Never had any problems while I was active. Only after sitting around being sedentary, deconditioned is when my Achilles and everything else started hurting. So I'm doing yoga, cardio and strength training.
I've learned so much from this channel. Of all the doctors I've visited, medical posts of people's experiences on reddit.. RUclips, social media, etc. This channel and the information given on the achilles injuries is superior. Even though this injury sucks, I always feel better listening to you speak. You clearly all are very good at putting yourselves in the patients shoes because all of the things you discuss are certainly the things that go through my mind.. those things I worry about and questions I ask. Thank you so much for doing what you do. I hope I never need to get a consult with your company but its assuring knowing its an option if I can't do this on my own.
Hello Marika, This video is the best analysis of achilles tendon pain and stiffness. You have been able to explain in crystal clear details of what can and what happens to most ppl who are in a similar position. Thank you for sharing the information. I do a lot of walking and when I'm not walking I do skipping at home. I ruptured my tendon shortly after, but was fee the pain & stiffness long before. Thanks for the information.
I didn't start having this pain until I became older. True it dissipates within minutes. ❤ in any event I believe it's a condition with aging. 😮your commentary was right on point.
So happy I've found this channel! I'm a trail/ ultra runner and started having problems with my Achilles like 4 years ago when I went from road running to trail running. It got to a point where I couldn't run, but I never really stopped. However, running uphill was really painful. Did PT for a while and got a lot better, I can now run with no pain, but still very painful and stiff in the morning, and the back of the heel has been swollen ever since!
I'm also an ultra runner . 3 weeks ago I was doing a 22 mile trail run. I began chaffing around mile 11 and my running form switched to avoid irritation. Then around mile 19 , boom , I felt some pain coming from the sides of my heel and in back of the heel. I stopped running until the pain went away which took about 5 minutes . I continued running downhill with less pain. Note the day before I did intervals. I raced a 50k the following week with some pain around my ankle and still got 9th. 3 weeks later it still lingers around my ankle and I have physical therapy in 2 days. I'm also requesting an MRI because my friend who's also a doctor and a more experienced ultra runner told me to do so
Great advise , this has really helped with my recovery. The morning pain was something nobody had any answers to , until I found your channel. Keep up the great work , your knowledge is so helpful to many of us
Thanks a lot. I was experiencing Achilles tendon last two weeks and the "tear" worry was something creeping in the mind making me somewhat restless. Rather was really fearing the tear as that will stop my physical activities to good extent. Your explanation removes that fear . Thank you soooo much dear. Looks like destiny made me come across this video.
I work as a cna 12 hour shifts and everytime i get up from the computer I have to start slow cause my achilles feel so tight and my feet tingle :( I am 38 and in good shape but man my feet feel ALOT OLDER making hard to want to exercise any more :(
So glad I found this video I've been dealing with this for the past year. In fact I went and had an evaluation and xray done just the other day from a foot and ankle specialist.
This is exactly what I need to hear! Started playing volleyball again this month since I last played in 2009. I regularly exercise like doing HIIT, functional strength training and running. But sports is a different kind of animal after being away for that long. I’ll remind myself to take it slow, do a lot more strengthening sessions and rest more in between training days.
Finally someone who knows their stuff. Thanks for these insights and tips. I have been experiencing achilles tendonitis since I've started running in barefoot shoes. I guess, I started out a little too aggressive (no transitioning time).
I'm an ultra runner . 3 weeks ago I was doing a 22 mile trail run. I began chaffing around mile 11 and my running form switched to avoid irritation. Then around mile 19 , boom , I felt some pain coming from the sides of my heel and in back of the heel. I stopped running until the pain went away which took about 5 minutes . I continued running downhill with less pain. Note the day before I did intervals. I raced a 50k the following week with some pain around my ankle and still got 9th. 3 weeks later it still lingers around my ankle and I have physical therapy in 2 days. I'm also requesting an MRI because my friend who's also a doctor and a more experienced ultra runner told me to do so I already took xrays and nothing is broken, i did continue running easy miles with no long runs but during my runs i get pain in front of my ankle, on the interior just above my ankle and in the back of my heel. I feel like it transitions throughout my ankle. Hopefully nothing is ruptured and wont require surgery
Fabulous video, thanks. I love how you explain things. Very insightful and professional. You have helped me before with an injury, now again. Keep it up!
I injured my achilles tendon over a year and a half ago. It is painful in the morning as well as throughout the day, and not one Dr or p/t told me about this information. Even at night it's sensitive when sleeping. Thank you, I really hope this channel helps me finally heal. Thank you!
It will not on its own. For the past 1 year i am suffering with this. Now i started taking homeopathi medicins and i am getting relief. Now 75% pain gone. If u r interested you can try.
Thanks for this. It's really concerning how debilitating this problem is. I'm basically having difficulty even walking at this stage as I have the problem in both ankles. The MRI report states there is thickening of the tendon and I've been given a series of exercises to do but as soon as I walk at all, it flares almost immediately.
Similar problem here. Takes a few days of doing basically nothing to get rid of it, and walking is almost all I do. And not even anything wild. A not too fast 5 k (about an hour, with a few exercises in between) most mornings, and one longer walk (about 15k) once a week. But not walking is just not an option if I want to keep my weight under control.
Did you end up figuring out how to relieve it? Mine always seems to hurt regardless what I do. It is embarrassing to almost have to limp every single time I get up from sitting at work. I'm thinking of trying that KT tape
This makes more sense than anything else Ive heard on the topic and maps with my experience with the irritated tendon - But great to have it confirmed - Thanks for posting
Two years ago, when I was 63, I managed to run up 81 steps ( and down again of course ) 50 times in 1 hour 7 minutes. I had 40 years of pain, siffness and fatigue and my prmises athletic sprinting career was ruined, before my disease was finally diagnosed in 2019 Now with a drug called Imraldi , Ive got my strength back and have been really going for it. Both my Achilles tendons have got a bit sore, so Im goung to follow your rehab program. Thank you for explaining things
You’re great. I appreciate this info. I’ve been a runner my whole life, but my mid 40s have been hard on my Achilles tendons. Thanks for setting my mind at ease!
