Achilles Tendonitis

Achilles tendoinitis can be acute or chronic. Acute achilles tendinotis may happen as a result of overuse or training too much, too soon especially on hard surfaces or up hills.

What are the symptoms of achilles tendonitis (tendinitis)

Acute inflammation symptoms:

• During exercise the tendon will be painful. Normally the pain will gradually come on with prolonged exercise and with rest it will go away.
• Swelling over the Achilles tendon.
• Redness over the skin.
• If you press your fingers into it and move your foot you may feel creaking.

If acute achilles tendonitis is not properly treated it can develop into chronic achilles tendinitis.This is difficult to treat, particularly in older athletes who appear to suffer more often. The pains experienced during the acute phase of the injury tend to disappear after a warm up but return when training has stopped. Eventually the injury gets worse and worse until it is impossible to run.

Symptoms for chronic Achilles tendonitis are similar to those of acute tendonitis as well as:

• Pain (sometimes described as diffuse along the tendon) and stiffness in the Achilles tendon especially in the morning.
• There may nodules or lumps in the achilles tendon, particularly 2cm above the heel.
• When walking up hills or stairs there may well be pain in the tendon.
• Chronic tendonotis is a long term condition and can be quite persistent.

What are the causes of achilles tendonitis?

• This is an overuse injury. These are normally caused by doing too much too soon in training. Other factors will however make this injury worse.
• Too much running up hills will cause the tendon to fatigue and this will predispose it to this tendinitis.
• Overpronation or feet which roll in can place an increased strain on the achilles tendon. As the foot rolls in (flattens) the lower leg rotates inwards also which twists the achilles tendon place twisting stresses as well as stresses along its length.
• Wearing high heels shortens the tendon, if you then place demands on the tendon, such as running 5 miles in flat shoes, you will put abnormal strain on the tendon making it stretch further than it is comfortable.

How can you treat achilles tendonitis (tendinitis)

What can the athlete do?

• Rest and apply cold therapy or ice (not directly onto the skin).
• A heel pad will raise the heel and take some of the strain off the achilles tendon. This facilitates healing but should be a temporary measure.
• See a sports injury professional who can advise on treatment and rehabilitation.

Visiting a sports injury specialist or Doctor.

• Prescribe NSAIDs anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen.
• Prescribe orthotics or a alter training methods.
• Taping can be used on the back of the leg to support the tendon.
• Apply a plaster cast if it is really bad.
• Ultrasound
• Sports massage.
• Prescribe a rehabilitation programme.
• A steroid injection might be administered

If you look after this injury early enough you should make a good recovery. It is important you rehabilitate the tendon properly after it has recovered or the injury will return. If you ignore the early warning signs and do not look after this injury then it may become chronic which is very difficult to treat.

Useful Products:

• Cold Therapy - to help reduce pain and swelling.
• Achilles Tendon Strap - for acute achilles pain.
• Arch Support Insoles - to help prevent over pronation.
• Heel Pads - will raise the heel and take some of the strain off of the achilles tendon.

Please see the Virtual Sports Injury Clinic for more information on how to treat Achilles Tendonitis and other causes of achilles pain.