Achilles pain and shoe adjustment

[g-boaf]

Been about 10 weeks now. I was actually thinking it might of been about 3 months to recover like a few other injuries I have had.

Anyway ride aborted this morning. I forgot I wanted to adjust my shoes (heel adjustment). Also its not feeling great first thing this morning. Maybe a smaller one way ride might be better also I was thinking about 10kms first up also so I can abort if any probs.

The thing is, that while it might feel okay during the ride, it won't feel okay after it. You've really got to get some expert advice from a physio. No mucking about with this sort of injury, it can turn into something that will be chronic if you don't sort it out right away.

To put it bluntly, no riding until a physio says you can, and when they give you the okay, only as much as you are allowed to do and no more than that.

[madmacca]

There's lots of dodgy taping technique being peddled these days. At an elite level, if it isn't mechanically unloading the tendon, then forget it.

I had understood that taping doesn't actually do much in the way of mechanical support anyway, and that the main advantage of taping is the extra tactile feedback it provides to the skin as you approach the limit of your range of motion, which helps you avoid overextending a muscle/tendon. Or am I misunderstanding what you mean by unloading?

[CKinnard]

I had understood that taping doesn't actually do much in the way of mechanical support anyway, and that the main advantage of taping is the extra tactile feedback it provides to the skin as you approach the limit of your range of motion, which helps you avoid overextending a muscle/tendon. Or am I misunderstanding what you mean by unloading?

Yes, you are understanding me correctly.
The tactile feedback approach to taping is a recent phenomenon <10 years, that kicked in with kinesio tape and other brands.
When it originally came out it was bagged a lot by the profession after some experimentation.
Then some reasonable research came out supporting it, and applications evolved.
Today, it is popular with many general physios in suburban practices.

I network with top physios in Australia and OS (Brisbane Broncos, Qld State of Origin, Hawthorn and Richmond AFL, Australian and Indian Cricket teams, FC Bayern Munich, Team Sky, British Cycling, Australia Olympic Weightlifting). We have trialed it at different times, but at elite and pro levels it is out of favor. Further, I'd suggest you ask whoever has talked positively about it how long it is effective and for what specific conditions (muscle strain/grade/acute?, degenerative tendons, jt protection). In my view, those who continue to use it do so because they don't have the time or expertise to do more therapeutic interventions....and are tapping into its placebo effect.