Love your explanations, they seem very factual and can feel your experience. My Achilles has started to twinge after 7 or 8 weeks of increasing running intensity. Instead of stopping completely I will follow your approach same drop to maybe 30% and pause the high intensity sessions for a short while. Introduce kettlebell sessions, some calf raises and foam rolling.
This is super-helpful. I re-aggravated an old ankle injury by running on the beach (started 5K twice a week after previously only doing like half that once a week), and, what I think really did it, jumping onto and off of fallen trees. Yeah, I'm 40...also in the best shape of my life, and I refuse to accept that that's the sort of thing I can't do anymore. I just need to make my muscles and tendons strong enough to be able to do it. But now I realize that I've probably been too aggressive with my rehab. Like Knees Over Toes guy says, you shouldn't feel any pain. I was like, come on, shouldn't I do things that feel a little uncomfortable? Apparently maybe not, take a step back, do something even easier, keep doing it until I can do the harder thing with no discomfort, and work up from there. Maybe just jog slowly, avoid heavy impacts like jumping, only do it once a week... Bent knee calf raises seems to hit exactly the right spot; guess I should stick to doing it with both legs at the same time, which I can do without feeling any discomfort at all, instead of trying to work through the mild discomfort of doing it on the injured foot by itself.
You're spot one - only thing I can add is that if you mean that when you do a bent leg heel raise with one leg you really feel the same symptoms, another option can be to start with straight leg heel raises as it may allow you to load the tendon more but without the heavy stretch+compression effect of the bent knee ones.
This was SO helpful, thank you! Everything I've found until now only talks about how this occurs in one leg or the other but both of mine are equally painful/stiff in the morning or after a long time sitting and I thought it might be something more permanent or worse than tendonitis. I still don't know exactly what the cause is - this started a few months ago and I can't seem to figure out the problem, but this is going to help. Thank you!
Thank you for the information. I'm actually in physical therapy because I tore the tendon next to it and they can't figure out what's wrong with my achilles now. I'm positive it's because I went from walking several miles a day and working on the ladder to complete immobilization for 8 weeks while they couldn't get me into an MRI.
Thank you. Very informative and you made it easy for a layperson to understand. I had this condition very bad about a year ago. This is the best explanation that I’ve heard.
*fantastic!* thank you. i recently got this stiffness myself. i think it could be the doing hills and for1.5+ hrs and suddenly different shoes. it's nice to know what the stiffness actually MEANS. i'll be more cognizant of the stuff you mentioned and monitor this in future as well.
Under the guidance of PT Aly (Alison) we have made dramatic progress healing my achillies tendon. It takes time and work. We plan to resume racing early next month.
The tightness in my achilles when i wake up varies. It feels tighter and more sore when i sleep on a soft bed. It feels much better on a firmer bed. Im usually a side sleeper. Is there any scientific explanation for this?
Not as far as I know. I'm assuming that the beds are in different locations (one at home and one in a hotel for instance) - could it be that it is actually not the bed but rather the activities you do during the day that affects it? E.g. you walk more or wear other shoes on day that you sleep at the place with the soft bed?
Thank you for your insight. I’m a pretty young person (early 20s) but I haven’t been physically active in a few years. I started work at an Amazon warehouse and almost immediately both of my Achilles tendons became super stiff in the morning. I’m lifting heavy boxes/bags and pulling them on around wheeled carts that can weight like 300-500lbs (sometimes up ramps). I think the physical workload has been a shock to my body as it is trying to keep up. It’s good to know my Achilles stiffness isn’t super serious, but it does make me want to start looking for less physical work before it becomes a larger problem.
7 mos of pain and stiffness. Nurse who walks a lot at work. I wear Hokas shoe wear. I recently had knee surgery and although resting I have seen no improvement in pain and stiffness. What do you recommend?
Excellent video! Ive hadbthisbfor about 8 years and dealt with it. I juat started loiking up solutions today and this explanation is perfect 😊 ill go ahead and start statt doing that placing the legs against the wall and see how that goes. It always felt good, but i heard its good for drainage.
A heel spur is a tiny piece of bone that grows on the heel bone. Tendonitis affects the tendon. YOu can have a heel spur without any problem in the tendon, you can also have tendonitis without any heel spurs, and then you can have both of them together. They don't really know yet if heel spurs cause tendonitis because patients who have them will often be able to recover from tendonitis but the spur remains. But when someone's tendonitis doesn't want to recover, they may go in and remove the spur to see if it helps.
@@TreatMyAchilles thanks doc. I have both on both feet. Growing up really poor and wearing really cheap shoes without any support damage my feet. Played sports from pee wee to high school ( football) . Never understood why my tendons were so sore hours after I played. Just would ice and take Motrin. Been 35 years and I have been dealing with this. 53 now, and I haven’t played a game of basketball ( full court) in 15-20 years. Hurts too run or sprint. I can jog for about 5-10 minutes then I have to stop and walk. Sounds like I need surgery. Something I really been avoiding for a very long time
I've stated, noticing stiffness and little pain on only one foot, especially early mornings. It started after I had my baby about 4 months ago. I was taking BP meds (not anymore) so my MD says it's more than likely from fluid retention and weight gain🤔
It might be but if it is the tendon that feels stiff rather than the ankle as a whole, then it is more likely the tendon that is injured. If it is fluid retention the whole ankle area will feel stiff and it won't be limited to the tendon.
Hey, excellent video. That is exactly how mine feels like. Roughly 2 years ago I did my right leg achilles(I feel like tendon has been recovered properly but not the strenght&muscles I had), now I been struggeling with the pain in my left(stronger leg). Does it means I am overdoing my excerises or just simply do I lean more on the left side cuz the right side isn't clearly strong as it used to be? I am playing football and im really struggeling with the left leg achilles in the mornings after sessions. I been always thinking it might be tearing slowly, but as I just found it its clearly not? Should I just take it more easy and concentrate doing lighter sessions according to pain levels in the morning? But still if I think back I been trying to build it back months now yet every time I have a proper game or heavier session the pain&sore&tight can be next level in the morning for days. Or is it just lack of strenght generally in glutes,hamstrings, calves etc. Any help&information very welcome. thanks
Hi Karel, We cannot provide individual treatment advice without doing an in-depth assessment of your injury and your personal circumstances, as the advice might not be appropriate for you. You're welcome to book a video consultation with one of our physios if you would like an assessment and a personalised treatment plan: www.treatmyachilles.com/
I've had it for 6 months... but i have NOT been exercising ... is it from wearing flipflops and UGGs?!?! Maybe? obviously, Yes I use to love to walk, miles a day! But long term side effects from something (I'm not allowed to say) chronic dizzy spells- Everything goes black... that make it hard to stay in motion... and all the doctors in Tennessee say there are ZERO chances that I am having side-effects because I must be psychotic if I think that. Still, I've lost 25 lbs and counting (I weighed 125 lbs this morning, 56.6 kg, 8.92 stone) I officially have high cholesterol, and I am officially terrified. I start p.t. on thursday, but most places won't let you in without current *thing Im not allowed to talk about* or harass the crap out f me to do it... So THANK YOU FOR YOUR VDEOS
Thank you for this video. I returned from holiday 1 month ago today where I spent all day everyday walking around in flip flops! I have a sedentary lifestyle usually & spend 9/10hrs in an office desk job. On the last day of my holiday I had so much pain in the Achilles area, the rest of my legs ached and everything was just so sore 😢 since returning it’s improved a little bit still hurts quite often, I feel LOTS of stiffness when getting up from sitting/lying down, especially in the morning and occasionally I’m getting some aching up my leg too. The stiffness is awful. At one point my calves even felt quite tender from this. I haven’t been to the gym since before my holiday, with this issue at the moment should I attend the gym? I don’t do any cardio.. just weight/resistance training but I’m worried I might make it worse 🤔 Thanks once again for this super educational video
You may also find this video about treatment useful: ruclips.net/video/H1nfgU1amvg/видео.html And this one explains how you can squat without irritating the tendon further: ruclips.net/video/gi-tvosxA8g/видео.html
Thanks for this. Complete rupture of right Achilles a couple of years ago and and the left has been really sore in morning as well as the right recently and was petrified it was going to be a rupture in one or another so this is very reassuring. 😀
Now I got my answers. After running yesterday and forgetting to do stretches it really hurts in the morning after waking up. I do walking/movements related to that part it will just go away
I have painful problems following a run. After a light stretch I start with a 1/2k walk, a normal walk. Then I go into a slow jog for one km. This is to loosen everything up and get the heart rate up a bit. The second km I run a bit faster…working on my breathing and concentrating on my stride. The 3rd km I’m going at a fast pace and then I finish with 3/4 km doing interval running and some of it is flat out. Back to a walk, slow down the heart, deep breathing for about 10 minutes. This structure is to allow my tendons , feet, calf and legs to warm up and stretch. The outer part of my heel still gets painful to walk and tendons are tight. If I start my run too fast, which I can run faster, I can barely walk the next day because of my foot. But I tend to ignore the pain in order to prioritize for my heart strength and lungs. I’ve tried everything and don’t know what to do about it.
I've recently made a video detailing all the treatment options for Achilles tendinopathy (which sounds like what you have) - you may find it useful: ruclips.net/video/H1nfgU1amvg/видео.html
Hiya Maryke, thanks for the video. I’ve consulted with a PT and know exactly what to do for my heels, and I have a plan. I’ve had insertional for 2 months, and my plan began yesterday. Based on your experience, if I’m starting at 4 sets of 45 second isometric holds a day, how long until you think I can gain plyometric ability?
I have no idea - it all depends on how your tendon reacts to the exercises, how much your strength deficit is etc. Ask the physio who gave you the exercises - they should be able to make a more educated guess.
This is exactly what I'm going through. Since the (intense) pain occurs when I first wake up in the morning I'm wondering if there are sleeping positions that are detrimental, or beneficial, to achilles tendonopothy.
Hi Beth - not really. The pain you feel is usually a bit exaggerated because everything has become a bit stiff from lying still for so long. Something that can help is if you gently point your foot up and down 10 to 20 times before getting out of bed - not forcing it too move but just getting the circulation going. As your rehab and exercises start to strengthen your tendon and it recovers, this morning pain will subside. Alison has just made a brilliant video where she talks about all of this in more detail - it is due to come out next week and it is called: Why not to use night splints, so perhaps keep an eye out for it.
I have been experimenting, when I sleep on my sides my feet get pointed and turned in. I barely slept last night but stayed vigilant about keeping my ankle in a 90 angle. My achilles was way better in the morning. I may invest in the products that splint then for sleeping. Could very well be anecdotal and just my personal issue / reaction.
Informative video ..I'd like to ask about the acceptable time of relative rest for recovary after the over use excercises that followed by mild stiffness in a40 years man ?? How many dayes ?
There really isn’t a limit. You only start increasing your activity as your tendon recovers and you build your strength through the strength training - we set specific targets for our patients depending on what we find in our assessments combined with their goals.. So we can’t say “go back to sport after x days”. You have to restore the tendon’s strength and function first. This usually takes between 4 and 12 months and all depends on how long you’ve had the injury for, how quickly you start the correct treatment plan, and how quickly your body heals. But this doesn’t mean that you will be doing the same level of relative rest during that period. Your activities will slowly increase. Hope this makes sense. This is also something that our team of physios can help you with via video call. You can read more about how the online consultations work here: www.treatmyachilles.com/
Thanks so much for this! Very helpful. One question: is it possible through the right treatment and rehabilitation to return the muscle tissue to the proper parallel fiber state, and reduce the amount of fluid between those collagen fibers? Is that just part of the natural healing process, or are there other steps that must be taken?
Yes, your tendon can get strong and healthy - the most important treatment is mix of rest + exercise - if you get that right then it allows it to recover and grow strong again. Other treatments can sometimes be useful but for most cases this is enough. I've discussed all the treatment options in detail in this video: ruclips.net/video/H1nfgU1amvg/видео.html
I have been diagnosed with Achilles tendinitis and was feeling a tad better after a few days. Put on a walking boot and tried mowing the lawn, feel I regressed almost back to square one and caused me concern for long term. Not sure how to progress from here.
It sounds like you just overdid it too quickly - you just need to follow a much more gentle approach to getting back to normal activities. We share treatment advice in this video: ruclips.net/video/H1nfgU1amvg/видео.html If you want help figuring it out and with getting back to your normal activities, this is something that our team of physios can help you with via video call. You can read more about how the online consultations work here: www.treatmyachilles.com
I got into a accident June 2 and it gave me a fractured ankle. The ankle is healed, but I also got in another complication which is posterior tibial tendinitis. I was not aware that this could be posterior tibial tendinitis, so I was beginning to walk and go to the gym and also just go on kind of long walks. I started doing a research to see what could be the problem near my joint, and turns out I have been diagnosed with posterior tibial tendinitis after seeing a foot and ankle speacialist. since I was put into a cast, I lost my range of motion. I’m currently doing physical therapy, and there is this one exercise that I am supposed to do to increase my range of motion in my ankle, but I cannot perform the exercise because of my tendinitis I feel chronic pain when I try to increase my range of motion so until that chronic pain is gone, then that’s when I can get my range of motion back. My question is am I gonna get scar tissue built up since i did not know i had posterior tendonitis? im currently in a ankle brace.
Tibialis posterior tendonitis luckily does not produce scar tissue but it can get really irritated if you stretch the ankle too much which is what it sounds like is happening in your case. It is a bit tricky because I understand that you need to work on the stiff ankle somehow. Wearing supportive shoes with insoles are usually better than an ankle brace for tib post tendonitis. I discuss more treatment advice in this video: ruclips.net/video/qcc7G3aTmCg/видео.html
Thanks a lot , l have learned much from ur amazing videoes But pleass i want to ask u about the best suitable formal shoes for achillus tendonitis pain for wonen thank you so much ❤️
I can’t suggest a brand, but something that has a small heel (but broad one, not stiletto) and that doesn’t press too hard on the Achilles will be best.
Fabulous video - I have had pain in both feet for two years now. I have read that a vibration plate would be helpful. Are you able to tell me if you would recommend the use of a vibration plate to help with recovery and if so would there be a limit to how often you would use it.
Vibration plates are not really our first choice of treatment as it is very difficult to control the load that goes through the Achilles tendon when you're on it - we prefer to use exercises that you can easily control and standardize and slowly increase in a stepwise manner - I discuss this in more detail here: ruclips.net/video/Dp8gzq9zoy4/видео.html
Excellent video,thanks I am wondering....my physiotherapist has been using shockwave therapy and acupuncture on my Achilles tendon.I am due a third treatment this week(they are a week apart)and she had said to STOP all the stretches when I started the treatments,that I thought were helping - but had not been. So would just doing her treatment be enough? I am walking outside little and often but it seems pavement walking is slightly more painful? Indoors is ok .The pain level has gone down from 8 to around 5-6 and using tiger balm helps alot
Your physio will advise on this once your shockwave treatment has finished - you usually have to do strength training (NOT stretches) but it has to be the correct type and volume.
It is the same - it just means that you have insertional Achilles tendonitis (where the tendon attaches to the heel bone). You can find more info about treatment here: ruclips.net/video/H1nfgU1amvg/видео.html
She is very honest and genuine while giving good information
With this channel, I don‘t need to see a Dr. You are so right on my case. I have made much progress, and my tendon is becoming stronger.
Never had any problems while I was active. Only after sitting around being sedentary, deconditioned is when my Achilles and everything else started hurting. So I'm doing yoga, cardio and strength training.
I've learned so much from this channel. Of all the doctors I've visited, medical posts of people's experiences on reddit.. RUclips, social media, etc. This channel and the information given on the achilles injuries is superior. Even though this injury sucks, I always feel better listening to you speak. You clearly all are very good at putting yourselves in the patients shoes because all of the things you discuss are certainly the things that go through my mind.. those things I worry about and questions I ask. Thank you so much for doing what you do. I hope I never need to get a consult with your company but its assuring knowing its an option if I can't do this on my own.
Well said. She's amazing. So well explained. Thanks again
That title tag was so extremely specific and relevant that I've gotta stay and watch the video lol.
😂
Hello Marika, This video is the best analysis of achilles tendon pain and stiffness. You have been able to explain in crystal clear details of what can and what happens to most ppl who are in a similar position. Thank you for sharing the information.
I do a lot of walking and when I'm not walking I do skipping at home.
I ruptured my tendon shortly after, but was fee the pain & stiffness long before.
Thanks for the information.
Glad it was helpful!
Just what I have been experiencing recently. I am so glad I came across your video.
I'm so glad!
I didn't start having this pain until I became older. True it dissipates within minutes. ❤ in any event I believe it's a condition with aging. 😮your commentary was right on point.
Thanks for sharing!!
So happy I've found this channel! I'm a trail/ ultra runner and started having problems with my Achilles like 4 years ago when I went from road running to trail running. It got to a point where I couldn't run, but I never really stopped. However, running uphill was really painful. Did PT for a while and got a lot better, I can now run with no pain, but still very painful and stiff in the morning, and the back of the heel has been swollen ever since!
I'm glad you find the videos useful! This video may also give you some ideas: ruclips.net/video/H1nfgU1amvg/видео.html
I'm also an ultra runner . 3 weeks ago I was doing a 22 mile trail run. I began chaffing around mile 11 and my running form switched to avoid irritation. Then around mile 19 , boom , I felt some pain coming from the sides of my heel and in back of the heel. I stopped running until the pain went away which took about 5 minutes . I continued running downhill with less pain. Note the day before I did intervals.
I raced a 50k the following week with some pain around my ankle and still got 9th.
3 weeks later it still lingers around my ankle and I have physical therapy in 2 days. I'm also requesting an MRI because my friend who's also a doctor and a more experienced ultra runner told me to do so
Great advise , this has really helped with my recovery. The morning pain was something nobody had any answers to , until I found your channel. Keep up the great work , your knowledge is so helpful to many of us
Glad it helped!
Thanks a lot. I was experiencing Achilles tendon last two weeks and the "tear" worry was something creeping in the mind making me somewhat restless. Rather was really fearing the tear as that will stop my physical activities to good extent. Your explanation removes that fear . Thank you soooo much dear. Looks like destiny made me come across this video.
Glad it helped!
This is a very well done video. It describes exactly what I am going through and how to recover. Thanks.
You're very welcome
All my worries are gone! THANK YHOU!
I really like this channel! Her advice really helped my right Achilles feel 10 times better
Great to hear!
☝️ THAT'S the problem - its when I get up from resting (sitting or lying) that It's the worst.
I need to make an updated video for how to treat this but in the meantime this one can provide some ideas: ruclips.net/video/0Hb3FS_xG-A/видео.html
This is what am going through right now. Agony!
Me too! It’s been almost a year of living like this. Stiff upon waking, incorporating from any kind of rest. Started with a lot of pain on the heel
I work as a cna 12 hour shifts and everytime i get up from the computer I have to start slow cause my achilles feel so tight and my feet tingle :( I am 38 and in good shape but man my feet feel ALOT OLDER making hard to want to exercise any more :(
Yes its horrible pain when I wake up in the morning or get up after sitting!!
This makes more sense than everything else I could find
Me too! It confirmed what I suspected in some ways but didn't understand what was wrong.
Thank you for so detailed explanation, it really helps knowing the problem is not so tough as our mind thinks it is.
You're very welcome!
Wonderful video, thanks a lot for this! Rehab my tendons, one step at a time! Merci
She is so right😊...wrong shoes and walking on rough terrain. Great video...Thank you...
You're welcome!
So glad I found this video I've been dealing with this for the past year. In fact I went and had an evaluation and xray done just the other day from a foot and ankle specialist.
Did you get better?
Thanks Maryka for your perfect explanation. And you gave me some hope about my injured and painful Achilles
Awesome video. That was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you!!!!
You're welcome!
This is exactly what I need to hear! Started playing volleyball again this month since I last played in 2009. I regularly exercise like doing HIIT, functional strength training and running. But sports is a different kind of animal after being away for that long. I’ll remind myself to take it slow, do a lot more strengthening sessions and rest more in between training days.
Finally someone who knows their stuff. Thanks for these insights and tips. I have been experiencing achilles tendonitis since I've started running in barefoot shoes. I guess, I started out a little too aggressive (no transitioning time).
Achilles himself could not have explained this better. This was super helpful. Thank you 🫶
Glad it was helpful!
This is what I needed to hear. Thank you so much
You are welcome
I'm an ultra runner . 3 weeks ago I was doing a 22 mile trail run. I began chaffing around mile 11 and my running form switched to avoid irritation. Then around mile 19 , boom , I felt some pain coming from the sides of my heel and in back of the heel. I stopped running until the pain went away which took about 5 minutes . I continued running downhill with less pain. Note the day before I did intervals.
I raced a 50k the following week with some pain around my ankle and still got 9th.
3 weeks later it still lingers around my ankle and I have physical therapy in 2 days. I'm also requesting an MRI because my friend who's also a doctor and a more experienced ultra runner told me to do so
I already took xrays and nothing is broken, i did continue running easy miles with no long runs but during my runs i get pain in front of my ankle, on the interior just above my ankle and in the back of my heel. I feel like it transitions throughout my ankle. Hopefully nothing is ruptured and wont require surgery
This was such a helpful video and cleared up so many doubts I had , got a new subscriber! Many thanks
Awesome, thank you!
Really helpful. You explained what is actually happening with clarity and just the right level of information. Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you. So encouraging and informative.
So glad!
Great video, very good delivery and information.
Much appreciated!
These videos are great! Thanks.
You are welcome!
Fabulous video, thanks. I love how you explain things. Very insightful and professional. You have helped me before with an injury, now again. Keep it up!
I injured my achilles tendon over a year and a half ago. It is painful in the morning as well as throughout the day, and not one Dr or p/t told me about this information. Even at night it's sensitive when sleeping. Thank you, I really hope this channel helps me finally heal. Thank you!
You're welcome!
It will not on its own. For the past 1 year i am suffering with this. Now i started taking homeopathi medicins and i am getting relief. Now 75% pain gone. If u r interested you can try.
Thanks for this. It's really concerning how debilitating this problem is. I'm basically having difficulty even walking at this stage as I have the problem in both ankles. The MRI report states there is thickening of the tendon and I've been given a series of exercises to do but as soon as I walk at all, it flares almost immediately.
You may want to check what shoes your wear and if using a heel lift insole can help ruclips.net/video/crzrN0KseWg/видео.html
@@TreatMyAchilles thank you!
Same here.
Similar problem here. Takes a few days of doing basically nothing to get rid of it, and walking is almost all I do. And not even anything wild. A not too fast 5 k (about an hour, with a few exercises in between) most mornings, and one longer walk (about 15k) once a week. But not walking is just not an option if I want to keep my weight under control.
Did you end up figuring out how to relieve it? Mine always seems to hurt regardless what I do. It is embarrassing to almost have to limp every single time I get up from sitting at work. I'm thinking of trying that KT tape
Dankie Maryke, dit is nou presies die video waarna ek opsoek was!
Groete
Goed om te hoor! Dalk sal jy hierdie video ook nuttig vind: ruclips.net/video/H1nfgU1amvg/видео.html
What a great video and clear explanation, very much appreciated - Thanks Jim
Very welcome
This makes more sense than anything else Ive heard on the topic and maps with my experience with the irritated tendon - But great to have it confirmed - Thanks for posting
You're welcome!
Two years ago, when I was 63, I managed to run up 81 steps ( and down again of course ) 50 times in 1 hour 7 minutes.
I had 40 years of pain, siffness and fatigue and my prmises athletic sprinting career was ruined, before my disease was finally diagnosed in 2019
Now with a drug called Imraldi , Ive got my strength back and have been really going for it.
Both my Achilles tendons have got a bit sore, so Im goung to follow your rehab program.
Thank you for explaining things
You’re great. I appreciate this info. I’ve been a runner my whole life, but my mid 40s have been hard on my Achilles tendons. Thanks for setting my mind at ease!
Glad it was helpful!
What a useful video! Thank you so much
You're very welcome!
Love your explanations, they seem very factual and can feel your experience. My Achilles has started to twinge after 7 or 8 weeks of increasing running intensity. Instead of stopping completely I will follow your approach same drop to maybe 30% and pause the high intensity sessions for a short while. Introduce kettlebell sessions, some calf raises and foam rolling.
Thanks for sharing!
This is super-helpful. I re-aggravated an old ankle injury by running on the beach (started 5K twice a week after previously only doing like half that once a week), and, what I think really did it, jumping onto and off of fallen trees. Yeah, I'm 40...also in the best shape of my life, and I refuse to accept that that's the sort of thing I can't do anymore. I just need to make my muscles and tendons strong enough to be able to do it. But now I realize that I've probably been too aggressive with my rehab. Like Knees Over Toes guy says, you shouldn't feel any pain. I was like, come on, shouldn't I do things that feel a little uncomfortable? Apparently maybe not, take a step back, do something even easier, keep doing it until I can do the harder thing with no discomfort, and work up from there. Maybe just jog slowly, avoid heavy impacts like jumping, only do it once a week... Bent knee calf raises seems to hit exactly the right spot; guess I should stick to doing it with both legs at the same time, which I can do without feeling any discomfort at all, instead of trying to work through the mild discomfort of doing it on the injured foot by itself.
You're spot one - only thing I can add is that if you mean that when you do a bent leg heel raise with one leg you really feel the same symptoms, another option can be to start with straight leg heel raises as it may allow you to load the tendon more but without the heavy stretch+compression effect of the bent knee ones.
Great film thanks
Thank you very much I like the way you express yourself.
You are so welcome
This was great. Thank you very much!
You're very welcome!
Thank you very much for this informational video it help me a lot to gain confidence to play again thanks
Glad it helped!
This was SO helpful, thank you! Everything I've found until now only talks about how this occurs in one leg or the other but both of mine are equally painful/stiff in the morning or after a long time sitting and I thought it might be something more permanent or worse than tendonitis. I still don't know exactly what the cause is - this started a few months ago and I can't seem to figure out the problem, but this is going to help. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
So helpful and clear!
Glad it was helpful!
that's what i want to know!!
Thanks for your video.
You're welcome!
Thank you ..your analysis fits my case
You're welcome!
Fantastic explanation. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
i went from having no dog to having a dog ... that's the reason 😂
😂
Omg same here 😂😂😂
Thank you for the information. I'm actually in physical therapy because I tore the tendon next to it and they can't figure out what's wrong with my achilles now. I'm positive it's because I went from walking several miles a day and working on the ladder to complete immobilization for 8 weeks while they couldn't get me into an MRI.
People have been making jokes on me that I walked like 'Robocop' when I stood up from the chair 😣😖
🙈 This video has more advice for if you get pain and stiffness after sitting still: ruclips.net/video/Cbm7SK9mBnE/видео.html
Omg & I thought I walked crazy & every one ask what’s wrong. Those first few steps ‘I’m holding on to stuff’ it’s awful.
I have this from wearing totally flat ballet flats/pumps. I now buy them with a 1 cm heel and the problem is improving.
Thank you. Very informative and you made it easy for a layperson to understand. I had this condition very bad about a year ago. This is the best explanation that I’ve heard.
You are welcome!
superb info! thank you my friend
Glad it was helpful!
*fantastic!* thank you. i recently got this stiffness myself. i think it could be the doing hills and for1.5+ hrs and suddenly different shoes. it's nice to know what the stiffness actually MEANS. i'll be more cognizant of the stuff you mentioned and monitor this in future as well.
Very informative. Thanks.
You're welcome!
Thank you. I was diagnosed today, and my thoughts were "I'm too scared to do anything because I'll keep tearing it" thanks
Under the guidance of PT Aly (Alison) we have made dramatic progress healing my achillies tendon. It takes time and work. We plan to resume racing early next month.
The tightness in my achilles when i wake up varies. It feels tighter and more sore when i sleep on a soft bed. It feels much better on a firmer bed. Im usually a side sleeper. Is there any scientific explanation for this?
Not as far as I know. I'm assuming that the beds are in different locations (one at home and one in a hotel for instance) - could it be that it is actually not the bed but rather the activities you do during the day that affects it? E.g. you walk more or wear other shoes on day that you sleep at the place with the soft bed?
Thank you for your insight. I’m a pretty young person (early 20s) but I haven’t been physically active in a few years. I started work at an Amazon warehouse and almost immediately both of my Achilles tendons became super stiff in the morning. I’m lifting heavy boxes/bags and pulling them on around wheeled carts that can weight like 300-500lbs (sometimes up ramps). I think the physical workload has been a shock to my body as it is trying to keep up. It’s good to know my Achilles stiffness isn’t super serious, but it does make me want to start looking for less physical work before it becomes a larger problem.
How you feeling now?
Wow, LOVE this type of informative video, especially since it's devoid of all the fluff and razzmatazz we so often see.
So glad!
7 mos of pain and stiffness. Nurse who walks a lot at work. I wear Hokas shoe wear. I recently had knee surgery and although resting I have seen no improvement in pain and stiffness. What do you recommend?
I love this channel
Excellent video! Ive hadbthisbfor about 8 years and dealt with it. I juat started loiking up solutions today and this explanation is perfect 😊 ill go ahead and start statt doing that placing the legs against the wall and see how that goes. It always felt good, but i heard its good for drainage.
Very good video
Thanks
Question Doc? What’s the difference between heal spurs and tendonitis of the Achilles’ tendon ?
A heel spur is a tiny piece of bone that grows on the heel bone. Tendonitis affects the tendon. YOu can have a heel spur without any problem in the tendon, you can also have tendonitis without any heel spurs, and then you can have both of them together. They don't really know yet if heel spurs cause tendonitis because patients who have them will often be able to recover from tendonitis but the spur remains. But when someone's tendonitis doesn't want to recover, they may go in and remove the spur to see if it helps.
@@TreatMyAchilles thanks doc. I have both on both feet. Growing up really poor and wearing really cheap shoes without any support damage my feet. Played sports from pee wee to high school ( football) . Never understood why my tendons were so sore hours after I played. Just would ice and take Motrin. Been 35 years and I have been dealing with this. 53 now, and I haven’t played a game of basketball ( full court) in 15-20 years. Hurts too run or sprint. I can jog for about 5-10 minutes then I have to stop and walk. Sounds like I need surgery. Something I really been avoiding for a very long time
Thankyou. Great video
You are welcome!
Great vid thank you!
Glad you liked it!
Truly brilliant
This definitely answered my concerns. My stiffness came after walking in sand.
Hi, great channel. What's your opinion on shockwave therapy?
Hi Multikk, here's our video on shockwave: ruclips.net/video/GGZvRdxEXp8/видео.html
I've stated, noticing stiffness and little pain on only one foot, especially early mornings. It started after I had my baby about 4 months ago. I was taking BP meds (not anymore) so my MD says it's more than likely from fluid retention and weight gain🤔
It might be but if it is the tendon that feels stiff rather than the ankle as a whole, then it is more likely the tendon that is injured. If it is fluid retention the whole ankle area will feel stiff and it won't be limited to the tendon.
Hey, excellent video.
That is exactly how mine feels like. Roughly 2 years ago I did my right leg achilles(I feel like tendon has been recovered properly but not the strenght&muscles I had), now I been struggeling with the pain in my left(stronger leg). Does it means I am overdoing my excerises or just simply do I lean more on the left side cuz the right side isn't clearly strong as it used to be? I am playing football and im really struggeling with the left leg achilles in the mornings after sessions. I been always thinking it might be tearing slowly, but as I just found it its clearly not?
Should I just take it more easy and concentrate doing lighter sessions according to pain levels in the morning? But still if I think back I been trying to build it back months now yet every time I have a proper game or heavier session the pain&sore&tight can be next level in the morning for days. Or is it just lack of strenght generally in glutes,hamstrings, calves etc. Any help&information very welcome. thanks
Hi Karel,
We cannot provide individual treatment advice without doing an in-depth assessment of your injury and your personal circumstances, as the advice might not be appropriate for you. You're welcome to book a video consultation with one of our physios if you would like an assessment and a personalised treatment plan: www.treatmyachilles.com/
I've had it for 6 months... but i have NOT been exercising ... is it from wearing flipflops and UGGs?!?! Maybe? obviously, Yes I use to love to walk, miles a day! But long term side effects from something (I'm not allowed to say) chronic dizzy spells- Everything goes black... that make it hard to stay in motion... and all the doctors in Tennessee say there are ZERO chances that I am having side-effects because I must be psychotic if I think that. Still, I've lost 25 lbs and counting (I weighed 125 lbs this morning, 56.6 kg, 8.92 stone) I officially have high cholesterol, and I am officially terrified. I start p.t. on thursday, but most places won't let you in without current *thing Im not allowed to talk about* or harass the crap out f me to do it... So THANK YOU FOR YOUR VDEOS
Thank you you help me so much
Happy to help
how long does it take Achilles to heal? can you recommend any aids/supports? best footwear?
Have a look at this video - I discuss all the best treatments here: ruclips.net/video/H1nfgU1amvg/видео.html
Thank you for this video. I returned from holiday 1 month ago today where I spent all day everyday walking around in flip flops! I have a sedentary lifestyle usually & spend 9/10hrs in an office desk job. On the last day of my holiday I had so much pain in the Achilles area, the rest of my legs ached and everything was just so sore 😢 since returning it’s improved a little bit still hurts quite often, I feel LOTS of stiffness when getting up from sitting/lying down, especially in the morning and occasionally I’m getting some aching up my leg too. The stiffness is awful. At one point my calves even felt quite tender from this. I haven’t been to the gym since before my holiday, with this issue at the moment should I attend the gym? I don’t do any cardio.. just weight/resistance training but I’m worried I might make it worse 🤔
Thanks once again for this super educational video
You may also find this video about treatment useful: ruclips.net/video/H1nfgU1amvg/видео.html
And this one explains how you can squat without irritating the tendon further: ruclips.net/video/gi-tvosxA8g/видео.html
Scientific explanation of the problem.
Feeling this as I got my running back up to 20+ miles a week. Is it recommended I take some time off to heal? If so, how much?
Thank you!
Welcome!
Wonderful thank you 👌
Welcome 😊
Thanks for this. Complete rupture of right Achilles a couple of years ago and and the left has been really sore in morning as well as the right recently and was petrified it was going to be a rupture in one or another so this is very reassuring. 😀
You're very welcome
6:00 Here's the reason for morning pain.
Now I got my answers. After running yesterday and forgetting to do stretches it really hurts in the morning after waking up. I do walking/movements related to that part it will just go away
You can find more advice about treatment here: ruclips.net/video/H1nfgU1amvg/видео.html
I have painful problems following a run. After a light stretch I start with a 1/2k walk, a normal walk. Then I go into a slow jog for one km. This is to loosen everything up and get the heart rate up a bit. The second km I run a bit faster…working on my breathing and concentrating on my stride. The 3rd km I’m going at a fast pace and then I finish with 3/4 km doing interval running and some of it is flat out. Back to a walk, slow down the heart, deep breathing for about 10 minutes. This structure is to allow my tendons , feet, calf and legs to warm up and stretch. The outer part of my heel still gets painful to walk and tendons are tight. If I start my run too fast, which I can run faster, I can barely walk the next day because of my foot. But I tend to ignore the pain in order to prioritize for my heart strength and lungs. I’ve tried everything and don’t know what to do about it.
I've recently made a video detailing all the treatment options for Achilles tendinopathy (which sounds like what you have) - you may find it useful: ruclips.net/video/H1nfgU1amvg/видео.html
Hiya Maryke, thanks for the video. I’ve consulted with a PT and know exactly what to do for my heels, and I have a plan. I’ve had insertional for 2 months, and my plan began yesterday. Based on your experience, if I’m starting at 4 sets of 45 second isometric holds a day, how long until you think I can gain plyometric ability?
I have no idea - it all depends on how your tendon reacts to the exercises, how much your strength deficit is etc. Ask the physio who gave you the exercises - they should be able to make a more educated guess.
This is exactly what I'm going through. Since the (intense) pain occurs when I first wake up in the morning I'm wondering if there are sleeping positions that are detrimental, or beneficial, to achilles tendonopothy.
Hi Beth - not really. The pain you feel is usually a bit exaggerated because everything has become a bit stiff from lying still for so long. Something that can help is if you gently point your foot up and down 10 to 20 times before getting out of bed - not forcing it too move but just getting the circulation going. As your rehab and exercises start to strengthen your tendon and it recovers, this morning pain will subside. Alison has just made a brilliant video where she talks about all of this in more detail - it is due to come out next week and it is called: Why not to use night splints, so perhaps keep an eye out for it.
I have been experimenting, when I sleep on my sides my feet get pointed and turned in. I barely slept last night but stayed vigilant about keeping my ankle in a 90 angle. My achilles was way better in the morning. I may invest in the products that splint then for sleeping. Could very well be anecdotal and just my personal issue / reaction.
Informative video ..I'd like to ask about the acceptable time of relative rest for recovary after the over use excercises that followed by mild stiffness in a40 years man ?? How many dayes ?
There really isn’t a limit. You only start increasing your activity as your tendon recovers and you build your strength through the strength training - we set specific targets for our patients depending on what we find in our assessments combined with their goals.. So we can’t say “go back to sport after x days”. You have to restore the tendon’s strength and function first. This usually takes between 4 and 12 months and all depends on how long you’ve had the injury for, how quickly you start the correct treatment plan, and how quickly your body heals. But this doesn’t mean that you will be doing the same level of relative rest during that period. Your activities will slowly increase. Hope this makes sense.
This is also something that our team of physios can help you with via video call. You can read more about how the online consultations work here: www.treatmyachilles.com/
Thanks so much for this! Very helpful. One question: is it possible through the right treatment and rehabilitation to return the muscle tissue to the proper parallel fiber state, and reduce the amount of fluid between those collagen fibers? Is that just part of the natural healing process, or are there other steps that must be taken?
Yes, your tendon can get strong and healthy - the most important treatment is mix of rest + exercise - if you get that right then it allows it to recover and grow strong again. Other treatments can sometimes be useful but for most cases this is enough. I've discussed all the treatment options in detail in this video: ruclips.net/video/H1nfgU1amvg/видео.html
I have been diagnosed with Achilles tendinitis and was feeling a tad better after a few days. Put on a walking boot and tried mowing the lawn, feel I regressed almost back to square one and caused me concern for long term. Not sure how to progress from here.
It sounds like you just overdid it too quickly - you just need to follow a much more gentle approach to getting back to normal activities. We share treatment advice in this video: ruclips.net/video/H1nfgU1amvg/видео.html If you want help figuring it out and with getting back to your normal activities, this is something that our team of physios can help you with via video call. You can read more about how the online consultations work here: www.treatmyachilles.com
I had the same pain today morning. I do exercise every day. I am wondering is it a part of my varicose vain?thank you for the video 😊
I got into a accident June 2 and it gave me a fractured ankle. The ankle is healed, but I also got in another complication which is posterior tibial tendinitis. I was not aware that this could be posterior tibial tendinitis, so I was beginning to walk and go to the gym and also just go on kind of long walks. I started doing a research to see what could be the problem near my joint, and turns out I have been diagnosed with posterior tibial tendinitis after seeing a foot and ankle speacialist. since I was put into a cast, I lost my range of motion. I’m currently doing physical therapy, and there is this one exercise that I am supposed to do to increase my range of motion in my ankle, but I cannot perform the exercise because of my tendinitis I feel chronic pain when I try to increase my range of motion so until that chronic pain is gone, then that’s when I can get my range of motion back. My question is am I gonna get scar tissue built up since i did not know i had posterior tendonitis? im currently in a ankle brace.
Tibialis posterior tendonitis luckily does not produce scar tissue but it can get really irritated if you stretch the ankle too much which is what it sounds like is happening in your case. It is a bit tricky because I understand that you need to work on the stiff ankle somehow. Wearing supportive shoes with insoles are usually better than an ankle brace for tib post tendonitis. I discuss more treatment advice in this video: ruclips.net/video/qcc7G3aTmCg/видео.html
Thanks a lot , l have learned much from ur amazing videoes
But pleass i want to ask u about the best suitable formal shoes for achillus tendonitis pain for wonen thank you so much ❤️
I can’t suggest a brand, but something that has a small heel (but broad one, not stiletto) and that doesn’t press too hard on the Achilles will be best.
Fabulous video - I have had pain in both feet for two years now. I have read that a vibration plate would be helpful. Are you able to tell me if you would recommend the use of a vibration plate to help with recovery and if so would there be a limit to how often you would use it.
Vibration plates are not really our first choice of treatment as it is very difficult to control the load that goes through the Achilles tendon when you're on it - we prefer to use exercises that you can easily control and standardize and slowly increase in a stepwise manner - I discuss this in more detail here: ruclips.net/video/Dp8gzq9zoy4/видео.html
Excellent video,thanks I am wondering....my physiotherapist has been using shockwave therapy and acupuncture on my Achilles tendon.I am due a third treatment this week(they are a week apart)and she had said to STOP all the stretches when I started the treatments,that I thought were helping - but had not been. So would just doing her treatment be enough? I am walking outside little and often but it seems pavement walking is slightly more painful? Indoors is ok .The pain level has gone down from 8 to around 5-6 and using tiger balm helps alot
Your physio will advise on this once your shockwave treatment has finished - you usually have to do strength training (NOT stretches) but it has to be the correct type and volume.
for me the pain seems to be in the joint of heel bone and achilles tendon. Is that the same as you described here or different ?
It is the same - it just means that you have insertional Achilles tendonitis (where the tendon attaches to the heel bone). You can find more info about treatment here: ruclips.net/video/H1nfgU1amvg/видео.html