The Achilles tendon is the largest and strongest tendon in the human body. It starts at the heel bone and runs up into the calf muscles at the back of the lower leg. The Achilles tendon is at work whenever you point your toes like a ballerina or rise up onto your toes while standing.
What does an Achilles tendon injury look like?
An Achilles tendon injury can happen to anyone – an athlete or someone simply going about their everyday life. The injury can show up in different forms and severities.
The most common Achilles tendon problem is tendinopathy (previously called tendinosis) – a chronic tendon condition in which the tendon’s structure changes: fibers degenerate, the tendon thickens, and persistent pain and stiffness develop. Swelling around the heel area often accompanies this.
In more severe cases, the Achilles tendon can partially or fully rupture. This is indicated by sudden, severe pain, often occurring during a sudden movement, jump, or sprint.
Symptoms of an Achilles tendon injury
The most common symptom is pain above the heel, especially when you bend your lower leg or try to rise onto your toes. Milder pain may either get worse over time or fade away. But if the tendon has torn, the pain is instant and very severe. The entire tendon area can also be swollen, stiff, and generally sensitive.
With a tendon rupture, you may also hear or feel a snap or pop. This can come with swelling and bruising. In this case, you may have difficulty pointing your toes and difficulty pushing off from the ball of your foot while walking.
What could cause an Achilles tendon injury?
This injury occurs primarily with quick, sudden movements – whether accelerating, braking, or dodging sideways.
A good example would be a runner suddenly starting off, pushing their foot quickly off the starting blocks. Such a movement can put excessive strain on the tendon. The risk group for Achilles tendon injuries includes men over 30 years old. The injury can also occur with consistently high-load activities.
That said, you don’t have to be an athlete to get injured. It can also happen simply from, for example, falling into a hole or falling onto your feet from a height.
What contributes to an Achilles tendon injury?
- For women, one factor that certainly contributes to the injury is regularly wearing high heels.
- Flat feet, meaning the arch of the foot has collapsed. This means the Achilles tendon takes on extra load while moving.
- Your leg muscles and tendons are too tight.
- You have bone spurs, or osteophytes, on the sole of your foot.
- You add extra load to your usual training routine or move more intensely than usual.
- You start a new type of training.
- You’re wearing shoes that don’t fit you well or aren’t suited to the activity (for example, casual shoes for running).
- You train on uneven ground.
- You take the following medications: glucocorticoids or fluoroquinolones (antibiotics).
- You have a chronic disease that weakens the Achilles tendon, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, gout, or diabetes.
Rehabilitation for an Achilles tendon injury
Note! Be sure to get a proper diagnosis from a doctor or physiotherapist before starting treatment.
Small to moderate Achilles tendon injuries should heal well on their own. To help speed up this process, you could:
- Rest your leg. Try to place as little load as possible on the leg. You could also try crutches.
- Apply cold to the area. Use ice (wrapped in something) or a cold pack, for 20 minutes at a time.
- Use compression. An elastic bandage wrapped around the lower part of the leg and the ankle works perfectly for this.
- Take anti-inflammatory painkillers (such as ibuprofen). This helps with pain and swelling. Be careful with their use. If you need them for more than 7 to 10 days, see a doctor.
- Use a heel lift. Your doctor may recommend using these inside your shoes while you heal. This prevents excessive stretching of the Achilles tendon.
- Do your own stretches and exercises. You can get these exercises from a doctor or physiotherapist.
- Take part in safe activities. If your doctor has given you the go-ahead, activities such as swimming can help speed up healing.
Here are some more ideas for recovering faster from an Achilles tendon injury:
Achilles tendon surgery
If your tendon has torn, your doctor may recommend surgery. The younger and more active you are, the more likely surgery is your best option.
Surgery is usually performed within about a month of the injury. During surgery, a small incision is made at the back of the leg, and the tendon is stitched back together. Sometimes additional material is added to make the tendon stronger.
It’s also possible your doctor won’t recommend surgery at all. This is more likely if you’re older and less active, or if you only have a partial tear.
Recovery without surgical intervention involves a lot of physiotherapy. You may also be recommended ultrasound therapy or shockwave therapy. A cast, an ankle brace, or heel lifts may also be used to take load off the tendon and limit its movement.
Recovering from an Achilles tendon injury
Recovery can take months, but this depends heavily on the extent of the injury. Different conditions heal at different rates.
You can still be active during recovery! Ask a specialist what you can and can’t do. But don’t rush things. Don’t return to your previous activity level until:
- you can move your injured leg as easily and freely as your healthy leg
- the injured leg feels as strong as the other leg
- you don’t feel pain in the leg when walking, jogging, running, or jumping
If you push yourself too hard before the leg has fully healed, you risk injuring yourself again, and the pain can become a long-term problem. You can avoid some of these issues by replacing high-load sports like running with lower-load activities. Activities like swimming or cycling place less load on the tendon.
Preventing an Achilles tendon injury
Here are a few things you could try:
- stretch and strengthen your calf muscles
- run less uphill (hill runs)
- wear well-fitting shoes that properly support your foot
- stop training if you feel pain or excessive tension behind your calf or at your heel
Keep your Achilles tendon healthy and strong
Regular massage helps keep the calf muscles and tendons flexible and helps prevent overload. At Osso Massage, we can focus specifically on the areas that need attention – whether that’s tight calf muscles, a stiff Achilles tendon, or recovery after an injury.
Book your massage and keep your body in good shape.
