Achilles tendon injuries

especially in athletes who are involved in running and jumping sports.

Achilles tendinopathy is a painful overuse injury that affects an athlete’s ability to be physically active, causing a combination of pain, swelling and impaired performance.

During the early stages of the injury, you might be able to continue with regular activities and sports, but as it progresses your ability to be physically active is progressively impaired.

Repetitive overloading of the Achilles tendon and training errors, such as rapidly increasing training intensity or duration, are reported to be contributing factors in up to 80% of those who develop Achilles tendinopathy.

The pain associated with Achilles tendinopathy typically begins as a mild ache in the back of the leg or above the heel after running or other sporting activity. Episodes of more severe pain may occur after prolonged running, stair climbing, jumping or sprinting. Some other common symptoms include:

• Pain in your heel, which feels worse when you put pressure on it or have been active.

• Tendon stiffness, often worse first thing in the morning or if you’ve been resting for a while

• Swelling at the back of your ankle

*Tenderness when you touch your tendon

• A grating noise or creaking feeling when you move your ankle

A number of factors may increase your risk of the injury, including:

*Gender - Achilles tendinopathy occurs most commonly in men

• Age - the structure of the Achilles tendon weakens with age

• Physical factors, including a naturally flat arch in your foot, increased BMI and tight calf muscles

• Training choices - running in worn out trainers or incorrect footwear, on hilly or uneven terrain, or in cold weather

Control of inflammation is recommended in the early phase of Achilles tendon injury, first by using ice packs and decreasing the intensity, frequency, and duration of the activity that caused the injury.

During an initial consultation at the clinic you would be asked to perform a combination of exercises to provoke tendon pain during tendon loading activity, such hopping.

Your practitioner will also look at any training errors, decreases in flexibility, and any muscle weakness in order to formulate a treatment plan for you.

Eccentric loading and stretching exercises will normally be given to you in order to increase the tensile strength of the tendon, reduce pain and regain function.

If you are suffering with Achilles pain and would like any help or advice from our physiotherapists or sports injury therapists, please contact our reception team on 01454 838366 or book online at www.thethornburyclinic.co.uk.