Achilles Tendon Problems

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When the calf muscle contracts the Achilles pulls on the heel. This allows us to push up onto our toes, or point our foot. We need this action to walk, run and jump.

The Achilles tendon is the largest and strongest tendon in the human body but despite it's strength it can be vulnerable to injury. Injury to the Achilles tendon is usually due to repetitive use or overload. The most common Achilles injury we see in clinic is Achilles Tendinopathy. 

Achilles Tendinopathy causes pain at the back of the lower leg. You may notice an area of thickening which feels like a small bump over the painful area. 

Achilles tendinopathy is easily diagnosed in clinic and physiotherapy treatment is very successful in making it better.  There are a number of treatments that can be used to help treat tendinopathy including (but not limited to) strengthening exercises, stretching and shockwave therapy. 

As well as treating the symptoms of tendinopathy it is important that we consider the factors which may have caused the problem (too much training, poor footwear, a change of training surface). It is also important to take advice on what activity and exercise you can do as you recover. 

There are other conditions which can cause pain around the Achilles:

• Plantar fasciitis
• Calcaneal fracture stress
• Haglund deformity 
• Sever's Disease  
• Posterior Ankle Impingement
• Referred pain from the lower back
• Ankle Arthritis
• Partial Achilles Tendon Rupture

Whatever the cause of your Achilles problem our physiotherapists will be able to give you the best advice to help you get back to full fitness.