pammy
02-10-2001, 12:10 PM
I used to love to run. I was never fast or a high-milage runner. But, nothing could give me the sense of accomplishment, even self (kinda strange, I was never athletic, last kid picked for teams in gym class, so being able to run made me feel better about myself than just about anything) that running did. So why the past-tense you ask? I developed a tightness, then pain that would stop me in my tracks, even when I was walking, in my left achilles tendon. I saw an orthopedic surgeon who diagnosed achilles tendonitis. He told me that it was caused by inadequate stretching, that because my calf muscle was tight, it was causing microscopic tears in the achilles. He gave me lifts for my running shoes, told me to avoid wearing high heels and to rest from running when I was in pain. And above all else, to stretch. Well, I took his words to heart. Started practicing yoga, etc. The injury still persists. Even walking briskly at a distance will aggravate it. I have come to love astanga yoga, but still not the way I love to run.
In thinking about how the injury developed, I remember that the winter before I had a very bad, deep bruise to the back of my left calf from a ski lift chair hitting it as I got on. Could there be scar tissue in my calf muscle which could be causing the extra tension to my acchiles tendon? Do any of you have advice on how to coax the muscle to regain some elasticity? I would dearly love to run again, but I'm not about to suffer a completely torn tendon.
In thinking about how the injury developed, I remember that the winter before I had a very bad, deep bruise to the back of my left calf from a ski lift chair hitting it as I got on. Could there be scar tissue in my calf muscle which could be causing the extra tension to my acchiles tendon? Do any of you have advice on how to coax the muscle to regain some elasticity? I would dearly love to run again, but I'm not about to suffer a completely torn tendon.