Achilles pain. What's causing it?

chris3vic · Post by **chris3vic** » 23 Mar 2014, 9:53am

I've never been 100% comfortable on my dawes galaxy. I've spent hours faffing about with saddle height and handlebar height and have only recently found a configuration that I'm reasonably happy with over 50-60 mile rides. But now I'm getting a lot of pain in my lower right calf and Achilles' tendon.

At first it was only noticeable after about 3-4 hours cycling, so I figured it may be my cleats. I pushed them a little further back the next time I went out but the Achilles pain was noticeable right away. It's starting to get me down.

I notice when pedalling my left foot is fine, but my right foot has a tendency to over extend and my toes drop. I'm guessing this action is causing the stress on the calf and Achilles - bit I have no ideas how to sort it!

boris · Post by **boris** » 23 Mar 2014, 10:32am

I would see a sports physio, one that is interested in cycling. Finding that might be a bit hard but a word round the neighbouring clubs might get a result,, or ask british cycling. Also see gp who could refer to ankle opd orthopaedics where a mri or other scan might be done to see if you have a tear or cystic degeneration in the tendon . If you have it might need surgery if not resolving with the physio. The blood circulation needs considering and sciatica .
dropping your toes might be a way of protecting the tendon rather than the cause of the problem, although the back of the shoe could press on the tendon and hurt it.
I had a similar problem for a long time after one day standing up on the pedals and pushing hard on a hill; I felt a slight tear in the right tendon which was worrying for a while but has now settled. it might be permanently weak, so I try to be a bit careful .

and I suppose it would be reasonable to get a bike-fit done so that you know what an official set-up would be, even if you want to alter it .

simontwosheds · Post by **simontwosheds** » 23 Mar 2014, 11:11am

Speaking as a bike fitter, I suggest that seeing a good bike fitter would be the first thing to do.
On second thoughts, you should stretch the muscle and give it a good rub.
If you have moved the cleats then your saddle ought to go down by the same amount. Try moving the cleats all the way back.
A good bike fitter can perform some tests to discern any tightness and make changes accordingly.
It could be a simple case of saddle position or something as tricky as a postural deficiency.

bigjim · Post by **bigjim** » 23 Mar 2014, 1:04pm

I had this problem, described in more detail on the shoe bit on my blog.
In your situation I would, as an experiment. remove the cleats, fit a large platform pedal and ride like that for a few rides and see what happens.

chris3vic · Post by **chris3vic** » 27 Mar 2014, 12:34pm

Thanks all, I have been experimenting with the cleat and saddle position again and I've found a good position on one bike, but the dawes is still casuing some discomfort. Switching the pedal system from SPD to some spare SPD-SL pedals and obviously changing the shoes too seems to have helped though.

Could it be that my SPD shoes are not stiff enough?

ferrit worrier · Post by **ferrit worrier** » 27 Mar 2014, 4:47pm

chris3vic wrote:Could it be that my SPD shoes are not stiff enough?

When I first got back on "the bike" I was wearing ordinary trainers and using toe clips, result pain in right Achilles tendon, switched to SPD's and problem solved. It may have been that the trainers were allowing my foot to flex to much and my heel was dropping too far down, and consequently stretching the tendon.

Malc

boris · Post by **boris** » 27 Mar 2014, 10:43pm

I say again, has this tendon been shown to someone that might know when to suspect and image a serious problem before it actually snaps?

AndyK · Post by **AndyK** » 27 Mar 2014, 11:57pm

boris wrote:I say again, has this tendon been shown to someone that might know when to suspect and image a serious problem before it actually snaps?

Achilles tendons 'snap' under sudden extreme stress; this sounds more like a tear or strain. That's why you hear of squash and badminton players with snapped tendons - they make sudden, dramatic changes of direction and speed which put the tendons under instantaneous stress. It's very unlikely that an Achilles would snap through normal cycling use unless you're in the habit of jabbing your heel groundwards abruptly.
I write as someone with (unfortunately) a lot of experience in running-induced tendinitis, who also conducted experiments on the behaviour of tendons as part of my degree course many years ago. (Fascinating stuff - mechanically quite complex.) Not saying the OP shouldn't see an expert, just that talk of the tendon snapping is alarmist and misleading.
Given the fact that it's only afflicting one leg this does sound like it might be a minor length mismatch between legs, either skeletal or muscular induced, in which case a sports biomechanics specialist might well be able to help.

boris · Post by **boris** » 29 Mar 2014, 1:10am

I have seen people with snapped achilles tendons many times in the past 30years and athletes with cystic degeneration and partial tears. It would be ludicrously careless for any professional to ignore the possibilty and I would expect a doctor or physio to examine you seriously if they expect to continue to be insured .
This is no place to get advice.

AndyK · Post by **AndyK** » 29 Mar 2014, 11:16pm

boris wrote:This is no place to get advice.

Though you seem happy to hand it out. The OP asked for advice; I think most of what's been given (including yours) is reasonable - apart from your threat that the tendon might suddenly "snap".

NATURAL ANKLING · Post by **NATURAL ANKLING** » 29 Mar 2014, 11:25pm

Hi,
Sounds like tendonitious.
Have you more than one bike :?:

How do you set your cleats ? How far back or forth are your balls of foot from the pedal spindle :?:

How old are you :?:

The pain will not dissapear overnight or in a week even if you have now set everything perfect and shoes are supporting and allow good foot action.
So dont expect an adjustment to bring instant relief.

boris · Post by **boris** » 30 Mar 2014, 11:53pm

''apart from your threat that the tendon might suddenly "snap".''

of those people you have spoken to that have snapped an achilles tendon , what proportion would you say did not describe a sudden event while stressing the tendon? What proportion recollected some problem with it before it snapped? Are you suggesting that you can assure the op that he is going to be fine ?

NATURAL ANKLING · Post by **NATURAL ANKLING** » 31 Mar 2014, 1:56am

Hi,
I should of added that my first port of call was the GP then physio.
From what you describe my pain was identical to yours.
Seek proffessional help first.

Merry_Wanderer · Post by **Merry_Wanderer** » 31 Mar 2014, 12:59pm

I had a problem with my left achilles tendon. I went to a physio who diagnosed it as tendonitis caused by very tight calf muscles and suggested I get a bike fit. I did this and the guy who did the bike fit found that my saddle was too low and I had tight hamstrings as well as the tight calf muscles.

After having a shorter stem fitted, my saddle raised and moved forward and following the stretching regime that the bike fitter and physio recommended, the problem went away. Not had any problem since.

In short, I'd recommend seeing a physio (pay if you have to, it's worth it) andgetting a bike fit. Before you do any lasting damage

NATURAL ANKLING · Post by **NATURAL ANKLING** » 31 Mar 2014, 1:44pm

Hi,
Tendonitous in cycling in lower leg comes from bad foot action which can be saddle height and stiff ankles / unused / overuse / old age etc, Even cold feet.

The bio mechanics of the leg should mean that we "Naturally Ankle" even when walking / running.
If you do not have a history of exercise and even a layup period especially when you are over fifty the hams and calfs will become shorter and stiff and forcing the pace if not knee pain then tendonitious.

We could all benifit from stretching these muscles on a daily basis, I.M.O. would help mprevent this pain / damage.

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