Achilles Tendonitis
Have you ever considered how you’d manage if you struggled to stand or walk? A day in bed or on the sofa sounds lovely sometimes, but you’ll need to stand up at some point to get to the loo, and that step will send excruciatingly sharp pains from your heel up the back of your leg.
Medication will cover the pain symptoms for a while, but it’s not ideal to be on them for an extended period. So let’s get back to our scenario; your foot pain is now on day 3, and you’re struggling to get to work, walk the dog, and visit the shops. The pain is stopping you from sleeping properly; you’re not grumpy and lacking the energy to see friends, let alone be civil to your family.
Ok, I’m painting a pretty awful picture, and you may think I’m exaggerating, but this is similar to what so many patients tell me. Stories of for unknown reasons, they get sudden pain in their foot, and it causes all of these problems.
We all take our health for granted until something goes wrong.
Your foot pain could be one of many conditions, that’s why you must get assessed by a professional. Take a look at this blog to see what these conditions could be.
One of the conditions I’ve seen a lot recently is Achilles Tendonitis. We all know the story of the Greek hero Achilles and his weak spot; your Achilles tendon is the thick band of tendon that runs up the back of your heel to your calf muscle. It helps your walk, run and jump.
Intense strain or repetitive strain can cause inflammation in the tendon. Frustratingly it weakens with age; other factors that increase the chance of Achilles Tendonitis are
- Being male
- Flat foot arches
- Obesity
- Tight calf muscle
- Training choices
- Medical conditions, such as psoriasis and high blood pressure
Some things to consider to reduce the chance of suffering from Achilles Tendonitis
- Don’t rush into an activity; start gradually.
- Warm up properly
- Avoid activities such as hill running
- Choose shoes with firm arch support, or fit insoles
- Stretch daily
Podiatrists are the experts in foot and leg problems so if you have aches and pains, book your appointment, have a full assessment and discuss the diagnosis and treatment options recommended for you. I have a range of treatments at my clinic in Langport, my orthotics, exercise and my laser machine; Galileo. He is pretty wonderful at reducing pain and speeding up your recovery.
Prolonged bouts of tendonitis can lead to a ruptured tendon, which will impact your quality of life for much longer than if you are proactive at the first sign of heel pain.
Let's get you sorted, contact me here.