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Well I've been running track for a long time. For three years actually. I noticed a pain on my achilles way back in football season. No big deal just a dull pain. It went away.

During Basketball season (my favorite sport) I had no problems. (Thanks!)

Now it has returned in Track season. It started early on as a dull pain again. Now whenever I run, my achilles feels as though a knife was jabbed in it. I suffered through it till today. It hurt so bad I cried. Skurpey told me to tell coach. I did he let my take a break. I didn't have to run my next 400 meter. I took some extra strength Non-Asprin-Asprin, it slightly numbed the pain. Feeling as though I may have hurt my achilles tendon I asked google about pain there. Googles replies stated that I may suffer from achilles tendonitis.

The symptoms I matched:

Pain in the Achilles tendon
A dull and/or sharp pain on the achilles
A feeling of intense heat radiating from that area

Well great, I fell like I'm letting coach down by not running. But I don't want to mess up my foot. Track really isn't my sport, thats Basketball. What should I do, I know I should tell coach and go to the doctor.

Any comments and/or suggestions would be appreciated. (whoa head rush...)

First, go to the doctor.

Do you know that the medical profession is going through alot of headache because people self diagnose? It might match, but alot of different problems, with totally different treatment may have similar symptoms.

But looking at what you just described, it probably is just something from your exercise. To be safe I'd get an Xray to rule out a fracture. Other than that, I'd rest the foot, and take painkillers as needed. Once you're off painkillers and the pain stops, rest for an extra 2 weeks. Pain comes only when its really damaged, and goes away before it fully heals, which is what the 2 weeks is for.

Please don't substitute anything else for my advice, I'm NOT your doctor, and I can't perform a physical examination over the net to make a diagnosis. Even then, I'm not qualified to make a diagnosis.

No you are not!

Unless you recover fully, you can't really help your team.

If your coach expects you to continue (with or without painkillers), then he's, to say the least, selfish.

Please see a competent doc (perhaps not the team doc ?).

The team doc should be good. I mean, if something went wrong with your treatment, you've got the right to sue.... Which means good bux

Are you sure your shoes are measured correctly for your feet?

Take Ibuprofen (brand name Advil) continually for at least a week. That drug reduces swelling of tendons, allowing them to slide more freely.

I use the generic form of Tylenol, Acetaminophen (2) 500 mg and get effective
relief in ~10-15 minutes.

The herb Yucca is also an Anti-Inflammatory

I also second the motion to see a qualified doctor FIRST to get a good
diagnosis.

This has nothing to do with his/her competence. There could be a possible conflict of interest. Also a second opinion can be helpful.

I don't think Tylenol is as effective anti-inflammatory as ibuprofen.

First, see a doctor like most everyone else has suggested. If it truely is tendonitis then the Dr. will probably perscribe ibuprofen or naproxen, ice and rest as treatment (maybe heat as well). I've never had achillies tendonitis but I have had plantar fasciitis several times and did the rest, ice and ibuprofen treatment with decent success.

Thank you for the comments. I've been taken Extra Strength Non-Asprin-Asprin. Which helps the pain after a race.

Team doctor? Coach Haire said that we should never go to the doctor. My buddy Frank couldn't breath and went to the ER. Coach was so pissed. Coach Price (My coach) said to ice it. Rub it with Icy Hot, and take it easy. Coach Levisay said to rest it. The internet said stop running, so well I can't run this meet. Which is gay because its district.

Anyway. I'll have to right a note for coach Boady who won't care. Either way thank you, and I'll have to go to the doctor.

Get this checked out immediately and don't settle for a mere X-Ray. Get an MRI. It may be nothing, but here is what I am going through right now:

1. I had trouble with my left ankle beginning in my early 20s to the point my ankle would "freeze up" and become painful, especially during and after sports.

2. I went to a doctor and they took an x-ray and his "great" advice was, "Your getting older and arthritis is setting in, so get used to it." I'm not kidding.

The longer I went the more pain I was having, a burning sensation and it would fatigue a lot. Ibuprofen, asperin, etc. would only temporarily relieve the pain. And it grew worse over the years.

3. January 3 of this year I had major reconstructive surgery of my left inner tibia tendon because it had gotten so bad I couldn't walk. Here is what i was told: Once a tendon starts going there is no way to reverse what is occuring.

a. I had so much scar tissue any part that could work was hindered 100% from moving.

b. I had two tears of the tendon with dying tissue that had to be cut away. Tendons when healthy are white; mine was bruised purple.

c. They had to break my foot and put a bone graft in to set the foot at the correct ankle.

d. They had to go and cut mu achilles to lenghten it because it was way too tight.

I say all this to say: Don't mess around and don't sacrifice your future health for any coach. Get to the right doctors. I kept on playing sports and now I am in serious rehab after 7 weeks in a non-weigh bearing cast.

You only do an investigation (such an Xray or MRI) to confirm or exclude a diagnosis. In this case, we're worried about a fracture, which an Xray would show as well as an MRI. Maybe even better. And a hell lot cheaper too.

beef_jerky4104 is getting alot of advice from non-medical people, and while this may give an idea of what may be wrong, he may be worrying about something that would never be the case.

Your coach is a bastard if he tells you not to go see a doc. If all he cares about is you getting in that race, he's really selfish, and probably not qualified to coach. Your problem may degenerate into a much more severe, chronic problem unless it is treated, so the first thing I'd do is rest the leg, and see a doc. Your body doesn't send messages of pain unless there's something wrong... (most of the time that is).

.

Right on !


I am not a medic, and never pretended to be one. How many on this site ( who have posted replies in this thread) are medics ?

Sometimes you don't have to be a medic to give solid advice.

Ibuprofen will reduce the inflammation of the tendon, which is solid advice whether coming from me or the head of the WHO.

One doesn't have to be a medic to give advice. Experience does teach us a thing or two. The whole idea is for people to share their experience. Nothing is binding.

The really bad thing is that we've started boot camp. Oh sorry "Character Camp" (Parents told coaches to stop calling it boot camp because thats for marines and stuff).

Character Camp is were we do a lot of exercise really fast. Speed weights, mat drills, ladders and jump ropes. This is an intense time because it "shows coach how much we are committed to the football team" which funy because I'm not playing that next year.

I've rested it for a while and it hasn't gotten any better, my father said he'd take me to the doctor so I can have it looked at. I really can't run good anymore, so I'll talk to the coach tommorow. He won't be to angry but he'll lose faith in me. (No big deal, he's a football caoch anyway).

Once more thank you for the advice. I really want to be able to walk when I'm 30 so, I'm not going to f#ckaround.