Achilles Tendonitis Causes Heel Pain Symptoms for Achilles Tendinitis Treatment

Achilles tendonitis is inflammation and irritation of your Achilles tendon. Your Achilles tendon is the tendon that connects calf to heel, which is the largest and strongest tendon in your body. This tendon is heavily used when you walk, run, jump or push up on your toes.

Achilles tendon injuries typically happen to sedentary and out of condition older adults. The primary symptom of Achilles tendinitis is heel pain that is frequently slow to develop. Other symptoms may include:

  • tendon stiffness
  • skin over tendon warm
  • Achilles tendon tenderness
  • swelling or bump on tendon
  • dull pain when pushing off your foot
  • crackling sound when tendon is moved

Your heel pain of Achilles tendonitis may improve a bit when initially moving about, and then it is likely to worsen as you increase your activity.

Couple of the major causes of this type of tendonitis are:

  • improper footwear
  • movement on inappropriate surfaces
  • sudden increase in fitness regime level
  • repetitive activity involving Achilles tendon
  • actions that place a lot of stress on calf muscles & Achilles tendon

Some other fitness related, or otherwise, situations that can cause Achilles tendinitis are:

  • arthritis
  • overuse
  • jumping
  • tibia vara
  • overweight
  • overpronation
  • poor conditioning
  • weak calf muscles
  • stairs, hills climbing
  • tight Achilles tendon
  • flat or abnormally high arches
  • inward angulation of heel or forefoot
  • wearing high heels all the time ~ shortens Achilles tendon

In some heel pain cases, the inflammation of your Achilles tendon may be caused by trauma or an infection near the tendon.

If treated promptly, heel pain of Achilles tendinitis can be alleviated quickly. Left untreated, Achilles tendinitis could cause chronic heel pain or your tendon to rupture. And an Achilles tendon rupture needs surgery to repair.

Ordinarily, the treatment for easing and healing your Achilles heel pain and inflammation symptoms is rest and NSAIDs, such as aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen. With substantial swelling, add ice message, compression bandages and elevation to your treatment protocol.

Rest as in limiting any activity that causes your symptoms to worsen. This means avoiding any forceful and repetitive plantar flexion, but you can continue to lightly use and stretch your tendon.

If your attempts to improve your heel pain symptoms fails, then there are other measures, like:

  • casting
  • bracing
  • crutches
  • physical therapy
  • foot insert that elevates heel
  • walking boot that keeps heel from moving
  • heel pads, cups to worn in shoes to cushion, support heel

If all else fails, there’s always surgery to remove your inflamed tissue from around the tendon. Cortisone injections are not advisable because they can weaken your tendon.

Filed under: Tendinitis

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