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Achilles tendonitis is a common injury that causes overuse. You may feel pain or discomfort in the back of your calf or ankle. It usually happens after physical activity or exercise. The condition is the most common cause of heel pain. We usually see similar cases among runners and active people over the age of 30. If you are someone with similar heel pain, visit us today at our Anaheim or Lakewood, CA, office.
Achilles tendonitis is also known as Achilles tendinopathy. It is a common condition where the tendon at the back of your heel becomes irritated, painful, and less able to handle everyday activities. It often affects active individuals, runners, and even people with inactive lifestyles who suddenly increase their physical activity.
The activities involving the leg, such as running, jumping, or sprinting, can cause Achilles tendonitis. Some common signs are:
Symptoms usually get worse during your activity. You experience sudden pain in the tendon that results in an inability to put weight on the foot. A ruptured tendon needs immediate medical attention and treatment.
Achilles tendon pain happens when the tendon is overworked. Common causes include running or jumping, poor footwear, tight calf muscles, and increasing exercise too quickly, as well as flat feet or other foot alignment issues.
The good news is that most cases respond very well to non-surgical treatment.
The first step is to reduce activities that make your pain worse. It does not usually mean complete rest. Instead, you can switch to lower-impact activities such as cycling or swimming.
Exercise is the most important part of the treatment. Special heel-lowering exercises can help reduce pain and strengthen the tendon. Your treatment plan also includes gentle stretching, calf strengthening, and increasing activity to rebuild strength. It is important to stay consistent. Tendon healing takes time, but people usually recover when they stick to a plan.
Anti-inflammatory medicines can help reduce pain temporarily. However, they do not fix the main cause. Applying ice after activity can also help ease discomfort.
You can wear supportive shoes to reduce stress on the tendon. We also recommend lifts or custom shoe inserts to take pressure off the tendon when it heals. It is especially helpful for runners and active individuals.
If you have a mild condition, it can improve within several weeks. However, chronic tendon problems need at least 3-6 months of structured rehabilitation. It looks like a long time, but proper treatment can reduce the risk of recurrence and long-term damage.
Achilles tendonitis can be frustrating, but treatable with the right approach. You need to visit our podiatrist when pain lasts longer than a few weeks and symptoms are getting worse. If you have difficulty walking or performing daily activities or suspect a fracture, call us at (657) 441-1484 to book an appointment.
It may take a few months to improve, but the pain can last longer than 3 months even with early treatment.
Achilles Tendonitis pain begins as a mild ache in the back of the leg or above the heel after running or doing any sports activity. You can also experience more-severe burning or aching pain after running for a long-time or stair climbing.
