Injurys and rest.

[nightrider]

What do you people do when you get a over use injury.At the moment I have archillies tendinitus it doesnt give me enough pain to make me limp just the odd twinge,but I have swelling about the size of a marble.I rested it for a week,but that hasnt made much differance,what would you do ? ride through it or rest longer ?

[Tiger]

Tendonitis takes more than a week to recover properly. It is a bugger because it is possible - with nurofen and a bit of grit - to ride through the initial pain warning and thus seriously aggravate it. I did that last year - blew the whole season in the end and couldn't walk properly for a couple of weeks.
Rest it. chill it. gently stretch it a bit. And see if your seat is too high/low or pedal to far forward so you are over ankling.
Alternatively, you could gently sever the tendon with a sterile scalpel (no pain receptorsin tendons) and rest up for a week or so - the tendon will regrow longer and stronger. all the TDF riders do this.

[annie]

I would rest for much longer than a week but probably more importantly you need to ask why you have such an injury and address the cause and not just the symptoms.

RICE as Tiger suggested, several times a day if you are able.

Bear in mind that the achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body and is put under large amounts of stress in certain weight bearing activities such as running, walking, jumping etc.  You don't mention if you take part in any of these, do you just cycle?  Stretches - do you do any, if not then you should be?

Have you recently increased the amount of exercise or the intensity?

Don't rush to get back into your usual routine until things have improved considerably and you have addressed the other issues as you may make things considerably worse.

[hellymedic]

I reckon achilles tendinitis takes around two-three months to settle.
Camping head down and feet up seemed to cure mine when little else did. Maybe its time was up at Mildenhall...

[nightrider]

Thanks Tiger ,How long would you rest 2-3 weeks,and then easy gears?I am going crazy here !

[hellymedic]

You can ride quite soon if you keep your ankle almost rigid; I did my first 400 that way and the ankle only hurt for the last 50 km; almost everything hurt by then anyway.

[nightrider]

Annie ,this is a old running injury,agravated by riding 400k ,and really trying hard up hills.I dont stretch enough.I want to ride LEL next year,.Just going to open a bottle of Old rosie cider

[Tiger]

It was the 3/400's that stuffed my ankle up.  Typically in the last 3rd by which time it is too late to bail out so you carry on and then it is messed up next day.  I think pedalling action has something to do with it - like maybe pushing big gears or going too heel-down but frankly I never got to the bottom of it. It is also age and dehydration related - like a shotage of teh lubricant inside the sheath around the tendon. Younger folk are generally wetter and more flexible inside.

Take enough rest until there is absolutely no twingeing then start with 50k again. and in the meantime eat loads of Glucosamine tablets which apparently can be very effective. Worked well  on my dog anyway.

I am a doctor. trust me.

[annie]

Annie ,this is a old running injury,agravated by riding 400k ,and really trying hard up hills.I dont stretch enough.I want to ride LEL next year,.Just going to open a bottle of Old rosie cider

I will join you in the cider.

I have had to back off from off road running due to a problem with my hip flexor and ITBS, I would be devastated if I had to give it up altogether but have only run on the treadmill in the last week and avoided the hills like the plague.

[nightrider]

Ok I will rest ,but I can still do another 200k ride in 2 weeks time.But not hilly.Then rest !2009 is my target now.If not LEL then a SR !Dont forget this is is not all about physical acheivements,as of emotional needs as well.Thanks.

[Ian H]

My physio recommended finger and thumb massage on the grounds that it helps prevent the build=-up of scar tissue.

[nightrider]

I went to see a osteopath this morning,and the good news is I should be back on my bike in about a week.Before cycling I used to run half marathons,and got laid up with tendinitus a couple of times.So there is most likely scar tissue there.Then I rode 400k,and agravated it.Before the400 I rode two 100 mile rides a 200k and a 300k ride.Do you think this is a good enough preperation ?

[Tiger]

Certainly. The 400 is essentially very like the 300 - with the key difference being an additional 100. In essence, it is just aboout 30% longer. However, once completed the additional 30% looks like only 25%. Which is good.

Key thing with a 400 is to not get into car and then fall asleep at the wheel on the way home.