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Achilles Stretches

  • 06-08-2008 10:36am
    #1
    Mully
    Closed Accounts Posts: 156 ✭✭


    I play football twice a week, 60min 5asides.

    I've noticed in the last month or so, that my achilles are very very sore the next day, struggle to walk for the first few mins out of bed.

    Does anyone know any good stretches to ease this ?


    Cheers.


Comments

  • #2
    amazingemmet
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭amazingemmet


    Your achilles is a tendon and as such doesn't need to be stretched as it doesn't really have any elastic properties. If you're playing on astro turf or on a sports hall, the chances are your shoes might have enough cushioning and you're getting some trauma to your achilles through that. My advice is one get some better trainers and two get a tennis ball, sit on the floor and put the ball under your calf and roll on it finding the sore spots and holding it for a bit.


  • #3
    Zzippy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,166 ✭✭✭✭Zzippy


    Are you sure its the Achilles that's sore? Might it be the lower calf muscle... I've had problems with that muscle down near the Achilles but it wasn't the tendon that hurt...
    If you're doing calf stretches - one foot in front, back leg straight, heel of back foot flat on ground with weight on back foot, try bending the knee of the back leg a bit, it brings the lower calf into play more and you feel the stretch lower down towards the heel.


  • #4
    Mully
    Closed Accounts Posts: 156 ✭✭Mully


    Zzippy wrote: »
    Might it be the lower calf muscle... I've had problems with that muscle down near the Achilles but it wasn't the tendon that hurt...

    This would seem to be the case.

    Cheers for the advice.


  • #5
    TKD SC
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 512 ✭✭✭TKD SC


    I find standing on step of stairs and then putting one foot half way over step behind me (ie I'm looking / facing up the stairs) and pushing down. Try with leg bent (seems to get more towards the achilles area) and leg straight (better stretch on this one) for the whole calf.

    Also try downward dog http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/491


  • #6
    Reyman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,297 ✭✭✭Reyman


    Zzippy wrote: »
    Are you sure its the Achilles that's sore? Might it be the lower calf muscle... I've had problems with that muscle down near the Achilles but it wasn't the tendon that hurt...
    If you're doing calf stretches - one foot in front, back leg straight, heel of back foot flat on ground with weight on back foot, try bending the knee of the back leg a bit, it brings the lower calf into play more and you feel the stretch lower down towards the heel.

    As Zippy says, this is usually due to tightness in the calf muscles Gastrocnemius/Soleus muscles. This is particularly so as you head towards the 30 and older mark.

    The good news is that the Achilles responds very quickly to stretches and loosening of the above muscles, so you should be right pretty quick.


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