Self diagnosis I must admit but with some google assistance I am 99% sure the nagging discomfort I have been suffering from over the last couple of months is achilles tendonitis.
Just wondering if there's many windsurfers out there that have suffered from this condition and your thoughts on how windsurfing affects it.
I've had a few sessions over the last couple of months and not thought that sailing was aggravating it much if at all, but feeling a bit tender tonight after a bumpy gusty sail today. Wondering also about the cooler winter temperatures and there affect.

I'm also about 8 weeks into a freeweight strength building program, squats (5x5) are a major part of the routine 3x week. Keen to know from anyone with knowledge on how weight training will affect this condition.

Had a 7.0 fishing hook go through mine once. ****ing hurt. Wheelchair into hospital. When they removed it, twanged like a tight tiedown strap. Went from extreme burn paralysis to no pain and walked out of hospital.

Haven't experienced any problems since. Not sure what your problem is. Hope you work it out

Doing squats and your Achilles hurts.
That sounds more like an over-extended Achilles to me, and any further squatting will just aggravate it. Squats are not good for the Achilles and the knees.
Windsurfing shouldn't hurt your Achilles because your foot is extended, shortening your Achilles taking pressure off of it. The only time your Achilles would be stretched, would be during a hard bottom turn.

*Kind of related, sort of~
I've got a good friend who was born with Achilles tendons that are a bit too short, his heals barely touch the ground when he walks, surfs pretty good though, but he can't squat for a tight barrel. He has since switched to SUP and love it much better, even though he still can't squat for a tight barrel, but at least he doesn't have to pop to his feet anymore when catching a wave.

I think Achilles give problems for several different reasons, would hard to get corrective advice on forums. Achilles have low blood supply, so can take a while to repair. Good news is, they almost always do repair.

i used to run off-road fir several years, not big mileage, just 3 x 5 miles each week for 7 years. by year two, I had big lumps in birth my Achilles, very tender and very stiff after being stationary. After seeing a good spirits physiotherapist, I turned out it was my fault along. I needed to stretch "properly" after runs. I also needed to use a roller to massage the knots out of my calf muscles. I also slightly over proneated, meaning ankles, Achilles, knees, hips etc were not lined up correctly. A pair of scholl orthotic insoles sorted this out. Within six months, my Achilles were 100% good again.

So for me, three things sorted it out. Pre and post stretching, regular self calf massaging and scoll orthotic insoles.

hope you get it sorted.

I see 2 problems here.

1 you have diagnosed this with google.
2 you are asking for treatment advice on a watersports forum.

As a physio who has treated many achilles complaints form mild tendinoapthies to rehabing surgical reapairs post rupture, may advice is as follows;

1 - see a physio - ask around if you don't know one
2 - if they are only interested in using machines and accupuncture - find someone else.

Hope this helps with whatever is wrong?

Select to expand quote

DAM71 said..
I see 2 problems here.

1 you have diagnosed this with google.
2 you are asking for treatment advice on a watersports forum.

As a physio who has treated many achilles complaints form mild tendinoapthies to rehabing surgical reapairs post rupture, may advice is as follows;

1 - see a physio - ask around if you don't know one
2 - if they are only interested in using machines and accupuncture - find someone else.

Hope this helps with whatever is wrong?

1. who doesn't, 99% sure not 100%
2. haven't asked for any treatment advice.

Thanks for your advice, good physio's are hard to find.

I have achilles tendonitis. Have had it for almost 2 years. In my case I seemed to trigger it from cycling (I did very high kms 6 days in a row for >1000kms in 6 days). It is getting better slowly. I have seen several physios, Osteos, accupuncture, you name it. I have done extended time of stretching, strengthening, rest. It actually seems best when I cycle on it moderately with a few days rest in between and seems to be gradually improving.

As to windsurfing.... I am more of a free race sailor. I find sailing flat water in moderate wind is OK and does not seem to aggravate it much. If I am out in a lot of chop in strong wind it will be a lot of pain for several days after. I stopped windsurfing early this year to try to rest it. I am about to stop cycling over winter and limit any activity to just walking for a few months in the hope it will help.

I wish I had just stopped doing activity when I first noticed it for a couple of months. Back then it seemed to be the worst thing to stop sailing and riding. Now I would be more than happy to give up 6 months if it would fix it.

My situation is a little different, but I have had several knee injuries in my life, and I found wearing a sporting knee brace does the job. My knee just needs more support out on the water. I even wear the brace under my wetsuit as well. Find what works for you. Maybe a higher bootie that gives you more support around the ankle area would do the job until it strengthens . Good luck!

Careful with the achilles. Snapped mine in August, reconstructed in Oct, moon boot off and started rehab in Jan, my first road cycling this week, hoping to surf again in June. Had to cancel windsurfing trip to Abrolhos, surfing trip to Bali and snowboarding to Japan. May never play a-grade squash again, perhaps socially after August. Basically a very miserable year of rehap and reaquaintance with the couch and tv. I think it might of been an age/ blood supply to leg/fatigue (80km on bike then two squash matches) and I don't remember any signs beforehand, but Ill be pretty careful in the future. I'll definately be taking out travel insurance from now on, and depending on how next season goes with windsurfing and achilles might have to switch to tea-bagging.