Achilles Tendon Research

After suggestions from participants in the current research we have decided to add a blog about what you are doing (eccentric exercise regime) and ask people to post comments so that you can support each other:

The aim of the eccentric regime is to increase the strength within your calf muscles and help “offload” the achilles tendon. You should be aiming for 15 reps and gradually build up to 2 sets of 15 reps bent knee and 2 sets of 15 reps straight knee. Use the pain during and after as a measure of how its effecting you, especially morning pain. This will allow you to alter the amount of exercises you do to what your tendon can cope with. Remember we don’t want to excite those cells too much and make the tendon become “reactive” (sore) again. Keep a record of the amount of reps you can manage each week, I am not interested in what you managed except to compare this with your recovery and changes after treatment.

I hope the Achilles is feeling ok with the new exercise regime.    Once you can achieve 2 sets of 15 reps without any undue irritation, at this stage you need to add external weights using a backpack, start with 5KG and gradually build up, remember to use your symptoms as a marker of soreness and adjust the amount you do accordingly.

Try and do the exercises twice daily and keep a mental note of how many you are managing, and let me know at 2 and 4 weeks. (I’ll get in touch)

Remember our main aim is to increase muscle strength this will have a direct effect on how much load can be absorbed by the muscle instead of the tendon. If you have any difficulties please get in touch with me on my email or mobile phone- both can be found on the emails I have sent you for the appointment