Achilles Tendinitis

Achilles tendonitis is an overuse (continuous & intense physical activity) injury of the Achilles tendon (Achilles tendon is a band of tissue that connects the calf muscle at the back of the lower leg to the heel bone and is used when you walk, run, climb stairs, jump and stand on your toes.). It causes pain in the back of the lower leg and or above the heel after running, tenderness or stiffness, especially in the morning, & persistent swelling which gets worse after sports activity.  Achilles tendinitis is of 2 types- Non-insertional & Insertional.

Cause

There are some factors that can increase the chance of occurrence for example- Flat arch of the foot, Obesity, Tight Calf muscle, Training with inappropriate shoes or incorrect technique, Bone spurs, Exercise without a proper warm-up, and wearing High Heels daily.

It Especially most commonly occurs in runners who have suddenly increased the intensity or duration of their runs, in sports like- tennis, basketball, football, cricket, hockey, badminton, & volleyball.

The best treatments for Achilles Tendinitis-

Release calf muscle by MFR technique, followed by stretching or Dry needling followed by stretching the other best treatment can be given by a physiotherapist at the physiotherapy clinic that Shockwave therapy, Super inductive system, high-intensity Laser  followed by foam roller for a calf release

Strengthening of calf muscle- Bilateral heel drops, single-leg heel drops,

Eccentric Strengthening protocol

Cross-training – alternate high-impact activity (such as running & jumping) with low-impact activity (such as cycling & swimming)

Rigid Taping

Night splints

Custom made insoles

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ECSWT)

Super inductive system

combination therapy

High-intensity laser

Iontophoresis

In summary to prevent recurrence – Increase your activity level gradually. and, Avoid activities that place excessive stress on your tendons. Moreover always do a Warm-up first, if notice pain in doing any exercise stop doing that. Also, consult a qualified sports physiotherapist