Achilles Tendonitis
Author – Sarah Reese
Achilles tendonitis or tendinopathy is one of the most common overuse injuries among recreational athletes, accounting for up to 9% nine percent of injuries in elite and recreational runners, and more frequent in older runners.4
The Achilles Tendon attaches the calf muscles (the gastrocnemius and the soleus) to the heel bone and is what allows you to push off when walking or running. Tendonitis is the inflammation, swelling, and irritation of a tendon.3
Symptoms:
- Sharp pain or mild ache in the back of your leg above the heel usually felt after running or other sports activity
- Decreased pain but stiffness at rest3
- Bump in Achilles tendon
- Cracking or creaking of Achilles tendon with palpation1
Causes:
- Repetitive use or overuse of the tendon
- Low arches in feet without supportive shoes
- Tight calf muscles or decreased ankle mobility
- Change in training regime – new terrain, more pavement, increased hills, jumping activities
- Less recovery time after exercising
- Weakness in calf muscles
- Exercising without warming up1
Treatments:
- Rest or less strenuous activities for a few days/weeks
- Increase length of calf
-
- Stretch calf (both soleus and gastroc) (see picture below)
- Roll out calf with a foam roll (see picture below)
- Buy shoes that properly fit your feet
- Properly warm up and cool down when exercising
- Calf strengthening – eccentric and concentric exercises
- Friction massage of the Achilles Tendon
- Icing
Get immediate care if the pain is severe – this is not a symptom of Achilles Tendonitis1
**If it does not improve after using these suggestions, considering talking to your family physician or a physical therapist. **
What to expect when you are treated for Achilles Tendonitis at Probility:
On the first day at your initial evaluation, we will spend the majority of the session determining the cause of your Achilles Tendonitis. It is our goal to go beyond giving you temporary relief so that we can prevent future injuries and allow you to go back to your favorite daily activities. We will assess how your legs, pelvis and back are functioning because they all can alter how your feet hit the ground when you are walking or running, which can cause overuse and pain.
We use a manual therapy, or hands-on, method to improve foot, ankle and calf mobility. We may also do myofascial release, or a type of massage if it is necessary to help restore normal movement of your muscles.
Following the hands-on portion of your treatment session, we move into exercises which are mostly focused on stretching and eccentric strengthening. Other treatment modalities may be used to help control pain, swelling and muscle spasms.
If our suggestions for self-treatment don’t fix your pain, consider physical therapy so we can help you get back to your normal activities as soon as possible!!
1. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/achilles-tendinitis/DS00737/DSECTION=symptoms
2. http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/back/achilles/tendinitis.htm
3. http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/orthopedicsandpt/ss/Tendonitis.htm
4. http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=14&hid=8&sid=d0bd61c6-0854-4357-a1d7-a642a3764b3c%40sessionmgr12 Satyendra Effectiveness of physical therapy for Achilles tendinopathy: An evidence based review of eccentric exercises

5. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.empowher.com/files/ebsco/images/si55551225.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.empowher.com/media/reference/achilles-tendonitis&usg=__7_MZXyQ1QtNaMHFCpzYAejYGkiI=&h=255&w=391&sz=21&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=yfFEf_vnYyoUQM:&tbnh=119&tbnw=183&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpictures%2Bof%2Bachilles%2Btendonitis%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1440%26bih%3D708%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=1121&vpy=378&dur=459&hovh=181&hovw=278&tx=229&ty=98&ei=uJOjTLXTDNGUnQfLjYGJBA&oei=uJOjTLXTDNGUnQfLjYGJBA&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=31&ved=1t:429,r:22,s:0

6. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.joint-pain-solutions.com/images/ice-massage-cup-ready.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.joint-pain-solutions.com/achilles-tendonitis-treatment.html&usg=__cRE1NJU6-mZe_f0yNXpGTgHWzLI=&h=181&w=200&sz=12&hl=en&start=0&zoom=0&tbnid=7DjQ0q80zjJc7M:&tbnh=94&tbnw=104&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dice%2Bcup%2Bfor%2Bachilles%2Btendon%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1440%26bih%3D708%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=179&vpy=248&dur=270&hovh=94&hovw=104&tx=64&ty=13&ei=xpWjTObsApOLnAeZ54iJBA&oei=xpWjTObsApOLnAeZ54iJBA&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/flexibilityandstretching/ss/FoamRoller_6.htm

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.systonfootcare.co.uk/images/calfstretch.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.systonfootcare.co.uk/footexercises.php&usg=__ziad-JspxRCys6fJQ1EtmXMnh84=&h=160&w=481&sz=13&hl=en&start=105&zoom=1&tbnid=N0uPoy86DK2afM:&tbnh=57&tbnw=170&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcalf%2Bstretch%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1440%26bih%3D708%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C1653&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=916&vpy=401&dur=207&hovh=128&hovw=384&tx=204&ty=84&ei=lpajTILcLMP58AbkqfGvCg&oei=ZJajTPHNKsmLnAfGtfGIBA&esq=4&page=4&ndsp=33&ved=1t:429,r:13,s:105&biw=1440&bih=708