Achilles Tendonitis
What Is Achilles Tendonitis？
● Achilles tendonitis occurs when the tendon that connects the back of your leg to your heel becomes swollen and painful near the bottom of the foot. There are two large muscles in the calf. These create the power needed to push off with the foot or go up on the toes. The large Achilles tendon connects these muscles to the heel and allows you to push your foot down. You use your Achilles tendon when walking, running, and jumping. Tendonitis due to overuse is most common in younger people. It most often affects walkers, runners, or other athletes. Tendonitis from arthritis is more common in middle-aged and older adults.
Types of Achilles tendinitis:
● Noninsertional Achilles tendinitis involves small tears in the fibers of the middle portion of your tendon and tends to affect younger adults who are active.
● Insertional Achilles tendinitis affects the lower portion of your tendon where it attaches to your heel bone. It can affect people of any age, including individuals who aren’t physically active.
Symptoms of Achilles Tendinitis:
● Pain and stiffness along the Achilles tendon, particularly in the morning.
●Pain along the tendon or back of the heel that worsens with activity.
●Severe pain the day after exercising.
● Swelling and inflammation.
● Thickening of the tendon.
● Bone spurs in the area where the tendon attaches to the heel bone.
What is the main cause of Achilles tendonitis?
● With Achilles tendinitis, overuse of your Achilles tendon causes swelling, irritation and inflammation. You can get Achilles tendinitis by being active on your feet. It’s usually not related to a specific injury — it happens because of stressing your tendon repeatedly. Because it’s difficult to avoid using your Achilles tendon, your body doesn’t have time to repair the injured tissue. Suddenly increasing the intensity or duration of physical activity. Having tight calf muscles, which increases strain on the Achilles tendon. Running on hard surfaces. Wearing improper footwear. Having bone spurs that irritate the tendon.
● Insertional Achilles tendinitis affects the lower portion of your tendon where it attaches to your heel bone. It can affect people of any age, including individuals who aren’t physically active.
Prevention of Achilles Tendinitis
hile it may not be possible to prevent Achilles tendinitis, you can take measures to reduce your risk:
●Increase your activity level gradually. If you're just beginning an exercise regimen, start slowly and gradually increase the duration and intensity of the training.
●Take it easy. Avoid activities that place excessive stress on your tendons, such as hill running. If you participate in a strenuous activity, warm up first by exercising at a slower pace. If you notice pain during a particular exercise, stop and rest.
●Choose your shoes carefully. The shoes you wear while exercising should provide adequate cushioning for your heel and should have a firm arch support to help reduce the tension in the Achilles tendon. Replace your worn-out shoes. If your shoes are in good condition but don't support your feet, try arch supports in both shoes.
●Stretch daily. Take the time to stretch your calf muscles and Achilles tendon in the morning, before exercise and after exercise to maintain flexibility. This is especially important to avoid a recurrence of Achilles tendinitis.
●Strengthen your calf muscles. Strong calf muscles enable the calf and Achilles tendon to better handle the stresses they encounter with activity and exercise.
●Cross-train. Alternate high-impact activities, such as running and jumping, with low-impact activities, such as cycling and swimming.
Treatment of Achilles Tendinitis:
● Rest: Avoid activities that put stress on the tendon. Sometimes, immobilization with a walking boot or crutches may be necessary.
● Ice: Apply ice packs to reduce swelling and pain.
● Medications: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help alleviate pain and inflammation.
● Physical Therapy: Stretching and strengthening exercises.
● Orthotics: Through
foot scanner
to Custom-made shoe inserts that help reduce stress on the tendon.
● Surgery: In severe cases, surgical intervention might be required.
Role of Custom Orthotic Insoles:
Custom orthotic insoles, designed using a foot scanner , play a crucial role in treating Achilles tendinitis. These insoles help by:
● Providing proper arch support.
● Reducing strain on the Achilles tendon.
● Distributing pressure more evenly across the foot.
● Improving overall foot alignment and gait, which can help prevent further injury.