strassborg sock

It was suggested to me that I try the strassborg sock for my achilles prob.  I

 http://www.physioroom.com/product.php?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=cost-per-click&pid=38229&cid=2030&affid=25&utm_campaign=Strassburg_Sock

 have worn it for the last 3 nights, it actually hurt my toe one night even though I didnt have it stretched that much.  So far I have not noticed any differnce and was wondering if others had tried it and if so did it help and how long did it take?

No - never tried it. Had a look at the link as I've got a slight achilles niggle in the mornings which is ongoing (but getting slowly better) but figured I'd probably do myself an injury with that, getting tangled up on something on the way out of bed & ending up with a broken leg or something!

There was a similar device in RW this month (page 91): night splint. www.return2fitness.co.uk

So I guess they do work. My physio suggested one a while back if there was no improvement but didn't specify a type. Hope you see some benefit soon.

As Clag says, usually an ankle brace/splint is used to keep the Achilles tendon stretched as it tends to shorten overnight and is therefore more painful in the morning when you stretch it out again trying to stand on your foot.

You can Google alternatives under "Ankle brace, ankle night splint, tendon brace, products for Achilles tendon" etc.

The Achilles tendon is notorious for taking a long time to heal as it has such a poor blood supply. Ask your osteo/physio what self- treatment (stretches, digital friction, anti-inflammatory gels, ice etc) you can do to speed up the healing process. I think you are looking, not in terms of days, but in weeks or months depending on the severity of your Achilles injury.

have tried all the differnt stretches/exercises but nothing worked.  Have had probs for over a year now, not bad enough to stop me running but still annoying

I can certainly recommend the strassburg sock. I've been using it for about 6 months for plantar fasciitis (pf). Without it  I can't put my foot on the floor without pain first thing in the morning. Although not a cure  it certainly helps to get me moving in the morning. Pf now under control and improving gradually and I'm back running and training for a 1/2 marathon in November after 3 month lay off, constant massage,cortosone,nsaids, finally change of trainers did the trick.! 

The sock is uncomfortable to start with but for me was worth persevering with.

Good luck with your achiles, hope this helps. 

thought I would report back.  I have found it more comfortable wearing this over another sock.

Before I started wearing it my achilles was still every mornign and I coudl feel it on about 95% of my runs for a short period of time.

Now, having used it not every night but prob alternate nights, I dont feel stiffness every morning and have prob felt my achilles on 50% of runs.  I dont think I have felt it for about a week now.  LAst weekend I did a 30mile run and felt nothing!!!! 

"Have had probs for over a year now, not bad enough to stop me running"

Classic achilles problems. It's never bad enough to stop running, yet a year later you're in big trouble. And still running!

Great that you seem to be making progress, but I wish more people would take it seriously at the first signs, stop running and start rehab. It's a bugger to shift!

i did stop for a short time but no improvement

I've got one and it did help me. Then hubby knicked it! As Swerve says achilles is a nightmare to shift, if you're lucky enough to shift it at all. So take heed, try to allow it to heal, calm right down, and then even when it is calm give it some more time - like another month before resuming. I didn't as simply did not appreciate how awful it could become and have had achilles trouble since 2005. Mine is now swollen and only fixable through surgery.  But surgery is risky, not very successful and could leave me unable to run at all. I guess I'm trying to say take heed, especially if you have stiffness in the morning, pain that comes on during a run. Or when moving about but seizes up when you stop. Best of luck. I've got temporary relief through cortisone, which I hope may give permanent relief, but I doubt it somehow. Still am enjoying running for now... So I wish you the best of luck ,use the sock and guard it well....!

Scooby Snax

i know just what you mean. I've not run or played my weekly game of badminton for about 7 weeks now, and still last night the damned thing stiffened up. All i did differently yesterday was carry a few heavy items from a DIY store. Seems like almost anything heavy or sporty i enjoy will set it of again?. Having said that, for large parts of the day now, i can forget about it and walk as normal, so some days it seems to be very very slowly improving, other days i feel i'm back to square one! I also have a lump formed on the back of my heal now though, which does seem pretty solid, so have probably knackered it long term!.  I wonder if it will ever get better without surgery?, but reading you can run again has given me hope. I've kept cycling to work, which doesn't hurt it and is keeping me fairly fit, but  I'm very fed up about it., as it's wrecked my social life to some degree as well. All work and no play.....Might try the sock thing, and going back to podiatrist and physio.