Rickety

[caddyman]

I wouldn’t have thought that strained Achilles tendons were contagious, but apparently they are. I mean it’s the only explanation. I have never had problems with my Achilles tendons before the past year or so, but it seems that Furtle has. Now I do too. When I get up in a morning, the first steps of the day are awkward because my heels ache so abominably. After pottering for a while they are better, having stretched. Then comes the task of getting down the stairs: that is an extension to the fun. By the time I am ready to walk down to the Tube station and they are generally OK by then, but at the end of the trip to Euston where I change, they have taken the opportunity to seize up again, so the brisk walk around to the Victoria Line isn’t quite as brisk as I might like. I tend to stand from there on in and when I get off at Victoria, they are behaving themselves again for the walk to the office.

The trouble is, I am sitting at my desk now, so I am having to invent creative ways of keeping the tendons stretched while I work, without looking like too much of an idiot.

Clearly I am falling apart, albeit slowly.

Spring is upon us and the hay fever is back. Not badly yet, but back. I bought a two week supply of antihistamines yesterday, so I am armed against my pollenish enemy. Hay fever is further evidence of problems I never used to have. When I was younger I never got hay fever at any point during the year and used to look on at my friends who would sit there eyes and noses streaming through out spring and summer. I had occasional run ins with sneezing fits if we drove past field after field of Oilseed Rape, but that might just as easily been a reaction to the masses of chemicals used to ensure that a Mediterranean plant will grow in the English climate. Beyond that I don’t recall anything in the hay fever category.

Regular readers will recall my annual contretemps with the cherry tree at the end of my street when I lived in Clapham. For several years, the three weeks or so that was in bloom, I suffered when I went past it. Just that cherry tree; no others. My intolerance for pollen seems to have widened now, though my hay fever is still nowhere as bad as I recall others having suffered. I could go off summer. Or maybe I should move to live by the sea.

Away from creaky ankles and snotty noses, we won the quiz last night, though we missed out on the roll over jackpot (which is likely to be in the £200 bracket next week). We did get our £25 bar tab, though, so all is well. That is as yet untouched so next week’s quiz, which will be colonel_maxim’s last before he leaves on his Afghan adventure (those of you who were going to come down to the Athenaeum Club to drink his port and chew the fat have missed your chance), will start well as the tab will cover at least two rounds.



I was very pleased yesterday to receive my Rob Anybody mug, with a picture of the head Feegle on one side and “Crivens!” written on the other. As soon as it is washed tonight, I shall Christen it with a steaming brew of coffee.

I better do some work now, I guess.

Comments

[ellefurtle.livejournal.com]

Apparently I have a slightly twisted leg which may or may not account for the tendonitis in my achilles. That and the rugby accident when I got it stamped on and was on crutches for 2 weeks!

The pain on the bottom of the heel I get is planar fasciitis which in my case is prob my shoddy tendon pulling on the underneath of my foot. That and extra weight and just 'life'. Apparently it's quite common.

Have I given you both?! Cor.

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

He he. It's just coinky dink.

[fencingsculptor.livejournal.com]

Re your Achilles tendons , given that you are no a runner, you like me probably owe your tendonitis problems to poor posture at work.


Most people slouching at work will get back problems but I am finding through research that many people have suffered crippling Achilles tendonitis because they lean forward on the desk and tuck their feet under their chair. If this posture is held for long periods you can experience 'static loading’ where extreme strain is placed on the lower legs by maintaining an unnatural posture, which also shortens the Achilles tendons. When you stand up the tendons are extended and micro tears in the tendon can be caused. These micro tears then form scar tissue which snags on the tendon membrane further reducing mobility and exacerbating the condition.

I’d forfeit a million quid instantly if I was guaranteed never to have the bloody condition ever again as it’s wrecked my ability to go running and train like a complete mentalist.

I have a contact number for a work related Health and Safety screening, which includeswork station posture.

[ellefurtle.livejournal.com]

I must admit I have never had pain quite like it - really sudden slashing pain that makes it impossible to move your foot for fear it will happen again!

Fortunately it was only that bad the first time. Mostly I just get the odd ache and occasionally a bad ache which means - ibugel NOW or will get worse!

I try and stretch out the tendons at work as much as I can - even if my feet are under my chair, I can put them heels down and toes up as much as poss by resting my toes on the branches of the bottom bit where the wheels are and stretching my heels downwards.

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

Luckily slouching is something that my Mum nagged out of me when I was young, so the (thankfully) only very occasional back pains I get are at least not related to that!

I have a habit of twisting my legs and feet around the stem of my chair and I am trying to stop doing it by sitting up straight and keeping at least the balls of my feet on the floor and pressing down now and again to stretch the tendons a bit.

That's probably wrong, too.

[fencingsculptor.livejournal.com]

Ditto.

This is what casued my tendonitis.

Very difficult to break the habbit, but take it from one who knows if you don't you've in for one hell of a lot of discomfort.

Your description of discomfort firt thing in the morning is identical to my own. This ia s result of sleeping with my legs tucked up toes pointing to the foot of the bed. This position shortens the tendons. When you wake up...you step out of bed suddenly extending the tendon aftger hours of being rested in the shortened position and heo presto.....fakin misery and pain.

I'll e-mail you some info.

[littleonionz.livejournal.com]

There are a fair few conditions that can give you painful tendons, if it continues don't just put up with it, go see The Doctor. He mightn't be able to help but you might get a ride in his Tardis.

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

Boom Tish!

[robcee.livejournal.com]

I love that mug...

in the meantime try taking your shoes off and rolling a tennis ball under the ball of your foot backwards and forwards. Encourages ankle movement and mobility...