Hi, so here what happened. I am a 47 year old male, stocky build 15 Stone 5.9ft tall. I used to run twice a week about 4 miles, 2 years ago I went out one day without any kind of warm up and towards the end of my 4 miles felt a sharp pain in my right leg upper ankle below calf. I had to immediately stopped running and limped home. I did not run again for about 3 months, I was limping for about 6 days following the incident but gradually could walk as normal. About a month on I decided to do sprint runs of 3 minutes as apposed to longer runs thinking perhaps I am not built for longer running. This went Ok so stuck with this sprinting 3 minutes 3 times a week to keep my hand in. The start of this year I decided to go for a longer jog but was a bit shocked to feel the begginings of the same pain about 1 mile in so stopped quickly this time not feeling the full pain as I had the first time and limped home. Once again after leaving it a good month went back to the sprint runs and no problems. In between this I have been hiking 3 to 4 times in the lake district with no problems over the last two years.

Just before Christmas I went into London city with my children and spent about 3 hours walking around in simple daps towards the end of this I felt minor pains and stiffness in the same area which kind of shocked me a bit. I was kind of sweating I might get the same intense pain then loose use of my leg again while out with my family and the fact this injury is making its way into my normal lifestyle. It held out although I was limping a bit out of fear for putting weight on it. After few days rest did 3 minute sprint runs every other day x 3 and ok. I had to go to the doctors with my daughter and did the walk in my no supportive daps only 0.5 mile from my house but in that short walk again felt stiffness and minor pain in the area again so started to limp a bit on the way home and again was a bit worried how this is creeping up on me. I have an appointment with the hospital via GP in one week but was a bit concerned so booked to see my local well reviewed Physio. He examined the leg testing I could raise my ankle off the floor on one leg and devised a routing of the following....

Gastrocnemius stretch hold 15-30 secs x 3-4
Knee to wall - soles stretch 15-30 secs
Calf raises - gastrocnemius 3 x 10-15 reps
Soleus calf raises knee bent 45 degrees 2 x 10-15 reps

all twice daily.

I carried out 3 days of these but using both legs at once for the last two as my leg felt vulnerable. Even so I feel stiffness and minor pain in my leg after 3 days and so have stopped the exercises as I am worried about causing further damage. I contacted the Physio who suggested less reps but I am nervous about doing anything at all at the moment as I can't help thinking I will push it too hard and cause more damage. So I am now feeling lost as to where I am. He has assured me I won't cause further damage but reading up about tendon injuries like this there is lots of advice to rest it outright. I have no bother in giving up running but I have two young children and would like to carry on doing 10 mile hikes now and again and family walks.

Any info would be greatly appreciated !

Thanks

Sam

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