Heels for healing Achilles tendinitis

Running barefoot definitely taxes the calves more than running shod which has a heel lift of varying degrees. There is likely more going on if suddenly you are having this problem where previously you did not. Did your gait change? How is the pelvis, are the hips level or torqued, because if so (hearing about the toddler), did you strain your back and are you trying to run with a distorted pelvis which will cause your legs to tighten, and tighten the calves, causing strain to the white transitional tissue in the calf that gives way to the achillies tendon.

My suggestion is to have your back checked out by a local chiropractor, hopefully one who knows myofascial release. Have them adjust you and work on the muscles in the core, as well as the calves and the transitional area behind the knee, a common area for adhesion formation that can affect the calf.

Generally, if you work out these problems, you should see a marked improvement. The achillies is not the problem, but the symptom of other things that are working poorly in the gait cycle.

I hope that helps

I grab heels to give the achilles area rest if I have tightness/soreness and it's worked well for me as a quick fix. (To be clear, this is based solely on my thinking, not medical evidence)

ChasingShadows said:

I grab heels to give the achilles area rest if I have tightness/soreness and it's worked well for me as a quick fix. (To be clear, this is based solely on my thinking, not medical evidence)

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Well, I have some shoes with about 11mm differential and it gives me a break too and lets my achilles settle down too. I wonder if some of us just spent too much time in regular shoes during our lives and have damaged ourselves to the point that we need to rest our calves and achilles.

Barefoot TJ said:

Exactly, Nick. That's what I believe, no I know. It's common sense actually. Running shod with elevated heels causes our connective tissues to shorten, typically by the same length as the heel elevation. If we were left barefoot from birth throughout our lifetimes, we wouldn't suffer Achilles tendonitis due to having shortened, connective tissues and muscles. Our connective tissues would already be at their proper, intended lengths. Therefore, running barefoot wouldn't tax the calves more than running shod because we would be naturally, normally already conditioned for the loads.

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Huh, kind of funny TJ, but I was just reading a post from 2 years ago of mine about some calf pain I had been having back then. I am still having a lot of the same troubles I was back then when I run barefoot or in 0 drop footwear, yet when I wear shoes with even just a minor 4mm differential and some cushion my achilles and calves feel better. I am really wondering if all my shoe wear from prior to me trying to convert has permenantly damaged my legs. I have gotten to where I am wearing shoes more and more because I seem to be getting more relief from them...

I wore zero drop shoes for about a year, before I started running. Wasn't really thinking about tendinitis prevention, but was tired of big clumsy shoes with thick heels.

I ran 15 miles last week and my left Achilles ended up very sore and slightly swollen. It felt "gritty" and lumpy and sort of grinding to move. Any thoughts ideas or suggestions as to whats going on and how to heal/prevent this happening? Have been altenating between hot and cold compress which seems to help but its still tender a week later. Cheers all and happy running