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Skip to main content. Bones muscles and joints. Home Bones muscles and joints. Achilles tendinopathy. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. About Achilles tendinopathy Tendons explained Symptoms of Achilles tendinopathy Degrees of severity of Achilles tendinopathy Causes of Achilles tendinopathy Diagnosis of Achilles tendinopathy Treatment for Achilles tendinopathy Prevention of Achilles tendinopathy Where to get help.
About Achilles tendinopathy Achilles tendinopathy is a painful condition affecting the Achilles tendon, which attaches the calf muscles to the heel bone. Tendons explained A tendon is a band of connective tissue that anchors muscle to bone. Symptoms of Achilles tendinopathy Symptoms of Achilles tendinopathy include: pain in the back of the heel difficulty walking — sometimes the pain makes walking impossible swelling, tenderness and warmth of the Achilles tendon.
Finally, they tie the sutures together. The most common complications of Achilles tendonitis are pain, having trouble walking or exercising, and your tendon or heel bone becoming deformed. You can also experience a complete tear, or rupture, of your Achilles tendon.
A study found that complications such as infection or difficulties in wound healing are possible, though uncommon, after a surgery for Achilles tendonitis. If you continue to put stress or wear on your Achilles tendon after a surgery, your tendon can rupture again. Tendonitis usually goes away after a few days, following rest and proper home treatment including the RICE method. Long-term tendonitis can cause worse issues, including insertional tendonitis, or the tendon inserting itself into the heel bone, and tendonosis , or weakening of the tendon.
A tendon rupture or chronic tendonitis may require long-term treatment or surgery. Recovery from surgery can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months for full recovery. Seeking treatment for your tendonitis or ruptured tendon right away is very important. Learn how legendary golfer Phil Mickelson has dealt with his psoriatic arthritis diagnosis, and what enabled him to get back on the course doing what….
Although psoriatic arthritis PsA and rheumatoid arthritis RA both begin in the immune system, the two conditions are very different. Learn more…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Achilles Tendonitis. Medically reviewed by William Morrison, M.
Insertional Achilles tendonitis affects the lower portion of your tendon where it attaches to your heel bone. A pharmacist can recommend the best painkiller for you. Paracetamol and ibuprofen can help to ease pain.
There are tendons all over your body. They connect your muscles to bones in your joints, for example, in your knees, elbows and shoulders. If the pain is sudden and severe, and happened during an accident or activity, you may have ruptured a tendon. You might have heard a popping or snapping sound when the pain started.
If your tendon is ruptured, you may be referred to a specialist for assessment. You may be referred to hospital for an X-ray or scan if your doctor thinks you may have another injury, such as a broken bone.
If the pain is severe, lasts a long time, or your movement is limited, you may be referred for physiotherapy. You may get pain, stiffness and sometimes swelling that makes it hard for you to move freely. Achilles tendinopathy can make it hard to walk and may stop you carrying on as normal. It may be caused by a specific injury that damages your Achilles tendon or can be caused by repeated small amounts of damage through overuse.
Your Achilles tendon is the thickest and strongest tendon in your body. It connects your calf muscle to the bone in the heel of your foot. It helps move your foot when the muscles contract. Your Achilles tendon enables you to go on tiptoe or move forwards when you walk, run or climb.
This damage can get gradually worse over time. Achilles tendinopathy can affect anyone, but especially people who do activities that involve running and jumping. Over , people are affected by Achilles tendinopathy every year. If you think you have Achilles tendinopathy, speak to your GP or a physiotherapist. You can book a private appointment directly with a physiotherapist, do a self-referral to an NHS physiotherapist or you may need to get a referral through your GP.
The pain of Achilles tendinopathy can come and go. The stiffness may ease off when you start moving again. Achilles tendinopathy can affect your day-to-day life. It may mean you need to take time off work, especially if you have an active job. You may not be able to do a lot of activity, including sports, until your tendon gets better.
This is called an Achilles tendon rupture. Your tendon becomes swollen, bruised and sore, and you may even hear it snap. If this happens, seek urgent medical advice. Your GP or physiotherapist will ask you about your symptoms and examine your leg, heel and ankle. They may ask you to do a series of movements or exercises to help them see how well you can move your leg. They may squeeze your calf muscle to check the movement of your foot.
They may also ask you about your medical history and rule out other related causes or conditions. Achilles tendinopathy can usually be diagnosed from your symptoms. But sometimes your GP may suggest that you have an ultrasound scan or MRI scan to see if there are tears in your Achilles tendon.
If you have an underlying condition, such as arthritis, diabetes or high cholesterol levels, you may be referred to a specialist doctor. If your symptoms are very bad, or have lasted for more than six weeks, you may be referred to an orthopaedic surgeon who specialises in foot and ankle surgery.
There are a number of things you can do to ease the symptoms of Achilles tendinopathy. The most important one is to rest the tendon. Reduce or stop the activity that triggered your symptoms. If your pain eases, you may be able to do some gentle stretches. If you can, carry on putting weight on your leg by standing and doing some gentle walking. Avoid uphill and downhill running until the pain has gone. Apply cold packs or ice wrapped in a towel to ease the pain and reduce any swelling.
You may be able to make an appointment yourself or your GP may need to refer you.
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