Tendonitis-Recovery time?

[jimbhoy]

After a recent 400k i had severe pain at the back of the ankle, visit to the docs the next day and Tendonitis of the Achillies Tendon was diagnosed. A rest period of roughly 2 weeks was suggested and Diclofenac was given for the pain. A week later and the ankle feels ok, so should i go back to commuting by bike or take the full 2 weeks rest as suggested?

[hellymedic]

2 weeks is not very long. Mine took nearer 4 months to settle but I didn't rest much and did my first 400 within a week of onset...

[rogerzilla]

Mine comes and goes.  It's an age thing.  Stretching sorts it out, if you can be bothered.

[eck]

Wot hellymedic says ^^^. You've done a LOT of miles recently, give yourself a break and take another week off. You've nothing to lose at this time of year, and you'll come back stronger and sooner than if you plough on regardless with a not-quite-healed injury. 
That's what I think anyway...

ETA: You're too young for it to be "an age thing". 

[jimbhoy]

4 Months ! crikey don't think i could face that long commuting by bus. Aye i should have rested after the 600K when it did feel quite bad but went on to do a 200k then a 400k. How about running, would that affect it, or is it complete rest? and does it completly heal with rest?

[jimbhoy]

Wot hellymedic says ^^^. You've done a LOT of miles recently, give yourself a break and take another week off. You've nothing to lose at this time of year, and you'll come back stronger and sooner than if you plough on regardless with a not-quite-healed injury. 
That's what I think anyway...

ETA: You're too young for it to be "an age thing". 

Wise words Mr Org, but i'm a grumpy B...... when not cycling, but i suppose it's coming in to deepsest darkest winter and as you quite rightly point out i've nothing to lose.

[hellymedic]

IMO running's a no-no.
You can cycle with your ankle held rigid. (That's how I did my 400 & 600 3 weeks later..)

Running puts all your weight through the ankle and holding the ankle rigid is almost impossible.

Keep your ankle cool and raise it above the hip overnight.

[why1040]

I had tendonitis in my left lower arm for well over 6 months.

Doc said rest (but keep mobilising gently) and take ibuprofen maximum strength every day.  I did this for a couple of weeks before getting bored the first couple of times, but eventually stuck with it and after about a month, it did seem to help.  Eventually fell out of the habit of the pain killers when it didn't hurt so much and it's continued to improve, but it took a Very Long Time.

Gentle stretching did seem to help, as did icing regularly.

I certainly wouldn't run on an achilles with tendonitis, that seems a really good way of upsetting it to me, but IAMNAD (though I was a nurse for a while). 

[LittleWheelsandBig]

My very first Audax (300km) gave me tendonitis behind a knee, due to a fractionally too high saddle. I'd rest for a week or more, get back on the bike before it was perfect and it would flare up again. It took perhaps 6 months before I let it finally heal completely. Stretching helps prevent it coming back.

[hellymedic]

A basic trick for any overuse type injury is

<a href="http://[size=14pt]AVOID PROVOCATION![/size]" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://[size=14pt]AVOID PROVOCATION![/size]</a>

Simples and very effective.