Achilles Tendon Tears & Tendonitis
Achilles tendon rupture is an injury that affects the back of the lower leg and mainly occurs in people playing recreational sports, but it can happen to anyone.
The Achilles tendon is a strong fibrous cord that connects the muscles in the back of your calf to your heel bone. Your Achilles tendon helps you point your foot downward, rise on your toes and push off your foot as you walk and you rely on it virtually every time you walk and move your foot. If you overstretch your Achilles tendon, it can tear (rupture) completely or just partially.
If your Achilles tendon ruptures, you might hear a pop, followed by an immediate sharp pain in the back of your ankle and lower leg that is likely to affect your ability to walk properly. Surgery is often performed to repair the rupture. For many people, however, nonsurgical treatment works just as well.
Some causes include:
exercising without a proper warmup
straining the calf muscles during repeated exercise or physical activity
playing sports, such as tennis, that require quick stops and changes of direction
sudden increase in physical activity without allowing your body to adjust to increased training
wearing old or poorly fitting shoes
wearing high heels daily or for prolonged durations
having bone spurs in the back of your heels
being older, as the Achilles tendon weakens with age
The main symptom of Achilles tendonitis is pain and swelling in the backside of your heel when you walk or run. Other symptoms include tight calf muscles and limited range of motion when you flex your foot.
This condition can also make the skin on your heel feel overly warm to the touch.
There are a range of treatment options available at The Regenerative Therapy Centre and we would be delighted to discuss which would be the most appropriate for you, Please click on the Get in Touch button and our friendly and responsive team will be delighted to chat.