Lifting with Achilles Tendinitis

I've had Achilles tendon pain on one leg for just over a month. Squats irritated it, so I've been squatting with an empty bar only. Deadlifts, on the other hand, did not seem to bother me much, and I continued to progress as programmed all month. Last week was my deload week, which I took completely off, but for some reason, the pain is much greater now.

I've started some isometric and isotonic exercises to try to rehab, but I'm wondering if it's prudent to resume deadlifts as programmed, or if I should cut back on the weight.

If you have other recommendations on rehab, I'll take them too.

Hey abnk,

In general, when you have pain like this it's better to keep training at tolerable weights than to take off from training or reduce the weights all the way down to the bar. It has been my experience when people encounter pain or something noxious/uncomfortable they tend to use one of two strategies. They either avoid the pain or push through the pain. I think the ideal strategy is in the middle and it is to nudge the pain. It is important to note that tendons do not heal like a cut. You will probably not be able to wait this out. The process of getting better is not linear. The rehab process has ups and downs, with good days and bad days. If you have a bad day it does not restart the process.

I would resume deadlifts and squats at a tolerable weight and gradually build them up over time. I would probably also add in calf raises and gradually build them up too. If you are a runner or are doing other activity that is loading your Achilles, the load from that activity should be graded and built back up over time as well. Exactly how you should do these things is beyond the scope of this board and more in consult territory. As a general strategy though the above would be a good approach.

If you would like help with this fill you can go to my website at Emerge Stronger

Hope this helps!

Thanks, Doc. I'll take you up on that. Form sent.

do you do standing calf raises with a barbell by any chance?

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Originally Posted by DMC85

do you do standing calf raises with a barbell by any chance?

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I started them a few days ago (with a kettle bell).

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Originally Posted by abnk

I started them a few days ago (with a kettle bell).

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i find they hurt my achilles. i think it was the right one mostly. i was going them for a short while and stopped. Now i do raises on the edge of a step instead or use the calf press machine in the gym,

For anyone wondering, Doc D'Agostino was great. Great guy and extremely helpful.