What Is Achilles Tendinitis?

Achilles tendinitis, also known as Achilles tendonitis, is inflammation of the Achilles tendon. The Achilles tendon connects your calf muscles to the back of your heel bone. It allows extension of your foot downward, away from your body, which lets your heel lift off the ground as you move forward when walking. Every time you take a step you rely on your Achilles tendon.

Possible Causes:

• Over use of the Achilles tendon.
• Extremely tight calf muscles.
• Excessive running up or down hill.
• Sudden increase in the amount of exercise, e.g. running for a longer distance.
• Wearing ill-fitting running shoes, such as those with soles that are too stiff, or
• Wearing high heels often and changing between high heels all day and flat shoes or low running shoes in the evening.

Overuse is common in walkers, runners, dancers and other athletes who do a lot of jumping and sudden starts/stops, which exert a lot of stress on the Achilles tendon. Continuing to stress an inflamed Achilles tendon can cause rupture of the tendon — it snaps, often with a distinctive popping sound. A ruptured Achilles tendon makes it virtually impossible to walk.

Symptom Indications:

• Pain anywhere along the tendon but most often on or close to the heel.
• Swelling of the skin over the tendon, associated with warmth, redness and tenderness.
• Pain on rising up on the toes and pain with pushing off on the toes.
• If you are unable to stand on your toes you may have ruptured the tendon. This requires urgent medical attention.
• A painful heel for the first few minutes of walking after waking up in the morning.
• Range of motion of the ankle may be limited.

What can I do in the first 48 hours of an Achilles injury?

• Rest the affected foot and avoid weight- bearing activities.
• Use ice packs to help ease the swelling, pain and redness.
• Compress the affected foot and ankle with an elastic compression bandage.
• Elevate the affected foot as much as possible while the inflammation settles.

What is the best treatment for Achilles tendinitis?

The best treatment for Achilles tendinitis is determined by thorough assessment of the cause of the problem and its contributing factors by a physiotherapist.

Rehabilitation:

Your Physiotherapist will advise you on the best method of rehabilitation for you. This may include stretching, strengthening and dry needling.

Prevention:

• Do strengthening and stretching exercises to keep calf muscles strong and flexible.
• Keep your hamstring muscles flexible by stretching.
• Warm up and stretch adequately before participating in any sports.
• Always increase the intensity and duration of training gradually.
• Do not continue an exercise if you experience pain over the tendon.
• Wear properly fitted running and other sports shoes, including properly fitted arch supports if your feet roll inwards excessively (over-pronate).

If you would like your feet to be in good running order then come and see your physiotherapist at City Physiotherapy and Sports Injury Clinic. We will get you moving into top gear.

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