Achilles Tendonitis
Achilles Tendonitis Q&A
What is Achilles tendonitis?
The Achilles tendon, which joins the heel bone to the calf muscles, is the largest tendon in your body. When the tendon is under stress, it becomes inflamed, often causing a flare-up of Achilles tendinitis.
Fortunately, the Achilles tendon does not typically rupture right away from activities like sports or cardio, but microtears can occur over time and make you more susceptible to a major injury.
What causes Achilles tendonitis?
Overexertion is the number one culprit of Achilles tendinitis. Some of the most common causes of this debilitating condition are:
- High impact cardio
- Jogging, running, and sprinting
- Stairs
- Overuse
- Forgetting to stretch before and after exercise
Most cases of Achilles tendinitis occur in runners who have dramatically increased their mileage or speed in a short period of time.
What symptoms should I look out for?
It’s important to watch out for the warning signs of Achilles tendinitis, as early intervention can mean just taking anti-inflammatory medicine to reduce pain.
Achilles tendinitis symptoms to look out for before your next big race include:
- Heel pain or an aching heel
- Heel tenderness
- Extreme pain after prolonged running or exercise
- Stiffness
- Swelling
- Leg pain
- Loss of ankle motion
If these symptoms worsen, make an appointment with a foot and ankle specialist like Dr. Charles to find out which treatment option is right for you.
How is Achilles tendonitis treated?
Your treatment plan depends on the severity of your injury. If your Achilles tendon feels inflamed, but not extremely painful, conservative therapies like ice, rest, and doctor-recommended stretches may be enough to reduce your pain and swelling.
However, if the pain in your leg or heel is so severe that you’re having troubles walking, Dr. Charles may recommend a more complex treatment, such as:
- An ankle boot or brace
- Customized orthotic inserts for your shoes
- Anti-inflammatory pain relievers
- Amniotic membrane injections into the Achilles tendon to reduce inflammation
- Surgery, for chronic Achilles tendon pain and Achilles ruptures.
Learn More
When you feel excruciating pain in the back of your leg or heel, it’s hard to do anything but stay in bed. For patients suffering from Achilles tendinitis, Dr. Charles Sisovsky, DPM, AACFAS, at American Health Network, Optum Orthopedics, in New Albany, IN can help treat your pain with innovative orthopedic procedures like amniotic membrane injections. Call or book an appointment online today to learn more about the treatments Dr. Charles has to offer.