What are the causes & symptoms of Achilles Tendinitis?

Achilles tendinopathy (tendinitis) commonly refers to pain located at the back of the ankle in the Achilles.The Achilles tendon is the large tendon at the back of the ankle that attaches the calf muscles to the heel. This attachment allows the heel to come up when walking, running, jumping, or standing on the toes. It also allows the power generated in calf muscles to be transferred to a push off through the toes during these same activities.

Pain is felt above the heel after running or other sports activity leading to increasing pain associated with activities involving prolonged running, jumping, or stair climbing.

There is tenderness on palpation, possibly with a small swelling on the Achilles tendon and there may be some pain in stiffness in the morning that gets better as the tendon ‘warms up’. Similarly, while exercising, pain is usually worse at the start and then better once warm. The most common cause of Achilles tendinopathy is from overloading the tendon by changing a training program or increasing amount of running. It can also develop after a period of inactivity (e.g. sedentary job) and then starting exercise again.

Your physiotherapist can prescribe eccentric exercises which will strengthen the tendon.