Achilles Tendonitis

Most people know where to find their achilles tendon.

 It is positioned at  the back of the leg, a thick chord like structure which connects the muscles of the back of the calf to the calcaneum  or, the heel bone. The action of these muscles bends the knee and points the toes at the ankle joint. When the tendon becomes tender , sore or painful, it is described as Achilles Tendonitis. This may  not be a true scientific description of the  pain, but it will serve our purposes.

Damage to the achilles tendon is responsible for an estimated 11% of all running injuries. A typical runner who jogs one mile experiences 1,500 heel strikes.  This  is very demanding on the Achilles tendon and overuse injuries are commonplace.    They are exacerbated by wearing footwear that lacks support and has poor shock absorption . It is estimated that even high quality running shoes decrease their shock absorption by approximately 40 percent after about 300-400 miles. That isn't very far for someone training for the marathon!

Sometimes overzealous training, especially, too much, too soon  after an injury, causes problems as the  tissues do not have a chance to adapt to the increased demands and decreased recovery time.

Achilles tendonitis can be caused by running on hard ground, by hill training and running on uneven surfaces.

The injury itself is graded from 1 - 5.

At grade 1 there is no pain during activity, but pain in the Achilles tendon is felt after sports training has ended and any tenderness usually clears up within 24 hours. At grade 5 the Achilles tendon pain will interfere with daily activities the Achilles tendon becomes deformed and muscle function is lost.

It is important to stop activity immediately if you have problems with your achilles tendon and apply ice to the affected part. A podiatrist or physiotherapist will be able to strap it for you and use of a heel lift can ease the pain. It is wise to rest the area and stop all jumping and twisting movements. A visit to a biomechanics specialist is always recommended as they can prescribe custom made orthotics to help prevent' over twisting' within the foot and prevent re-injury.

Once the acute stage of injury has passed, light exercise using a rocker board is very useful for initial exercise and then slowly reintroduce sports activities on soft, flat surfaces with an emphasis on stretching and strengthening exercises. Normal activity can be resumed when the tendon is free of pain.