Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

You know, when I was a kid I was very active and I also have unusually tight ligaments. For a while I had severe pains in my right heel. At first my mom kept telling me it was growing pains but after I had continued to complain about it for weeks she finally decided to take me to the doctor. They X-rayed me and discovered that my Achilles tendon was separating from my heel bone. They gave me shoe inserts and had me on crutches for about six weeks. I didn't have access to horses at the time so I don't know if riding would have helped or not but I was just wondering if this is similar to what anyone else has experienced. I haven't had the pains come back since then.

On Jan 18, 2008 3:12 PM, Mike Lewis <mikelewis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Calf muscle tension played a large part in heel pain I had for about 20 months.  I am a distance runner, and never had any trouble with heel pain before my experience several years ago.  I ran despite the pain.  Orthotics helped.  But, like others have mentioned, found much relief after riding the horse!

 

I now run 30 miles a week, orthotic-free, and am back to riding regularly (was in graduate school without a horse when my heel pain began.)

 

For those with heel pain, I would suggest LOTS of calf stretches, orthotics, and rolling a ball or something similar beneath your foot every night/morning to help alleviate pain.  The doctor said my fat pad in that heel had atrophied and that I'd never run again.  Well, 3000 miles later I've won the only 5-k race I've attempted and am running faster than when I ran in college 12 years ago.  I think heel pain can be licked, but it took lots of time and effort for me to resolve the problem.  No recurrence in 3 years (knock on wood!)

 

 

Mike

----- Original Message -----

From: ladurgin@xxxxxxx

To: procompsvc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; Ridecamp

Sent: Friday, January 18, 2008 1:58 PM

Subject: [RC] Heel pain

  I had that for years. Riding actually helped mine and when I have not been riding  for some months ,it tends to come back. However I ride in freeswinging stirrups with my feet under me, this helps stretch my tendons and ligaments.  They said I have really tight ligaments. Also I used to run track and everywhere. That makes some overdeveloped muscles that may actually pull on the heel.. or something to that effect.
   I also  got one of those  cast things to sleep in, HaH!  Hard enough for me to sleep without that annoying thing. I used it instead while sitting for some length. The stretches help ,I use them when I feel everyting tighting up.
   It was more likely to happen to me when I sit too long.Like when sewing, or on the computer. Or driving  for long periods.
    I told my othopedist it got better after I starting riding  3X a week. He said they just told him at a conference  that  that seemed to help some people.
     I also got a metarsial  support pad. I HAVE to  wear really good , supportive shoes, I buy  heavy special insoles  to put in all my shoes. And I can't go barefoot (this may have to do more with the collapsed arche problem too.)
      I also have  collapsed arches, so that aggrevates everything.
   Good luck, especially  with that leg cast thing!
   

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