Back of heel pain in morning.

chuckles1

Is this typically plantar fasciitis? When I'm looking at that online it mostly seems to be at the bottom of the heel rather than the back where i have the pain…..

drury..

Doesnt sound to me like pf

Jnealon

Achilles but best get a PT or Physio to diagnose

Dublinlad1989

This could be a very simple/stupid suggestion but this happened to me last year, turns out I was tying my laces too tight causing little movement in my heel which ended in it getting sore. Something to be mindful of but as said above if in doubt get to a physio for confirmation

thomas anderson.

You need to stretch your calf buddy.

drury..

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122335757#Comment_122335757

Stretching anything except the back caused more problems for me than it ever solved

Bit of massage or rolling and light strengthening work any problem areas these days

chuckles1

thanks all, on further googling probably achiles. Will do some stretching and foam rolling to see if it improves

biketard

I know there shouldn't be any medical advice given here, but I think this counts as a warning rather than medical advice…

Stretching can actually be a bad thing for insertional achilles tendonitis (which can present itself as heel pain in the mornings). Make sure you get proper medical advice first.

In my experience, mine started off with a sore heel and developed into PF.. have had it now nearly a year.

Stretching the calf muscle and strengthening the calf muscle helps, particulary the strengthening, as stretching I found only temp relief!

Lay a rolled up towel on floor and put the toes of your foot on it, raise yourself up (like on tippy toes), hold and slowly down (controlled movements)

Can introduce weights, like in a backpack to add more resistance.. can YT it, loadsa vids on it.

chuckles1

Did some foam rolling last night after a run, calves were quite sore doing it but to be fair much less pain this morning than over the last two weeks, will keep an eye on it and go to physio if it doesn't clear up soon.

I do plenty of heel raises both straight leg and bended knee with weights so think I'm ok there.

thanks again for advice.

Croftman

Also work on your glutes. A lot of calf problems, and hamstrings, actually come from the glutes

drury..

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122354823#Comment_122354823

Well that's it problems can originate elsewhere

They say 90% of knee issues are caused outside the knee

Marty Bird

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058358249/back-of-heel-pain-in-morning

OP you still getting this ? sounds like insertional achilles tendonitis and it’s a pox.

chuckles1

Its eased a bit with a little stretching post run and some foam rolling. I've noticed a bit of a sore point on the outside side of my calf (have to press on it to find it) so am wondering if that is triggering it. Nervous about doing more than 10k at the moment, so need to get it sorted.

Going to see a neuromuscular therapist who sorted out a back issue for me a few months back (lats were the issue). So that might help.

Marty Bird

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122390778#Comment_122390778

I can only speak for myself I’ve ran with it in both feet for the last 4 years. It’s sore at the start of the run but doesn’t hurt during the run.

It’s really painful when I’m at home with my feet up for while or when I get up in the morning. I run 6/7days average around 80/90km a week.

I’ve read some positive reviews of shockwave therapy for it but haven’t done it myself.

I

ballyargus

a good physio is worth their weight in gold for the peace of mind as much as anything. I'd go see one if it's worrying you (particularly if you have any kind of event on the near horizon)

Buddy Bubs

Insertional Achilles tendonopathy, I had it in both heels. It eventually finished my rugby career, I played with the pain for about 5 years.

Orthotic insoles helped though, so did difene. I did all the stretches physios gave me. But eventually enough was enough and I stopped playing and stopped running. It was beginning to have a bad effect on my quality of life but all good now, no more pain. I walk a lot now with dogs and I do weight training and it has never come back.

Exact same symptoms as you've described OP can be quite sore and I was struggling even walking in the mornings.

Seannew1

Sounds like posterior tibial tendonopathy to me?? Is there a burning like sensation which goes under the base of your foot??

Marty Bird

OP I finally given into the pain and stopped running.

I found this online and started it this week. Might be of some use to you or anyone else.

PHY053_Advice_and_Exercises_Insertional_Achilles_Tendinopathy.pdf

drury..

People stretch and ice which is the wrong things to be doing with tendon injuries

chuckles1

Physio said that as well.

He's mostly given me foam rolling to do on calves, heal raises and cut back on the running but mindful of races coming up so knows I'm not cutting back too much, and stay away from the mountains. Reckons it will be Christmas before its better, but just trying to manage it in the meantime

Ceepo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122583884#Comment_122583884

Probably the wrong thing to do with any injury really

Norrie Rugger Head

As someone who has had 3 tears (across both legs) and one of those a complete rupture, listen to the physio.

If they say to take it easy, trust me, then take it easy. I'm never able to run again (sure I can run for a bus or play with the kids etc but nothing above that).

First rupture was in 2008 and, after surgery, all seemed fine. Chronic tendinopathy had set into the other leg and I spent 14 years managing that until it gave out, followed by the original (again) during my return to distance running.

They are not to be ignored

niallm77

TIght calf or hamstring could be root of this

JStrummer

I suffered for almost 3 months with a savage pain from the back of my heel. Couldn’t run. Saw a clip online… after a few physio sessions with no improvement.
Sit on a kitchen chair.. both legs in normal upright sitting posture and put ur sore foot onto the opposite knee. Let’s say it’s ur right foot is the sore foot.. put it up on your left knee. With your right hand bend back all your toes towards your right hand side. With you left hand knuckles then deeply massage the underside of your right foot. Do it for 10 -15 mins and get in v deep.
After a few sessions like this it cured my heel ache and it’s never been a problem since.
After long mileage a golf ball under my foot to gently massage when on the couch that eve has always helped as well to avoid any repeat.
just my experience and may not have any impact for u .. just sharing. Best of luck with the recovery

chuckles1

I'll try that.

Getting my long runs in on a treadmill now, so that's a easier, but don't think it replicates the road all that well either…..

Marty Bird

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122624080#Comment_122624080

Can you share that clip ?

Marty Bird

https://youtu.be/FaCWTC408ys

I’ve also been using this routine on top of the ones I’ve posted earlier in thread.

chuckles1

yep, I was told not to do those heel drops, weighted heel raises are fine. No hill running either, which is helping for a trail race coming up😀

Anyway think I've stabilized it or at least not making it worse!

Fecking shin splints now as well…..

bike2wkr

I think the PDF shared above is about as good as you're going to get to solve insertional Achilles issues. Correct me if I'm wrong?

It's a hard issue to solve. I get it mainly on one foot but sometimes other one flares up too

Marty Bird

Update. Pain in the morning still but not nearly up the scale when I was running. I’ll give it 2 more weeks and try a small run then see if flares back up it’s physio for the shockwave.

chuckles1

Did you find the shockwave therapy helped?

I ended up going to a NMT and that helped. Also some red light therapy thing my wife has (no idea if that makes a difference).I didn't cut back on the running distances but did swap to treadmill versus road.

Did the 30k eco trail on Saturday, achiles was sore at about 18k but then settled down and not that sore the following day. Lack of hill fitness the problem……….

DCM coming up soon now

Marty Bird

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122679290#Comment_122679290

I haven’t got it done yet. 2 more weeks and I’ll give it a shot. Nice race ecotrail. I was due to run in Chicago next week but I couldn’t put the block in. Best of luck in DCM, ran it last year weather was poxy.