Run Run Away

Question:

i’ve recently been diagnosed as having achilles tendinitis…which really sucks. i’ve been prescribed muscle relaxants combined with easing back on running (i plan to stop running for about 2-3 weeks) and icing my heel at least three times a day. Questions:         – will this really go away?  or am i stuck with an           "Achilles Heel?"         – i’ve followed the postings concerning achilles           injuries, especially those concerning air cushioned           shoes (i run in nike air pegasus, which i’ve been           doing for many, many years).  if air cushioning is           bad for this type of injury, what shoes are recom-           mended? i’d love to hear from others who have had this injury.  i’d like to read only success stories, but reality requires the horror stories, too.  any info, advice, etc. is VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!!! clc

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – i’ve recently been diagnosed as having achilles tendinitis…which really sucks. i’ve been prescribed muscle relaxants combined with easing back on running (i plan to stop running for about 2-3 weeks) and icing my heel at least three times a day. Questions:    - will this really go away?  or am i stuck with an      "Achilles Heel?"    - i’ve followed the postings concerning achilles      injuries, especially those concerning air cushioned      shoes (i run in nike air pegasus, which i’ve been      doing for many, many years).  if air cushioning is      bad for this type of injury, what shoes are recom-      mended? i’d love to hear from others who have had this injury.  i’d like to read only success stories, but reality requires the horror stories, too.  any info, advice, etc. is VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!!! clc

I’m starting to feel like Mr. Achilles Tendonitis because of the number of times I’ve responded to questions about it. First the bad news. Without proper treatment, this condition will last for years. In my case it was over two years in spite of treatment. (I continued racing). The good news is that it healed completely when I took almost a total break from running for several months. You are right to ice several times a day. Also, you can shorten the recovery time by backing off from running early in the injury. I have also used Air Pegasus shoes without a problem. At the time of my injury, I was using Asics Gel-Lite IIs. I’m not blaming the shoe. In fact, I think they were excellent shoes, and I really miss them. I also use Saucony Jazz 4000 (last year’s model), with good results. The bottom line is that tendon injuries generally take a long time to heal because of poor blood flow to them. Don’t forget to do calf stretches to keep them nice and limber, and lessen strain on the achilles. -Tom

Response:

i’ve recently been diagnosed as having achilles tendinitis…which really sucks. -will this really go away?  or am i stuck with an  "Achilles Heel?"    - i’ve followed the postings concerning achilles injuries, especially

those concerning air cushioned shoes (i run in nike air pegasus, I am one of those who has posted about my achilles experience and the use of air cushioned shoes (specifically the Air Pegasus).  Although I’m still not convinced of the relationship (if air causes the heel to dip, causing strain on the achilles, why wouldn’t other cushioning materials do the same thing; i.e. if one uses Gel cushioned shoes you would expect the same result).  I will be talking to the experts at my favorite running store in a couple of weeks (when I visit my old home). But for the big question, "Will it go away?"  In my experience, absolutely, if you take care of it.  You will then, however, have to be careful not to bring it back.  I have noticed a definite correlation between rapid training increases and the reoccurence of achilles problems (yes, I know it’s in all the literature, but some of us can only learn from experience).  What now seems to work for me is to be very disciplined when I start to feel anything in the achilles area.  When that happens (and it happens maybe once every three or four months depending on how aggressive my training has been), I immediately take two rest days (absolutely no running).  I have found that my making that small sacrafice (although it seems horrendous for those two days), I’ve been able to avoid having to deal with the two to three weeks of forced rest along with the associated build-up time that comes after that. The bottom line, I don’t think your running life is ruined forever.  Just be smart and do what you know you have to do (REST).

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