Achilles Tendon?

Skittl1321 · January 19, 2012, 09:09:40 AM

Okay, first off- I don't have Achilles Tendinitis. Actually, since I have tendonitis in the front of my ankles, my knees, my hips, my shoulders, and my elbows, it is one of the few tendons that isn't -itised.

BUT- I have major pain in the Achilles Tendon when I skate. I can actually feel it get tighter during lessons, and then by the time I get home, I am limping since I cannot extend my foot well enough to walk normally. This morning, I am still in a small amount of pain from last night, limping on stairs, but otherwise walking normally.

My boots are stiff, but broken in. I can get good bend in them, through the front- but the back is very firm.

I have very tight calves, which I know causes extra pull on the Achilles Tendon. (And also prevents me from stretching my hamstrings, because any stretch I try to do just pulls my calves)

Does anyone have any suggestions? I have a foam roller and use it religiously on my calves, quads, and IT band. Would ice-cup massaging the band help anything? It helps my knee when I have tendon problems...but I hate doing it. It is so cold.

I just don't want the tendon to rupture, but if I just have to deal with the pain, I can do that

Is this normal for skating? (It is much worse on my landing side then my other leg, but I think it has more to do with jumping up than coming down, since it is the pointing of the foot where it feels the tightest.)

sarahspins · January 19, 2012, 11:16:29 AM

Definitely not normal - you need to spend more time off-ice stretching them out at least daily, if not twice a day. Tight calves/achilles are a pretty big liability as far as potential for injury goes. If you find you can't stretch your hamstrings because you only end up stretching your calves, spend more time doing that because in the long term, it will help.

Where is the pain you are feeling? At the attachment point on your heel, through the tendon itself, or up into your calf? Not all tendinitis hurts all the time - it's really just referring to the inflammation involved, not the pain (which is more of a by product of the inflammation) so just because you don't think you have it in your achilles, doesn't mean that you don't.

If you aren't taking some kind of NSAID regularly that can help alleviate some of the problem - even just an OTC like Aleve can make a difference after just a week or so of taking it regularly and it will help reduce some of the chronic inflammation as well as what happens immediately following activity. Have you been diagnosed with anything officially that explains the widespread inflammation you've been experiencing? That would be where I would start, rather than only addressing a specific issue that may actually be a component of a larger problem... trust me when I say I have been there, and I wish I had done so sooner.

A few years ago I was diagnosed with a genetic connective tissue disorder, and while I certainly didn't want another diagnosis on top of everything else that is wrong with me, it was nice to finally get some answers and the reassurance that despite the widespread joint involvement, I'm not actually damaging my body by continuing to do the things I want to do, and it's extra nice to have a doctor who understands and can actually help when things get really bad by either providing me better drugs (steroids or a stronger NSAID like Mobic) or a referral for PT.

Query · February 06, 2012, 05:38:35 PM

I would ask your coach if there is an issue with your technique that could create the problem.

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If it at the top of the skate (in the back), the boot can be modified a number of ways (e.g., cutting down the back, cutting away the leather inside the boot, creating a rounded top, etc.) to reduce pressure. That's mostly a job for expert boot technicians and boot makers.

It is supposed to be possible to rupture an Achilles Tendon from excess pressure from the back of the boot when you point the foot. I've met skaters and coaches who ended their competitive skating careers that way. Ask around - several coaches at your rink likely had it happen to themselves or their students.

Oddly enough, Achilles ruptures happen to a lot of freestyle skaters. Dance skaters typically point more, but freestyle skaters have higher, stiffer boots, and they jump and land, which sometimes ruptures Achilles tendons even without skates.

Skittl1321 · February 06, 2012, 06:24:09 PM

It isn't at the top of the boot. It is more mid boot- not at the heel, but not at the top either.

It goes away after a day of not skating.

