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Conference noted::bicycle

Title: Bicycling
Notice:Bicycling for Fun
Moderator:JAMIN::WASSER
Created:Mon Apr 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3214
Total number of notes:31946

2747.0. "Achilles tendon injury from biking?" by AIMHI::RAYMOND () Wed Apr 06 1994 12:57

    
    
    I have a friend who went on a 50 mile ride on saturday and by monday
    she was having pain in her achilles tendon.  I have never heard of this
    being a cycling type of injury.
    
    Has anybody had the same experience?  
    Any suggestions on how to avoid it in the future.
    
    She is an experienced rider and this was not her first 50 mile ride
    but it was the first time she came up lame.
    
    Thanks
    
    
    MikeR
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
2747.1My bet is overuseLUDWIG::ASMITHWed Apr 06 1994 18:2434
     
    
        Several questions.  
    
    Has she ridden close to 50 miles at anytime this year?
    
        If not then she could be suffering from an overuse injury.  This
    can potentially come about in one way that I can think of.  If she
    rides too far too early then she can have subtle changes in her 
    pedaling mechanics such that the achilles tendon is stretched on every
    pedaling stroke, this will cause it to hurt and feel sore.
    
    Has she changed anything on her bike during the winter ( seat,
    seatpost, pedals, shoes, ect )?
    
         If so, then she needs to try to figure out how this change has made
    the bike's configuration different from the way that it was last year.
    
    Did she ride a very hilly course?
    
         If she does not have knee pain then I would say that this is not
    the case.  A hilly course will cause some people to stretch the 
    achilles when they have to get out of the saddle ( good pedaling
    mechanics and fitness can prevent this ).
    
    
    My guess is that she simply rode too far too early.  This is a common
    trap for many people, especially if they did not maintain excellent
    cycling fitness during the winter ( i.e. some major time on the wind
    trainer or on the roads if they are rideable ).
    
    
         Abe;
2747.2watch your saddle!UTROP1::ELST_RThu Apr 07 1994 05:2315
    I suspect it may have something to do with the height of the saddle;
    I had the same problem last summer, after I crashed my dear old bicylce into
    a dog crossing the street; My new bicycle was 'professionally' adjusted
    by my bike shop, but I also got problems with my achilles.
    After putting my saddle a bit lower, the problem was over. I suspect my
    legs 'overstratched'.
    
    I don't think it is overuse; in summer I drive 50 miles to work (yes, I
    am dutch...) almost every day, and also did quite a bit of climbing in
    the belgium Ardennen and french Alpes: Still I had achilles problems!  
    
    Hope this simple solution will work for you too,
    
       Robert van Elst (Rotterdam-Holland)
2747.3Thanks for the infoAIMHI::RAYMONDThu Apr 07 1994 09:0719
    
    
    Well, she went to a doctor and it is her achilles.  He told her to stay
    off the bike for at least a week.  The problem is she is signed up for
    a out of country bike tour the end of April, so hopefully she will have
    recovered by then.
    Any idea how long an injury like this takes to heal?  I know the
    achilles can be a forever type of injury but Im just hoping she wont
    have to cancel her bike tour.
    
    It was her first 50 this year, I think her previous longest was 30.
    
    I will give her the tip about her seat adjustment also.
    
    
    Thanks for all the info.
    
    
     MikeR