Originally Posted by
yaks_rule
My PT told me to just keep stretching it. She told me to ease off if it starts hurting when riding and spin the gears. Right now, I really don't wont to tinker with my bike fit. When I initially rose the seat, my back also started to hurt so I had to raise the handle bars. Perhaps, when I come back off the tour I will go get a bike fit.
I partially tore both Achilles several years ago, Went to a PT. the order was to stretch them and I was given a series of exercises. She also encouraged me to get some hard foam blocks like she had. Instead I made my own. Really easy. Nail or screw a 1 X 4 to a 2 X 4. Bevel the top edge about 1/2" across and 3/16" down (so with your heel on the floor and your ball is roughly flat on the bevel). Easy with a plane or table saw. Any grinder would also work. I have made both short (6") ones to do one leg at a time and long (14") ones to do both at the same time. (Make an extra long one, then just cut it into a bunch of blocks.)
It looks like:
__________________
/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
l . . . . . . . . . . . . . .l . . (2 X 4)
l . . . . . . . . . . . . . .l
---------------------
l . . . . . . . . . . . . . .l . . (1 X 4)
---------------------
except the bevels are much shallower (Ignore the ". . . .". The software doesn't acknowledge spaces.)
Now, every morning I grind my coffee by hand, 350 revolutions. While I do it I stretch one Achilles for 100 revs, then lean forward and move the stretch up to my hamstrings for 75, then repeat on the other leg. This works really well. Make or get yourself some blocks and start doing this. Stretching, slowly, gradually, regularly is the secret. I have those blocks kicking around on the floor by my bathroom sink and the kitchen sink as well as my coffee station.
I now almost never have issues with my Achilles, riding or otherwise. And when I do, it is always because I have not been stretching enough.
Ben