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Achilles Tendonitis

Achilles Tendonitis

Achilles tendinitis is an overuse injury, it refers to the inflammation of the Achilles tendon which is found at the back of the foot.  It is particularly common in runners, joggers and jumpers, due to its repetitive action and so may occur in other activities that require the same repetitive action or movement. 
Achilles tendonitis is when the tendon that attaches to our heel bone and calf muscle becomes inflamed due to the overuse of the ankle, resulting in pain and discomfort.
As well as the ankle, tendonitis can be found in other areas of the body such as elbow, shoulder and knee.


What causes Achilles tendinitis?

Tendonitis is mainly caused by repetitive movements; these actions irritates the Achilles tendon therefore causing it to become inflamed. Unfortunately, most tendon injuries occur as the result of gradual wear and tear to the tendon from overuse or ageing. Anyone who makes the same motion over and over in their sports, hobby, jobs or daily activities can suffer from tendinitis. 
Other causes can include:

  • Unsupportive footwear
  • Hill running
  • Tightness in the calf muscles
  • Wearing heels
  • Flat feet
  • Over-training

What are the symptoms?

Achilles tendonitis often experience a burning pain around the tendon which progressively gets worse towards the end of an activity or once the activity has been completed.
The most common symptoms are:

  • Pain around the Achilles
  • Loss of strength in the affected area
  • Ankle stiffness, particularly first thing in the morning
  • Tender to touch, red, warm or swollen
  • Sometimes a painful lump can be located over the tendon
  • Crunchy sound or feeling when the tendon is used

How can Achilles tendonitis be diagnosed?

Here at Complete Chiropractic, our Sports Therapists will carry out a thorough examination of the ankle to confirm or deny Achilles tendonitis.



How can we help?

Achilles tendinitis can be treated in different ways, depending on your signs and symptoms. A personalised treatment program will be designed.
Commonly used treatment methods include:

  • Ice therapy
  • Soft tissue massage therapy
  • Ankle joint mobilisation
  • Stretching exercises
  • Orthotic advice
  • Strengthening exercises
  • Proprioception exercises
  • Taping
  • After care advice and support

What are the benefits of Sports therapy treatment?

The aim of our Sports therapy treatment is to speed up your recovery from injury and prevent the tendonitis from reoccurring. The main benefits of Sports therapy treatment for Achilles tendonitis are:

  • Pain and inflammation reduction
  • Improvement in ankle range of movement
  • Improvement in ankle strength
  • Accelerated recovery time
  • Prevention of the injury reoccurring