take a few days off.
Then when you feel good -- pick it up.
Now --- Achilles ?????
Thats a different storey.
Get professioanl (specialist) to do a proper accessment.
It is not unusual to have chronic achilles problems last 1, 2, or even 3 years before it subsides and goes away.
If its not operable, then stretch , ice, rest and topical anti inflammatory.


...........Overall good advice, but I have to take issue with the part about achilles pain taking two or three years in cases to go away. If it's at THAT level, then something's seriously wrong. Most achilles pain is a function of improper stretching and/or mechanical problems. This can and should be addressed LONG before he resigns himself to a year or more of discomfort.

[Kyroguy]

take care of your achilles tendons when there's pain. It's no joke. Tendonitis can lead to a achilles rupture where it tears completely away from the bone. This mostly happens to the weekend warrior types but any prolonged irritation can jumble the way the collagen strands are repairing and weaken the achilles.

[speero]

probably is tendonitis.. i had the same thing. i also had a lot of problems with the lower front of my shins.

the only thing that was really ever an option (which i havent done yet) is take a 3 month break in which a proffessional physical therapist works with me on it.

[amy]

Sounds like plantar fasciitis.

[salsanchezfan]

Sounds like plantar fasciitis.


.............Nah, I had that a couple summers ago. :lol: It was a pain on the bottoms of your feet. For two months I walked around the house with bags of frozen peas taped to my feet. :rofl

[amy]

.............Nah, I had that a couple summers ago. :lol: It was a pain on the bottoms of your feet. For two months I walked around the house with bags of frozen peas taped to my feet. :rofl

Awesome. :lol:

[Nigel_Benn]

thank you for all the advice i gave it a 5 day rest and went for a run this morning and im not in as much pain as i was before im doing the hot and cold treatment were i put my foot in hot water for 30 seconds then cold for 30 and repeat 10 times i found that eases the pain greatly.

[Relentless]

take some more time off, i made a mistake similar to you, i used to have shin splints and ankle problems but i continued to run and now i have messed up my knee.

[Nigel_Benn]

Well i went for a run today and the first mile was a killer the next 5 went ok, The achillies didnt play up at all but the lower front of my shin is whats hurting i did the hot and cold treatment as soon as i got in and it feels alot better so its obviously not serious enough for me to stop right?

[xnahhchill]

buy some triflex fast action (glucososamine, chonodrotin, msm)

[salsanchezfan]

Well i went for a run today and the first mile was a killer the next 5 went ok, The achillies didnt play up at all but the lower front of my shin is whats hurting i did the hot and cold treatment as soon as i got in and it feels alot better so its obviously not serious enough for me to stop right?



..............It's actually "cold-then-hot" not the other way around. Ice it first to reduce swelling and muscle inflammation, then after a couple hours add heat. Otherwise, you're just feeding the swelling.

Shin splints aren't usually serious, and are most common among relative beginners to running. With added fitness and strength in your calves, this will typically subside, as it's your calves that are causing this. Again, remember to stretch out before and after, and in time this should go away.


..........Unless of course you have a stress fracture.

[Nigel_Benn]

oh ok stupid me :lol: :lol: how serious is a stress fracture?

[salsanchezfan]

oh ok stupid me :lol: :lol: how serious is a stress fracture?




...........Let's put it this way; if you have one, don't run. :lol:


I doubt it is, though; those usually come from overwork, meaning huge totals of weekly miles, like 50-60 plus. Unless you're working that hard, I wouldn't worry too much about that. More likely it's just weak calves that need time to strengthen.

[Relentless]

sal do you know much about mcl injuries?

[salsanchezfan]

sal do you know much about mcl injuries?


.............Not really no. What ails ya?

[Relentless]

when ever i used to run i used to get knee pains, i ignored it and now have sprained my mcl pretty bad.

[salsanchezfan]

when ever i used to run i used to get knee pains, i ignored it and now have sprained my mcl pretty bad.


...........Outside the knee on either side, is it?

[Relentless]

inside

basically this part but on my left.


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[salsanchezfan]

inside

basically this part but on my left.


[Only registered and activated users can see links]



...........Well, it would be highly irresponsible of me to advise you to do this or that really, not being any kind of expert. That's a doctor's call anyway. What I was kind of fishing for is to see if it was a tighness that has become a pain alongside either side of the knee, which I was thinking might be the iliotibial band. It basically runs from your upper leg muscles down the side of your kneecap to the lower leg muscles. Obviously running can strain this, and it's one of the most common injuries runners suffer from. Icing and rest helps of course, along with this elastic band you can buy that fits around your leg, just under the knee. What it does is keep your IT band from slipping out of place as you run.

If you're sure it's an MCL, consult a doctor. You probably should anyway, just to make sure.

[Relentless]

yeah i've visited my doctor, got an x ray done too, just waiting for the result, i think i have bad running technique, when i would jog i used to hit the ground very hard and make a loud noise, i didn't have this problem when i ran fast/sprinted.

[salsanchezfan]

yeah i've visited my doctor, got an x ray done too, just waiting for the result, i think i have bad running technique, when i would jog i used to hit the ground very hard and make a loud noise, i didn't have this problem when i ran fast/sprinted.


..........I was gonna ask about technique, but sometimes it's hard for people to rate their own stride.

I'd be interested to hear the results, if you care to post them here. Always interested in this kind of thing. Best of luck with it.

[Benny1975]

I had shin splints twice and in my experience you are better off resting them because as they get worse they will take longer to heal. Shin splints are basically an overuse injury. Switch to a different exercise for a while and then switch back to running and build up slowly.


Well i went for a run today and the first mile was a killer the next 5 went ok, The achillies didnt play up at all but the lower front of my shin is whats hurting i did the hot and cold treatment as soon as i got in and it feels alot better so its obviously not serious enough for me to stop right?