Tag: achilles tendon pain

That feeling when your favorite athlete makes an epic comeback after injury? That could be you. Whether you are a weekend warrior or a serious competitor, recovering from Achilles tendon lengthening surgery or Achilles tendon surgery does not mean your sports days are over—it just means you need a game plan. At Deniel Foot & Ankle Center, we have helped Houston athletes bounce back from Achilles tendon pain and surgery stronger. Let us look at how you can return to your sport safely—and maybe better than before.

It is normal for the Achilles ligament to get injured. The tendon stretches from the heel to the calf muscles, and it is the largest tendon in the body. It is springy and is felt at the back of the ankle. It mainly helps raise your toes and point the toes towards the floor. It is common to feel stiffness or burning pain at the back of your leg, which is an indication that the Achilles tendon is partly or entirely torn. Achilles tendon pain affects your ability to walk.

Causes of Achilles tendon

Every time you walk, you use the Achilles tendon to move the foot, although, it is prone to injury due to poor circulation.

• An injury can happen due to increased stress on the tendon through intense sports, especially those involving jumping, falling, or stepping into a hole.
• Achilles tendinitis injury can affect some parts of the tendon. There are two main types under this category the non-insertional Achilles tendinitis, which is an injury to the middle of the tendon when it breaks or swells, and the insertional Achilles tendinitis that affects the lower part of the heel and can cause bone spurs.
• Achilles tendon rupture is common among weekend warriors, who are mainly middle-aged people participating in sports part-time.
• Illness or medications such as certain antibiotics or steroids weaken the tendon leaving it prone to injuries.

Achilles tendon issues can be very uncomfortable to live with. If you are experiencing pain with your achilles tendon, contact the podiatrist at DeNiel Foot & Ankle Center. Our doctor can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.

Some factors that increase the risk of Achilles tendon rupture include:

1. Age between 30 to 40 is more likely to experience Achilles injury.
2. Tendon injury is more likely to occur in men than women.
3. Recreational sports that have sudden stop and start, involving jumping or running, such as tennis, soccer, and basketball.
4. Antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin increase the risk of tendon injury.
5. Being overweight puts more strain on the tendon.
6. Steroid injections into the ankle joint can weaken the nearby tendons and can be associated with a tendon injury.

Prevention of Achilles tendon injury

The chances of developing Achilles tendon injury can be reduced by:

Stretching the calf until there is a noticeable pull. The stretching exercise keeps the tendon strong and increases its ability to absorb force thus preventing injury.

Alternate high impact sports with low-impact sports. Alternate running with swimming, and when injured avoid activities that place excess stress on the Achilles tendons.

Avoid running or training on slippery and hard surfaces.

Dress in well-fitting athletics shoes with properly cushioned heels and in cold weather dress warmly.

Increase training intensity slowly, that is the increase in distance, duration, or frequency, should be done at a rate of 10 percent.

The obvious symptom of Achilles tendon injury is pain above your heel when you are on your feet. The injury pain is usually instant but the area might be stiff, tender, and swollen. Immediately you notice symptoms of tendon injury, start by resting and applying ice, compression, and keeping the leg elevated until you can visit an Achilles tendon specialist for further treatment.

The Achilles Tendon orcalcaneal tendonorheel cord, is the big entwinedensemble of fibrous tissuesthat is located at the back of the lower leg and connects the calf muscles(gastrocnemius and soleus muscles) to the heel bones (calcaneal tuberosity on the calcaneus).It is the largest and the strongest tendon in the human body. The Achilles tendon endures a lot of stress and pressure in the normal day-to-day activities, such as, walking, jumping, running, as well as athletic activities. However, a rupture in the Achilles tendon can be caused among the people of any age group, but most ruptures are caused during the age of 30-50, among the people who are very physically active or are professional athletes.

The tears in the tendon fibers can result in a partial or total disruption of the tendon. If you hear sudden pop sound at the back of the calf, then the condition might need instant medical care.

Achilles Tendon: Causes

Achillis Tendonitis is normally caused by repetitive and intense pressure on the Achilles Tendon. The structure of the Tendon weakens with age, making it more prone to the injury. There are two main types of Tendonitis:

The first type of Tendonitis, Non-insertional Achilles Tendonitis, usually affects the younger adults. It causes pain and swelling as the small slits of the middle fibers of the tendon begins to disrupt.

The second type of Tendonitis, Insertional Achilles Tendonitis, can occur at any age, even to people who are not very physically active. The pain is caused due to additional bone development at the spot where the Tendon meets the heel bone.

Achilles Tendon: Symptoms

Achilles Tendonitis can weaken the tendon and can make the tendon more prone to the rupture, which may require an immediate surgical repair. The symptoms of Achilles Tendonitis are:

1. Stiffness, aching or swelling within the tendon. Pain can be at its intensity upon waking up in the morning and worsening during the day due to increased activities. The pain would occur at the back of the leg or near the heel.

2. Powerful penetrating pain when the sides of the tendon are squeezed. However, when the back of the tendon is touched or squeezed there is considerably less pain.

3. Enlargement or growth of nodules may arise in the spots where the tissue is injured. The patient will experience difficulty in bending the affected foot.

Achilles Tendon: Treatment

After the Achillis Tendonitis is diagnosed by the doctor through your medical history, visible symptoms and X-ray results, it is important to get the right treatment.Treatment depends on the severity of the injury. If the injury is not very intense, the doctor will ask you to take considerable amount of rest, frequent ice compression at the affected area, intake of pain relieving drugs, special exercises that you can do on your own to strengthen the calf muscle, physiotheraphy, orthotic shoes (to lift your heel).

If the above treatment is not of much relief then the foot doctor might recommend surgery. Some of the surgical methods may include: surgery to extend the gastrocnemius (calf muscle) decline or surgery to remove the excess bone growth and to repair the tendon. 

It is very important to seek out a podiatrist if you believe you have an injury in the Achilles region, because further damage could result in severe complications that would make being mobile difficult, if not impossible.