Achilles Tendon Issues
If you’re experiencing achilles tendon pain, I suggest you look at how you’re using that tendon. It usually means you’re toeing off or somehow supporting your body weight with your forefoot. If you’re experiencing any sort of pain, you should not be doing interval or hard workouts. So, if you start a workout with any pain at all, the pain will increase in the course of the workout unless you change the biomechanics of what you are doing.
Adding speed to a workout while there is Achilles pain is going to cause more problems. You need to solve the problem at slower speeds first. Any acceleration in speed needs to come from an increase in lean amount and an increased rotation of the pelvis, not an increase in the push of the leg or foot. Another cause of Achilles tendonitis is having too long of a stride length, which also places too much burden onto the forefoot. As you increase in mileage, be careful that your stride doesn’t get longer as you become tired. During your leg swing, you should only see your legs as swinging to the rear. Never think of lifting your legs forward as you run or you’ll engage that Achilles tendon.
Cheers - Danny
Danny, do you have any further comments on this problem for walkers or are the mechanics the same? I have been experimenting with the chi walking principles, and they have been helpful, but it seems a long slow repair job for my achilles tendons, and I can’t go past 1hr walks or spend too long walking on the beach.
Comment by J. McNaught — February 3, 2008 @ 8:23 pmAt work I stand. It seems when I’m on the tile my ankles and achilles are fine. If i stand on the releif matt I end up with a sore achilles. Perhaps over the course of the day…my spine grows tired and I end up like a wet noodle.I know if a find a corner or peice of the Wall to learn against. I reinforce my strait spine. I know I need to take breaks and realign. I know in class we stopped and took breaks, did our grounding stance, gathered energy and realigned ourselves before moving on. I need to practice taking breaks and getting realigned.
Comment by Helen Shekerjian — April 3, 2008 @ 5:14 amI’ve been experiencing achilles tendon pain for over 1 yr and nothing seems to work. Any suggestions - I’ve taken time off for over 4 months - no running - had orthotics made, but it just comes back. Do you know anything about the Newton shoes?
Comment by jeff sorenson — April 3, 2008 @ 7:48 pmBe careful with the Newtons! They are a light weight shoe but not for everyone. I have had a dozen or so patients who have developed Morton’s Neurom. It seems since you land more on the ball of the foot with these that it spreads the metatarsals putting stress and preasure on the nerves. On the other hand, I have a few patients that love them. If you are a mid-foot striker and you start landing on the ball of your foot, you will eccentricly be loading the achilles. This can exacerbate tendonitis.
Comment by mike danenberg — April 9, 2008 @ 4:04 amFor me, combining the forward lean and the midfoot landing produces a flexed foot and tensioned achilles. I have not found a way to completely eliminate a push off. I try to pull my foot away from the ground with it as limp as I can, but seem unable to prevent irritating my achilles. Any suggestions?
Comment by Don Hammen — September 9, 2008 @ 8:35 am