SK8N · February 08, 2012, 02:49:02 PM

Maybe a bone spur? I work with a woman who had a bone spur in her ankle. She said it only hurt when she wore certain boots. Might be worth getting it checked out.

techskater · February 08, 2012, 07:05:52 PM

Maybe your boots are breaking down from the inside out (or at least your tongues)

Skittl1321 · February 08, 2012, 07:06:45 PM

No, the boots are new, but it happened in my previous pair too.

isakswings · February 11, 2012, 02:36:16 PM

Hijacking this thread a bit. My daughter's friend was just diagnosed with Achilles tendinitis. How long of a recovery is this? Does it depend on the severity? Poor kid was off the ice for 2 months this fall due to a minor fracture and has only been back on for 6 weeks or so. Has anyone had this?

rsk8d · February 12, 2012, 07:10:59 PM

Quote from: isakswings on February 11, 2012, 02:36:16 PM
Hijacking this thread a bit. My daughter's friend was just diagnosed with Achilles tendinitis. How long of a recovery is this? Does it depend on the severity? Poor kid was off the ice for 2 months this fall due to a minor fracture and has only been back on for 6 weeks or so. Has anyone had this?

Most likely the skater's gastroc (calf) muscles atrophied while resting due to the fracture, and was not at full strength when the skater returned to the ice. Because of this, the achilles develops tendonitis because it is overworked. Length of recovery depends on treatment.

isakswings · February 13, 2012, 12:08:45 AM

Quote from: rsk8d on February 12, 2012, 07:10:59 PM
Most likely the skater's gastroc (calf) muscles atrophied while resting due to the fracture, and was not at full strength when the skater returned to the ice. Because of this, the achilles develops tendonitis because it is overworked. Length of recovery depends on treatment.

That is kinda what we were all thinking. Poor kid! They are seeing a doc, so hopefully the doc will guide them as well. She's been off the ice all week and will try again this week.

Sk8tmum · February 13, 2012, 03:30:50 PM

Quote from: isakswings on February 11, 2012, 02:36:16 PM
Hijacking this thread a bit. My daughter's friend was just diagnosed with Achilles tendinitis. How long of a recovery is this? Does it depend on the severity? Poor kid was off the ice for 2 months this fall due to a minor fracture and has only been back on for 6 weeks or so. Has anyone had this?

Yup - until we got out of the misfitting Jacksons and into custom boots - and it still flares up now if we aren't careful in terms of buying running shoes that don't press on the Achilles. Physio x 6 months, monitoring since; will always be a problem. How severe? Not really at the time - just sore and swollen, but, could still skate and everything ... so not cripplingly painful. However, recurrences seem to be worse than the original injury ...

Yes, I'm just a little ray of sunshine today

sorry. Biggest reason why I'm rabid on the topic of being sure boots fit right. Hate that a mistake at age 9 is still haunting us years later.

isakswings · February 13, 2012, 06:28:48 PM

Quote from: Sk8tmum on February 13, 2012, 03:30:50 PM
Yup - until we got out of the misfitting Jacksons and into custom boots - and it still flares up now if we aren't careful in terms of buying running shoes that don't press on the Achilles. Physio x 6 months, monitoring since; will always be a problem. How severe? Not really at the time - just sore and swollen, but, could still skate and everything ... so not cripplingly painful. However, recurrences seem to be worse than the original injury ...

Yes, I'm just a little ray of sunshine today sorry. Biggest reason why I'm rabid on the topic of being sure boots fit right. Hate that a mistake at age 9 is still haunting us years later.

Since she isn't my kid, I can't comment too much on the boots. She is in Harlicks but they are used. I know her mom is planning on new boots and will likely go with custom. Hopefully that will help. She was in so much pain last week. It definitely worried her mom and skater's coach(my dd's coach also). Hopefully it is better this week. I feel bad that she's been injured. She's been my daughter's bff since 2nd grade(dd is 13 now)... so we know her well and I hate to see her hurting too!

irenar5 · February 15, 2012, 06:35:30 PM

Skittl, what about using a small heel lift in your boot? Perhaps "repositioning" the pressure points will give you relief? Also, that may be diagnostic in itself- the injury may be tendonitis afterall.

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Achilles Tendon?