Facebook Live- The top 4 Rehab Tips for your sore Achilles

Facebook Live 29 October 2019

4 Rehab Tips of Achilles pain
1- Footwear – Try to find shoes that have a higher heel height. This means having the height of the heel higher then the toes. Think about the exaggerated example of being in high heels. The goal of this is to limit the strain and stretch going through the Achilles tendon.  In running shoes this height will vary between brads and between models, so make sure you do your research and ask for help to get your shoes fitted properly, ideally looking for a 10-12mm pitch.
2- Surfaces- In the way we want our heel to be in a higher position than the toes it is important to avoid the opposite of this. Meaning when the heel drops bellow. This has the opposite of the desired effect and can result in hitting the ground harder and increased load going through the achilles. Running bare foot, uphill or on sand are all activities to be cautious of.
3-  Load management- Load refers to the amount of activity you are doing. A common mistake is doing to much to soon. When the tendon has been injured we may need to reduce the activity however not stopping. It s just about making some small changes such as alterations to speed, stride length and distance. Think of this time as a period to work on strength and refine technique
4-Strength training- It is important to strengthen the lower limb to ensure a return to previous activity levels, if not stronger. A key element of this is the addition on external load. Training heavy with less reps will assist in the achilles to be able to withstand more force and prevent any future injuries.