So yesterday was a rest day! Convenient too! I am fighting a calf/achilles "injury". It started bothering me on my Monday run with Eva. I chalked it up to randomness. Tuesday it started off bothering me and then getting better, but after my run......aye carumba, it hurt to walk. I iced, iced, iced that sucker!
My pain is where the top lightening bolt is.
Source
After much thinking over all of my schooling and researching my Doctorate in GOOGLE, I self-diagnosed myself with Stage 1-2 achilles tendonitis.
What is achilles tendonitis?
The Achilles Tendon is the large tendon running from the calf muscles (the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles) located in the back of the leg to the back of the heel. This muscle and tendon combination is responsible for allowing your foot to push off the ground when you're walking, running, and jumping.
Because it's used so much in gait, the tendon is susceptible to injury. In the earliest stages, the tendon becomes inflamed. At this point we would name the problem "Achilles Tendinitis", because adding the suffix -itis to the end of a word means that tissue is inflamed. |
The four stages, or grades, are:
- Stage 1. No pain during exercise, but there is some discomfort in the morning when first getting out of bed. The stiffness and creaking go away after a few minutes and are fine the rest of the day. Lightly pinching the Achilles tendon with the forefinger and thumb in the morning or after exercise will probably indicate soreness.
- Stage 2. Pain during exercise or running, but performance is not affected. The stiffness and creaking continue to appear when first getting out of bed and continue to disappear shortly afterward. Lightly pinching the Achilles tendon with the forefinger and thumb in the morning or after exercise will indicate soreness.
- Stage 3. Pain during exercise or running that is detrimental to performance. The stiffness and creaking continue to appear when first getting out of bed, but may continue for some time and reappear at other points during the day. Lightly pinching the Achilles tendon with the forefinger and thumb in the morning or after exercise will indicate soreness.
- Stage 4. Hurts too much to exercise or run. The stiffness and creaking continue to appear when first getting out of bed, but may continue for most of the day. Lightly pinching the Achilles tendon with the forefinger and thumb at almost any time of day will indicate soreness.
*I am between 1 and 2.
How did this happen?
Sometimes Achilles Tendinitis is a result of sudden trauma, as you might encounter from playing sports, but you can also have Achilles tendon pain as a result of small, unnoticed, day-to-day irritations that inflame the tendon over time by a cumulative effect. In those with no history of trauma, Achilles Tendonitis is sometimes associated simply with long periods of standing.
There are several factors that can cause the gradual development of Achilles Tendinitis. Improper shoe selection, particularly using high heels over many years, increases your odds of developing the condition. This is because high-heeled shoes cause your calf muscles to contract, leaving the tendon with a lot less slack in it.
Inadequate stretching before engaging in athletic or other physically-demanding activities also predisposes you to develop the problem. This is especially true in "weekend athletes", individuals who tend to partake in excessive physical activities on an intermittent basis.
It is more common in the middle-aged, the out-of-shape, smokers, and in those who use steroids. Men get the condition more frequently than women.
Those involved in jumping and high-impact sports are particularly vulnerable.
*I started doing hills! I probably need to be fitted for proper shoes. I added mileage. I am a perfect candidate!!
Treatment:
Complete rest is vital, and ice is of great help the first 2 days of the injury. (Apply ice 15 minutes every hour). Taping, padding, heel lifts, anti-inflammatory medications, immobilization, physiotherapy, massage, shoe modifications are all helpful in the acute stage.
So, this is what I am doing. Ice, ice, ice. Rested yesterday and today for sure. I will play each day by ear. I am lucky to work for a Chiropractor. Yesterday, I was able to get Electrical muscle stimulation with ice. Today, I got some Ultrasound muscle treatment and our massage therapist worked on me! I think hope I got this injury before it bit me good and hard and I can resume my running soon! I am already itching! Crazy. I think it is also because I know I shouldn't/can't run that has me itching like a dog with fleas! (Nice visual huh?!) My running partner, Eva, texted me earlier and said her and another friend were running 10 miles and I told her how jealous I was! If you would have told me I would have been jealous of someone for running 10 miles just 2 months ago, I would have chuckled in your face! It is amazing how fast I have become addicted.
Questions:
Have you been fitted for shoes? Worth it?
Ever had achilles problems?
Have a great day! Run a little extra for me, pu pu please!!
P.S. For all its worth, I get to spend extra time with Clint and Ava!!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment