An injury has emerged!
It was bound to happen, right? My theory as to why I got this injury is not from running too much, but honestly from running and then NOT walking or even moving around enough. It started bugging me shortly after we started working from home, which was when I stopped walking from meeting to meeting, from the bus or parking lot, to and from lunch…I was running but then just sitting and letting my Achilles tighten up. I wasn’t naturally keeping it loose after a run with movement.
The background:
I started having some slight pain on the outside of my left ankle not too long after we started working from home. It wasn’t bad, and it always loosened up after a mile of running.
However, by the end of July (my month of 300+ miles!) when physical therapists were back open and I felt safe going to one, I started getting some treatments on it to hopefully eliminate it completely.
It was diagnosed as insertional achilles tendonitis, though I wasn’t treating it too aggressively, with just weekly appointments at Orthology with manual therapy. In hindsight, I should have been more aggressive with treatment, but I felt like I was managing it and running just fine.
Until I wasn’t...
The weekend before the Boundary Waters, I ran 2 days in a row with Dustin, 13 miles and 5.5 miles. The pace was not materially faster than my normal pace, but apparently it was just enough that it triggered my Achilles to go from manageable to a real injury!
By the day we left for the Boundary Waters, it was hurting pretty badly after a 4-mile run with Dustin and Ruth (the vizsla pup). It was the same familiar place on the outside of my ankle, but it didn’t loosen up with the run.
After that run, I was limping quite a bit; it really hurt. I was a little worried that I wouldn’t be able to hike/portage in the Boundary Waters; in fact, I was worried I was going to TEAR my Achilles (which, I’ve heard, is the most painful injury ever.)
I did make it through the Boundary Waters trip without tearing my Achilles, but it hurt the whole time and never felt better, even with 4 days off of running. However, those four days of “rest’ weren’t really rest, since I was hiking over rocky terrain while carrying a heavy pack. I think all the uneven terrain made it worse, rather than better.
I tried to run the Sunday after we got back from the trip, and it never loosened up. I was limping again post-run. Running was going to have to stop, at least for a little bit, or at least be cut way back, to fix this issue.
So, that’s where last week’s recap should have started, but I didn’t feel motivated to write one last week. So here’s two weeks’ worth of recaps!
Week of August 24-30:
Monday: No running, Discover Strength after work. The strength training moves in my virtual 1:1 training still felt pretty good. So far, I don’t really have to do any modifications for the Achilles.
Tuesday: No running, physical therapy at Orthology Eden Prarie. I told the doctor how everything had changed since the last time I was in.
She mentioned shockwave therapy, or EWST, which I had never heard of. At first, I was resistant to the idea, but then I reached out to every runner I knew, via Strava, text, instagram, etc, to hear what people thought of shockwave therapy for Achilles. About 80% found it to be very effective. So that changed my mind quickly.
Wednesday: 5 mile run, Discover Strength virtual 1:1 after work. I felt okay on the run, but the Achilles was still painful afterwards.
Thursday: 4 mile run. Same situation, same Achilles tightness and pain after.
Friday: No running, another physical therapy appointment at Orthology Eden Prairie. Virtual 1:1 at Discover Strength after work.
Saturday: 10 miles, 9:40 min/mile pace. Beautiful morning, but the Achilles was still an issue. My two running buddies were willing to slow things down for me, which I much appreciated.
It was a great Saturday though, other than the Achilles! I met up with a few running girlfriends at Sociable Cider Werks on a beautiful afternoon.
For dinner, Dustin and I went back to Hola Arepa for a patio dinner. We went there in July for his birthday and were happy with their safety measures, so figured we’d go back while we still can (before it gets cold!)
Sunday: 5 miles with Dustin. Achilles was no good. I was hobbling the rest of the day.
Summary: 25 miles of running, 3 Discover Strength sessions.
Week of August 31- September 6:
Monday: Since it was painful to walk after Sunday’s run, I was smart enough not to run again. Discover Strength virtual 1:1 after work.
Tuesday: No running, PT appointment at Orthology
Wednesday: 7 mile run, lots of stops.
One thing about this Achilles injury is that when I do run, it feels like I’ve lost all running efficiency. I’m not pushing off with that foot as much, so it’s hard to run the same paces. My coach Esther has experience with the exact same injury and she said to only run slow (for me) for now. So that’s what I’m doing. 7 miles at a 9:45 min/mile pace. Discover Strength virtual 1:1 after work.
Thursday: 4 miles with Ruth, 9:05 min/mile. This run felt a little better.
Friday: No running, PT appointment at Orthology, Discover Strength virtual 1:1 after work.
Saturday: 10 miles, 10 min/mile. I ran with Christie for the first 7 or so, then alone to get home, then picked up Ruth for two 11 min/miles. My stomach was actually bothering me more than my Achilles on the run; it was one of those runs where I had to stop multiple times. Ugh.
The Achilles was sore after the run. I did all my PT exercises and Theragun’ned (is that a verb?) my calves and then used a heating pad on the Achilles.
That evening, we attended a small socially-distanced backyard get-together, with a beer tasting focused on some of the Minnesota State Fair beers.
Yes, the State Fair was cancelled this year- it’s the year of the Great Minnesota Stay Apart instead!
Sunday: 4 miles with Dustin and Ruth, 9 min/mile. The Achilles felt pretty good on this run, which was promising, considering I covered 10 miles the day before.
Summary: 25 miles of running, 2 PT appointments, 3 virtual strength training sessions.
I’m grateful that both my PT and my coach (who has experienced this exact injury) think I can run through this. We’re heading into the best running weather of the year, so it’s tough to think about missing it all. At the same time, this isn’t the worst time to be injured, since there really aren’t any races happening.
I’m being conservative with my running, but aggressive with my treatments!
I did miss the MNy250 5k (hosted by Twin Cities in Motion) last week, the 5k I had registered for at the Chanhassen Arboretum. Dustin participated and said it was fun to be at an in-person race again!
Hopefully by treating this aggressively, I’ll get back to 100% soon.
PT Exercises for Achilles Tendonitis:
If helpful, here are the exercises I am doing. This list is a combination of ones Orthology recommended and ones my coach recommended:
- Bilateral Heel Rise, 3 sets of 20 reps
- Single Leg Heel Rise, 3 sets of 20
- Eccentric Heel Rise, 3×15. I do this on a stair and it seems to help the most.
- Single Leg Step-Up and Drive, 3 sets of 25
- Single Leg Rebounding Heel Rise, 3×20 reps
Other treatments?
- Manual work at Orthology, (i.e. essentially deep tissue massage on the achilles but more intense than that)
- Theragun- I received a 20% discount from a Strava challenge, so I decided to buy a Theragun. Theraguns aren’t really for tendons, but for muscles. Achilles issues are tied to calf tightness though, so I’m using the Theragun on my calves.
- Shockwave Therapy or EWST: I have my first treatment next week. I will share more then!
- Compression socks
Hopefully it all works!
In non-Achilles news, Matilda (our senior vizsla) had a few more suspicious spots removed this week. She’s recovering well and we’re optimistic the spots weren’t cancerous. (She has had melanoma in the past.)
I’m linking up with Running on the Fly and Confessions of a Mother Runner Check it out below:
Yes if there’s one thing that 100% of runners will deal with, it’s an injury (offset by all of the good things that running does for us of course). I’m glad that you can still do some running and hopefully everything will heal up quickly. The only negative thing about WFH was not having a standing desk anymore and after a few months I started to feel it. I finally got an adjustable desk top a few weeks ago so that I can stand and it makes a world of difference.
Totally agree! We all will have some sort of injury, it’s inevitable.
I need a standing desk too!
I’m so sorry that you’re dealing with an injury, but glad that you’re still able to run. Sorry about missing the RL race, though, that had to hurt, too.
Sending No Cancer vibes to Ruth! OMG the Cone of Shame. Poor Ruth, too!
Thank you Judy! The cone of shame is Matilda, the senior vizsla (hard to keep track of everyone’s pets and kids name, haha!) She’s recovering just fine. She seems pretty energetic actually, for a senior. We’ve had to tell her no to multiple walks, as the vet said only short ones until her stitches are out.
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear about your injury, but it sounds like you’re doing everything right and it’s great that your PT and coach think you can still run conservatively. I’ve noticed that I’ve had more back pain since WFH and I know it’s from sitting too much. I have been trying to get up every hour, even if it’s just to walk around the room.
I am doing the same- just trying to get up and walk a bit more during the day, and stretch. I’ll do some PT exercises at least once an hour. A benefit of working from home! 🙂
Oh no!!! I’m glad you’re able to actively work to treat the injury while still being able to run . Like you, I don’t attribute running to the cause of my injury…though I know it probably did aggravate it. I blame the derecho cleanup for mine (too many downed tree branches to “walk” over) for twisting/straining things. Hoping you’re back to your regular routine soon!!
Thanks Kim! Your explanation for your injury makes more sense than overdoing it with running, because it does not seem like you were! I was indeed running a lot, but it wasn’t a change; the only ‘change’ was the lack of movement the rest of the day!
I am so sorry to hear that you are injured! Ouch! I received shockwave therapy on my plantar fascia years ago. It was very effective but it was painful. He did a nerve block before the treatment. I hope it works for you!
Oh my, they aren’t giving me a nerve block. I’m scared!
Sorry to hear you are injured and that you had to miss the race. I hope all the TLC and treatments bring you a speedy recovery. Sending healing vibes to Matilda as well!
Thank you so much Marcia! Missing the 5k wasn’t the worst, but I was looking forward to a real in-person race experience!
I have had an achilles injury before as well. Mine responded well to manual therapy treatment and cutting back. I really hope that shock wave therapy helps. I look forward to hearing about how it works. Feel good this week!
