Achilles Tendinitis Specialist

What is Achilles tendinitis?

Achilles tendinitis is a painful condition that causes your Achilles tendon — a thick band of fibrous tissue that connects your calf muscle to your heel bone — to become irritated and inflamed, usually as a result of general wear-and-tear.

Achilles tendinitis affects people of all ages, but it’s especially common in runners who change the frequency or intensity of their workouts. It’s also common in middle-aged people who participate in sports or physical activity on the weekends.

Most of the time, Achilles tendinitis responds to conservative care like ice, rest, and light stretching. If your symptoms continue for more than a week, make an appointment with the team at Orthopedic Associates: Foot & Ankle Specialists.

What are the symptoms of Achilles tendinitis?

Achilles tendinitis usually starts as a dull, throbbing pain at the back of your leg, just above your heel. The pain typically gets worse after running, jogging, or participating in another physical activity. As the condition gets worse, you might also experience tenderness or stiffness at the back of your heel, especially when you first wake up in the morning.

How is Achilles tendinitis diagnosed?

To diagnose Achilles tendinitis, your Orthopedic Associates: Foot & Ankle Specialists provider reviews your medical history, asks you questions about your symptoms, and does a physical exam.

During the exam, your doctor gently presses on the back of your leg and heel to pinpoint the location of your pain, tenderness, and swelling. Your doctor also evaluates your ankle’s range of motion, flexibility, and alignment.

How is Achilles tendinitis treated?

Whenever possible, the team at Orthopedic Associates: Foot & Ankle Specialists recommends conservative, noninvasive care to treat Achilles Tendinitis.

If your pain is mild or moderate, your doctor might recommend gentle stretches, reducing your physical activity, or switching to a less strenuous sport. To ease pain, they might recommend custom orthotics (shoe inserts), physical therapy, ice, and/or over-the-counter pain relievers.

If your symptoms continue or get worse, you might need surgery. Surgery for Achilles tendinitis repairs damage to your tendon using minimally invasive means.

Don’t let Achilles tendinitis restrict your mobility. Make an appointment at Orthopedic Associates: Foot & Ankle Specialists today by calling the office or using the online booking tool.