Achilles tendonitis

[Nickolode]

Hi everyone

I have been on the programme for the last two months, really enjoying it but have been having trouble with my right achilles, probably due to the hill running I do as well. Did a half marathon two weeks ago, its rated to be the toughest half in Britain, had a complete mare, full leg cramps from about 9 miles, the long and short of it is I saw a Physio yesterday and he diagnosed tendonitis.

The problem is he has told me no running, squatting or deadlifts.

I can deal with the no running as I had planned to have a break and concentrate on lifting for the next couple of months but considering Squats and DL are the two major exercises of the programme, I am looking for suggestions to what to do.

This isn't a little niggle, its being getting worse for weeks and I shouldn't have done the race but hey ho! its too late now. I am just fed up that I am going to lose a lot of the gains I have made but I am allowed to do upper body work, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

regards

Nick

[holvoetn]

Provided you warm-up properly, there should not be a problem.
I have chronic tendonitis on the Achilles (competition volleyball history) and have 0 (ZERO) problems squatting nor deadlifting. Even playing volley was never a problem provided, again, a proper warm-up was performed.
Running however ALWAYS results in pain the day after, regardless warm-up or not.

I'd go for a second opinion.

[zizzy80]

I second H. I just had a HUGE cramp on my lower calf(not sure if its achilles area but the muscle picture of calf tells me it is), and feel pretty bad when I walk around. But I hit the gym today and to my surprise, it didn't bother at all. And actually, I think it rather helped because lifting pumps blood and when blood travels to the calf, it brings all the helpful stuff that needs to repair the calf, so it helps you.

Since my condition isn't a chronic condition, I spent entire day doing a massage and tennis balling the trigger spots. And its a whole lot better now. I'm pretty sure your condition is much severe and chronic than mine, and I'm no expert, but I think you can still lift with your current condition.

[Nickolode]

H & Zizz

Many thanks for your replies, that seems to be good news. I did wonder about the advice I had been given but considering I'm pretty new to this lifting lark, I wasn't sure. I have had the condition for the last three months & looking back, it was definitely the hill running that aggravated the situation but I wasn't sure if the squatting was adding to the problem, so when the physio said not to do it, I took his advice, maybe he was being over cautious.

I haven't lifted since Monday, so will probably do a 10% deload as from this Monday and get stuck in. I am pretty happy about this because I am really enjoying this programme & really didn't want to stop. Maybe the only thing I need to look at now is my warmup. I go to the gym at 5.30 in the morning as this is the only real time I have, most evenings are taken up, I recently split with my wife so I try to see my kids as much as possible. My warm up is not long enough but I have time constraints so I will have to look at this.

But good news, you have made my weekend, thanks


Nick

[holvoetn]

What I do for warm-up is rowing.

[Nickolode]

H

I am a member of an old school weight lifting gym which is basically a disused squash court packed with weights, it suits me as I have 24 hour access, you get your own key when you join, and its dirt cheap. Major drawback is it only has 2 old exercise bikes for warming up & no rowers,so it looks like its the bike for 10 mins and maybe leaving home 10 mins earlier, jeez! at this rate I'm gonna have no sleep in a minute

Thanks again, I'll set up a log soon, you guys really inspire me.

Nick

[guru]

I am a member of an old school weight lifting gym which is basically a disused squash court packed with weights, it suits me as I have 24 hour access, you get your own key when you join, and its dirt cheap.

Sounds great. Perfect place to be.

[aaron]

Nickolode, stretching is KEY when it comes to Achilles issues, trust me - just now fully recovered from a complete achilles rupture playing volleyball. If you're having chronic pain, you should probably be stretching daily in addition to pre-workout stretching. I find the best stretch is on stairs, hang your heel off the step and dip as low as you can, holding for 30 seconds. Do each foot twice.

Keep on your doctors also, tendonitis puts you at a much higher risk for tear or rupture, which will put you off your feet for months. There are other treatments as well, but I'd leave that to the doctors to sort out with you.

Good luck.