Painful tendon at the back of the heel that appears swollen and tender and causes early morning stiffness, inability to weight bear and limping Often aggravated by walking, running and jumping, it may become difficult to stand on tip toes. The most common causes are overuse of the tendon, improper running techniques or errors in training. The other form occurs more commonly in older adults due to arthritis.
Assessment involves identifying the foot and ankle biomechanics, training errors and any underlying causes of the swelling within the tendon.
Achilles tendonitis treatment
Treatment is usually deep tissue massage, therapeutic ultrasound, acupuncture and stretching exercises. A strength training programme (that can be painful) will also be included. This condition can heal well with early physiotherapy but may often require a lengthy healing time.