Dealing with Achilles Pain

Experiencing pain in your Achilles tendon, found just above your heel, can be extremely uncomfortable and can set you back weeks or even months from training if not address straight away. This is not an ideal situation to be in, especially when training for a race or competition, and reinforces the importance of getting is checked out as soon as you notice any slight discomfort in the area.

The Achilles tendon is the largest in the body and is responsible for lifting your heel off the floor, commonly effecting runners but can affect anyone who spends a lot of time on their feet. The Achilles tendon has the ability to cope with the demands of various activities. However, this ability may be disrupted if the capacity to adapt is exceeded, resulting in an imbalance between the repair processes within the tendon. Factors which may contribute to disrupting this capacity include; poor gait biomechanics, tight calf muscles, stiff ankle and forefoot joints.

These are things which will be assessed by your physiotherapist or osteopath at Function360, along with looking further up the chain; at the knee, hip and low back. These areas are all connected, so it is important to see how they are functioning as a unit, as an issue in one area will knock onto the other.

We will be able to identify the cause of your current presentation, explain why you have developed these symptoms and provide you with a treatment and a plan to alleviate your symptoms.

This plan may include hands on therapy to relieve muscle tension, improve joint mobility and reduce any inflammation present, with the aim to encourage fluid flow to the area in order to aid the body’s natural healing capacity. Once the inflammation has subsided, loading

the tendon can begin, which is a vital process of the recovery process. It is important to build back the strength within the tendon so that it does not occur again but vital to progress at a steady state to avoid the risk of aggravating it. This will be done alongside a rehabilitation program, to strengthen any weak muscles identified, in order to improve asymmetries, gait biomechanics and aid the recovery process. Advice will be given on appropriate footwear, training techniques and ways to reduce the load onto the tendon. We will even do your gait analysis if we feel it is relevant for you.

If you’re struggling with heel, calf or achilles pain come and see us, we will help you fix it.