Achilles Tendonitis

What is Achilles Tendonitis?

Achilles tendonitis is inflammation of the tendon in the heel. The Achilles is critical to walking, running, jumping and going up and down the stairs. If you have Achilles tendonitis all of these activities will be painful. Persistent strain causes irritation to the tendon, which may be caused by stiffness in your foot or weakness in your hip. In severe cases this strain may even cause the tendon to rupture. Tight calf muscles and chronic overuse, particularly in runners, may contribute to wear and tear in the tendon.

How we treat Achilles Tendonitis at Richmond Osteopaths

We aim to reduce the inflammation with ice treatments and advice, Then we mobilise and massage the affected tendon, this may cause discomfort during treatment but will improve the healing rate. Once inflammation reduces, other areas are treated such as the joints in the foot and the muscles around the hip and lower back.

Our advice

Apply ice frequently throughout the day. Leave ice on for 5 to 6 minutes at a time and repeat 3 times. It is mainly the inflammation that causes pain and stiffness. We would advise that you reduce or stop activity and seek advice.