The Official Forum  

Go Back   The Official Forum > Softball

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old Sat May 28, 2016, 08:37am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 24
Achilles tendonitis??

I have played for 30 years and still play once a week but I am a first year umpire this year as well At 52 I work out 4-5 days a week and am in very good condition...no injuries from playing.


My first night was a month ago and I had purchased some black New Balance shoes. I did three games my first night and the next morning I could hardly walk due to severe soreness in both Achilles. Something I never had working out or playing. I am very active and try to get out for every call but I have never had soreness like this in my life. The next night I had to do two games and looked like a cripple out there.

It has been a month and although the pain has subsided but if I do 2 or more games by the end of the night it flares up again.

Anyone ever experienced this?
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old Sat May 28, 2016, 09:05am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: The Land Of The Free and The Home Of The Brave (MD/DE)
Posts: 6,425
No, but it could be related to how your shoes fit. If too wide or tied loosely, your feet will slip sideways and make things stiffen and hurt.
__________________
Officiating takes more than OJT.
It's not our jobs to invent rulings to fit our personal idea of what should and should not be.
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old Sat May 28, 2016, 10:57am
LT LT is offline
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 29
Plantar fasciitis (say "PLAN-ter fash-ee-EYE-tus") is the most common cause of heel pain. The plantar fascia is the flat band of tissue (ligament) that connects your heel bone to your toes. It supports the arch of your foot. If you strain your plantar fascia, it gets weak, swollen, and irritated (inflamed).

That's what it sounds like...take it from an umpire that got that condition last season. It took a year to finally get over it.

My solution were some shoe inserts that lifts the heel. Purchased several sets and put them in all my shoes. I was able to work games last year because of the inserts.

I still wear the inserts...don't want the condition to come back.
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old Sat May 28, 2016, 08:41pm
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 242
I used to have this same issue. It wasn't shoes, but tight calf muscles pulled on the achilles. I had lived with it for years while umpiring, finally went to orthopedist and he diagnosed it right away. After a lot of stretching and other exercises, the condition was cured. Still have to do my exercises, but no longer have this issue.
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old Sat May 28, 2016, 09:09pm
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Woodstock, GA; Atlanta area
Posts: 2,822
Quote:
Originally Posted by LT View Post
Plantar fasciitis (say "PLAN-ter fash-ee-EYE-tus") is the most common cause of heel pain. The plantar fascia is the flat band of tissue (ligament) that connects your heel bone to your toes. It supports the arch of your foot. If you strain your plantar fascia, it gets weak, swollen, and irritated (inflamed).

That's what it sounds like...take it from an umpire that got that condition last season. It took a year to finally get over it.

My solution were some shoe inserts that lifts the heel. Purchased several sets and put them in all my shoes. I was able to work games last year because of the inserts.

I still wear the inserts...don't want the condition to come back.
+1

Find a Walmart or other local store with the Dr. Scholls machine that diagnoses the best generic insert, cost about $60 per set. Hundreds of dollars cheaper than going to a podiatrist who will have custom made inserts made.

Agree with Larry (DNTXUM P), too; google on line for the appropriate stretching exercises for plantar fasciatis. The combination of inserts and exercises has saved me massive amounts of pain and limited mobility over the years.
__________________
Steve
ASA/ISF/NCAA/NFHS/PGF
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old Sun May 29, 2016, 08:56am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 24
I did some research on a runners forum. Sometimes Achilles pain can be cause by shoes that have a too ridged or inflexible sole. My New Balance shoes have a hard molded sole that is very stiff compared to my regular running shoes. So every time you make a fast move to get out from behind the plate the Achilles takes the brunt of the force because the the sole does not give at all.

I bought some new black Asics running shoes yesterday. Will report back after I try them. I don`t have any games until Wed.

Forgot to add that I tried K-Tape for my Achilles. I was skeptical but it helped.

Last edited by Billyball; Sun May 29, 2016 at 09:51am.
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old Sun May 29, 2016, 09:39am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Metro Atlanta
Posts: 870
As we get older things like this happen to all of us.
My two favorite remedies are good old-fashioned ice treatments for more immediate relief; and a great little product called Blue Emu that promotes healing.
__________________
Tony
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old Mon May 30, 2016, 02:49pm
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Northeast Nebraska
Posts: 776
Are your plate shoes the New Balance 460's? While they are quite stiff when new, I find them to be the most comfortable shoes I own, once broken in. This of course assumes a good fit, etc.
__________________
Powder blue since 1998. Longtime forum lurker.
Umpiring Goals: Call the knee strike accurately (getting the low pitch since 2017)/NCAA D1 postseason/ISF-WBSC Certification/Nat'l Indicator Fraternity(completed)
"I'm gonna call it ASA for the foreseeable future. You all know what I mean."
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old Tue May 31, 2016, 12:25am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,240
I suffer from both plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis. It is a pain when I umpire and officiate (which is almost daily). I finally was referred to specialist a couple months ago. He made me get new shoes (New Balance) with an insert.

My Achilles tendonitis comes from the way my feet roll when I walk or run. As a result the tendon basically rubs along the back of my heel causing inflammation. The new shoes and insert help control the rolling action, and have lessened the pain. The new inserts have also held alleviate the fasciitis as well.

I also have very tight calf muscles which does not help either condition.

My suggestion would be to go to a specialist or to a running shoe store where they can analyze your walking / running position and can suggest shoes that can help.

I do think the set position umpires get into a hundred or more times per game also can impact these conditions.
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old Tue May 31, 2016, 08:30am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 268
I just got over a case of gout. I didn't miss a game but it sure didn't feel good.
Reply With Quote
  #11 (permalink)  
Old Tue May 31, 2016, 10:21am
High Five Master
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Southwest Missouri
Posts: 669
Chap- have you ever gone to a chiropractor or PT to have myofascial therapy? It hurts like all get out but it helps immensely.
Reply With Quote
  #12 (permalink)  
Old Tue May 31, 2016, 10:34pm
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,240
Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueDevilRef View Post
Chap- have you ever gone to a chiropractor or PT to have myofascial therapy? It hurts like all get out but it helps immensely.
Nope.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Achilles Tendinitis dsqrddgd909 Basketball 6 Sun Jan 24, 2010 07:57pm
Achilles tendonitis mikeref Basketball 17 Wed Jan 31, 2007 08:03pm
Tendonitis Treatments drothamel Basketball 6 Tue May 17, 2005 10:40am
Achilles surgery Dudly Basketball 5 Thu Mar 31, 2005 05:06pm
strained achilles mikeref Basketball 8 Thu Jan 11, 2001 11:52pm


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:01am.



Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.3.0 RC1