Hi all. I've just been to the doctors and been told I have achilles tendonitis in my left heel and have been referred for physio. It will take approx 6 weeks for an appointment to come through. The doc says I should take it easy and not do anything which will put pressure on my ankle. When I said "but what about my skating?" he asked me how important it is to me.

I do not think I can cope without skating for 6 weeks. However, I do not want to risk my ankle getting worse and have to give up altogether.

Has anyone been in a similar situation - and what did you do?

Any advice would be welcome

As a sufferer of chronic tendonitis (though not in the achilles) I would take the rest period. It's better to be off the ice now, then forever.

Perhaps, if you cannot go 6 weeks, rest 2 weeks, then skate LIGHTLY. Not vigourous training.

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

You could always ask the doctor about the ramifications of continuing to skate or maybe doing lighter session.

Last August I sprained my ankle ("class 3 sprain") and was told to take 6 weeks off. I asked if there was any danger of making it worse and was told no, it would just slow down the healing - so I kept skating I made it to Nationals, even on the sprained ankle, but it took 9 months for the sprain to heal. No regrets!

It's really a risk/benefit decision.

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Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

My daughter had achilles tendonitis about a year ago, she was in quite a bit of pain. I took her to the doctor and all they told her was to rest it. She would not stop skating. It went away. She was 16 however. You can do that when you are 16.


j

Personal experience from a 21 year old.

I damaged my ankle in late february.
The achillis and some other smaller tendons were damaged.
I took 2 weeks off, then continued skating, taking it very, very easy. By late april, it had only gotten worse. I quit skating all together by late april.
I'm still wearing an ankle brace and I'm still having some trouble walking right now, though it did get better since. Needless to say I've not been skating. I'm hoping to get back on the ice by august.

I do wish I'd taken 6 weeks off then - at least, from jumping, just doing spins on the ankle that was undamaged instead.

my Achilles tendonitis started when I was 16 yo caused by a stupid football coach. It NEVER healed well and limited all sports including my skiing and when I took up skating as an adult it limited jumping. I finally got surgery on it at age 45 and it then took a year to the day before it stopped hurting but after that it never hurt again. I could of had the same result if I had worn a walking cast for 6 months. In retrospect, knowing how many years of pain and limitation it caused me, I wish I had quit football for that year, worn the walking cast for 3 months and eased back into sports.
Lyle

I also have a story of regret for not following the doctors suggestion, though not tendonitis related. I quite PT 3 months early, as I was back to full time school, including drill team (dancing). If I could do all that- what did I need PT for. 10 years later, I can see the problems that PT might have fixed. Them doctors must know what they are talking about!

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-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

When he asked how important it was I would have said why do you ask? and then...very important. Did he feel you should absolutely stay off the ice?

If it were me, I'd skate if the area wasn't bothering me. I'd take it easy on that particular foot and do more things on the other, keeping my sessions short and light. The minute it bothered me I'd be off the ice.

I don't understand why you have to wait 6 weeks? That doesn't sound right. I've had bouts of achilles tendonitis, as soon as it starts to act up I stretch it out using my stairs. Good luck.

I don't get this either - I have never had Achilles tendonitis, but when I've fractured something, usually the doc will say, "Stay off it it for 6 weeks" and then he knows that I know how to rehab it once I get back on the ice, but he always says, "Take it easy" for a while. Once he kind of cracked up when after 6 weeks he told me I could start skating again and I had already gone -- I figured he meant "6 weeks to the day" and I honored that, LOL .

I guess I agree with the poster who said to skate on it but very lightly. If it bothers you, then stop. Don't try to skate through the pain I think. It is really really hard to be off the ice for any length of time. I usually end up going to visit my rinks when I am off with an injury and just spend time watching and enjoying my friends at the rink. Getting back on the ice is really hard but sometimes things are better than when you left it - depending I guess on how much off-ice homework you do while you are recovering.

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Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

It's probabaly better to ask the doctor what could happen if you continue to skate on it. Because once that's clear, then we'd be in a position to make a decision.

The medial (inner) 1/3 of my tendon attachment to my heel bone turned into a bloody pulp and seperated from the bone. THEN the bone started to grow way to big to compensate for the chronic pain so that had to be whittled down too so I could wear shoes. Even after all was well it took an other year before I wouldn't reflexively put down my L foot on Flip landings because I was so conditioned by the nagging pain over previous years
Lyle

You do not want to mess with your achilles, believe me. It's one of the most important tendons in your body-- not only will you be playing with your ability to skate, but you'll be affecting your ability to walk as well.

I've never had tendonitis, but instead had a fluke fall in ballet class that ruptured my achilles tendon (my surgeon said that when he went to operate on my leg, it was so shredded that it looked like a horse's tail... and was only holding on by a few threads.). I ruptured it two years ago in the beginning of July, had surgery mid-July, was in a soft cast (and no motion) until August, then had series of hard casts until October. Until late August, I was barely allowed to leave the house or even my bed/sofa. All of October, I was in a walking boot. From November to february, I was not cleared for ANY outside activity (not even yoga) and focused only on physical therapy. When I finally was cleared for normal activity, I had to contend with the fact that my left leg was still incredibly weak and that my heel lift was nearly non-existent. I started skating for the first time and found my left leg to be a crutch (though skating was amazing therapy), since it was so much weaker than my right.

I'm almost two years out from the injury and I'm nowhere near 100%. I'm back in ballet, back on pointe, and I've advanced a lot in skating, but my tendon still bothers me, holds me back. I still don't have a full heel-lift/tip toe, and toe jumps can be sketchy, especially as my leg gets more tired. I had to set my jumping direction so that I wouldn't have to depend on landing on my left leg.

Sooo..... my point? Tendonitis can make you more prone to a rupture. Believe me that you don't want to deal with a rupture! Then you'll be off the ice for much longer than 6 weeks. Before taking to the ice, please make sure that you speak with your doctor/physio. If you have to, switch to someone who has a strong sports medicine background-- they'll know how to deal with an athlete and will have a better idea of what to do/what not to do.

Take care of that tendon!

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When asked what his "secret" to success was, Wayne Gretsky said: "Skate to where the puck is going and not to where it has been."
Is the figure skating version of this: Skate as if you're doing an axel and not just learning how to hop?

Thanks everyone for all your advice and well wishes.

I have decided to stay off the ice until I see the physio and get his/her professional opinion on when I should return. I'm gutted about it as I was just about to start learning 3 jumps but on reflection if landing on my ankle means permanently damaging it, then it really isn't worth it.

Thanks again - I'll keep you all informed of my progress