Thanks for sharing Deborah, good to know!
well dang, that sucks! But, good that you can run a bit through your treatment. I agree, the weather is getting pretty wonderful. Hopefully you will get it all taken care of soon! I am missing our local fair too. Sounds like you still had fun with it though! Great idea.
Thanks Lisa- it helps mentally to be able to run a little, as along as its not getting worse, which it isn’t so far!
Sorry to hear you are dealing with an injury! I’ve had achilles issues before and for the most part have been able to run through them. I do remember taking a few days off to let it settle down, but I think I caught it early. Hopefully all your treatments and cutting back on running will help! Have you tried using KT tape when you run?
I need to get KT tape back into the mix. I am googling the best way to use it for Achilles! Do you remember how you did?
Wow, bummer on the achilles, but good news you can run as you recover. I’m not sure I’d blame your work-from-home lifestyle — the hiking/camping sounds more suspicious to me. 😉 Love Dustin’s t-shirt, and that you got to do a beer tasting!
The t-shirt was from MPR (our local NPR). He got a lot of compliments, ha!
I agree, the hiking/camping did not help. I went into that trip thinking the time off would be so good, but it didn’t help like REAL time off of activity would have!
Oh I didn’t realize this was a lingering issue. Boo. Glad you can run through it and have friends who can go your pace at this time. I too was terrified I’d tear the achilles. I get a little anxiety over injuries. I so miss the Theragun at JackRabbit and was tempted by the Strava coupon. Not sure I”ll use it enough to justify it though. It was a huge help during marathon training for the top outside of the calf, and I hope you find relief. Look forward to hearing how the therapies go. That you’re close enough for… Read more »
Hi Cari! Yes, lingering but was so minor up until quite recently. The Theragun is INTENSE on the calves! Ouch! But it seems more efficient and targeted than foam rolling.
Chanhassen is about 25 minutes outside of Minneapolis. I know your friend works at Paisley Park. Is she living out that direction too? My sister who is local is in Eden Prairie, which is very closet to Chan. Looking forward to meeting you (and your friend) when you come visit someday!
OMG, I am experiencing the same thing. I first noticed it about a week ago when I started running again. I feel it mostly in the morning but then the pain goes away. I hadn’t been running so the only thing I can think of is from using the Peloton. Now I know that it is even if it is an unofficial diagnosis.
How do you like the Theragun?
Poor Mathilda. I hope she gets better soon.
Zenaida start doing the eccentric calf raises on a stair! They will hopefully stretch it out and keep it from getting worse. That’s exactly how mine started, just a small pain that was worse in the morning and then would loosen up. Cure it before it gets worse!!
Glad you are able to keep running through it. I have been walking less too as it’s so boring to walk and I just don’t have the motivation to do anything except run. I have been doing more stretching though as I know I’m setting myself up to hurt myself otherwise. Hope you have a good strong recovery – and Matilda, too.
Smart girl to add in more stretching. I definitely am doing so now!
Oh, man, Achilles injuries are the worst! Hope you heal up soon, Jessie! And I hope Matilda is good. Luma and Olli send lots of vizsla love
Thanks Erin! Have you dealt with one in the past? Or has Nick? I’d love to hear what worked and what didn’t work!
Oh no!!! Sorry to hear this but so glad you’ve been aggressive with the treatments and that your coach has first hand experience of this kind of injury. I think your analysis is spot on. I thought all I did at the office was sit because my job is so sedentary. But working from home has shown me how much I actually do walk at the office – whether it’s to a colleague’s office or to the photocopier, up and down the stairs. Whereas at home, I’m basically at my desk from morning until evening with very little movement. Glad… Read more »
Thank you Shathiso!
Yes! You are so right. I had an office job, but realize now just how many more steps were part of my day, vs. walking from at-home office to kitchen 🙂 I plan to break up the work day with more short dog walks, especially before the snow comes!
Hoping that the EWST does the trick – you are right that the best running weather is starting now, so hope you are able to get out and enjoy some miles.
Thanks Eric! First session is tomorrow at 7 am!
Hey Jessie,
Hope you’re feeling better. This experience sounds challenging. Hope that you’ll heal quickly and get back to running.
Oh, no! And sweet Matilda! I hope she is ok.
I hate that you are hurting. 🙁 It sounds like you have a great treatment plan and lots of support, so I know you will be back to your normal self soon! Hang in there and be careful!
Thank you Jenn, you’re so sweet!
Oh no, I hope you can get your Achilles issue healed quickly! It’s great that you can still run, albeit slower than you’d like. Hang in there!
I had Achilles tendinitis a few years ago and these sleeves helped tremendously! (And I am not in any way affiliated/making money from this link)
TechWare Pro Ankle Brace Compression Sleeve – Relieves Achilles Tendonitis, Joint Pain. Plantar Fasciitis Sock with Foot Arch Support Reduces Swelling & Heel Spur Pain. Injury Recovery for Sports https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072HVJGTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ahcxFbT4EWKWW
Thank you Jessica! I ordered a few pair. I’m willing to try anything!