Any good Achilles exercises?

[concepthomes2]

I was able to start using my right leg a little more after my post-op follow up. I think I overdid it though by favoring the leg so much while walking that I either strained or stressed my right Achilles tendon.

I mean, this pain is so bad I’ve slept 2 hrs tonight and that was all.

Besides icing it and resting it, any tips to help relax this tendon and get some relief?

 

[Windini]

I missed the part where you had Achilles tendon surgery - welcome to the club. (I realize admission was involuntary.) How long ago was it?

I did very little for 3 months after my repair - just like the doc told me. PT was a female dog with a bad disposition and very sharp teeth... but chased me in the right direction.

The treatment that felt the best was ultrasound & localized massage. That really seemed to loosen the area up, which made everything feel better. Unfortunately, they did that before the PT, i.e., they undid their fine work immediately after.

Also unfortunately, US and massage weren't things I could do myself.

My advice would be to find that balance between therapeutic pushing the limits and stopping short of set backs to the healing process. Guess what? Your pain is your measuring stick. Listen to your Doc & PT's, but adjust their instructions to your needs (assuming you maintain an attitude of wanting to get back as close to 100% as you possibly can). If one goes wimpy, one will not recover what one might; if one goes macho, one will prolong the process... and re-injure... and probably not recover what one might.

Only you can find that sweet spot. You do that by making the pain your friend (frenemy?). Learn its language and listen to what it's telling you.

Hm... since this is a gun forum (and so much more![TM]), I'll apply this analogy:

You got a new gun. There is no shortage of experts to tell you exactly what is best for acheiving ultimate accuracy therefrom. Some will say theirs is the ONLY thing and you're a fool to not listen. But the bottom line is, you have to work up/find the load that shoots best in your gun. You have to find/develop the grip+stance+sight alignment+trigger control combination that allows YOU to shoot THAT gun as effectively as possible. Ultimately, YOU have to decide if you really want that and YOU have to be disciplined enough to pursue that and YOU have to know YOUR limits and work with what you got.

It's the same with PT.

Best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery!

 

[chiefjason]

There is not much you can do for the tendon itself. But you can focus on the muscle groups attached and pulling on that tendon. And don't discount tightness in the thigh and hip effecting the calf area. Particularly if you had to change your gait while walking. I'd look for calf exercises and if I had tightness in the thigh/hip I'd look at stretches to target them. And do your best to get back to walking normal. The favoring one side throws everything out of whack.

If you don't already you could try going barefoot around the house. Might help work some of those muscles more than wearing shoes.

 

[Chdamn]

I’ll come shoot arrows at your ankle while you dodge about.

 

[ES44AC]

The exercises never work for me. When my Achilles Tendinitis flares up I wear this at night.
DJO 79-81405 Procare Prowedge Night Splint, Medium, Female 7-10, Male 6.5-9.5 Size https://a.co/d/1FXkLON
Make sure you get one Your Size. I have a size 13 model.

I wear an ankle brace inside my shoes in the daytime. I walk 9-12 miles a day at work . That makes for very long days till the flare-up ends.

 

[cjcullom]

There is a lot one can do for rear lower leg/heel pain. Unfortunately a thread is tough to get the info into. PM me and we can set up a time to chat.
There is icing, exercise, stretching, shoe choices, gait(how to step properly) and physical touch to name topics. Let me know ...or you can visit and I'll drag u in the clinic
R