S
Susan Jackson
Guest
Achilles tendonitis is a painful and often debilitating inflammation of the Achilles tendon, also called the heel cord. The Achilles tendon is the largest and strongest tendon in the body. It is located in the back of the lower leg, attaches to the heel bone (calcaneus), and connects the leg muscles to the foot. The Achilles tendon gives us the ability to rise up on our toes, facilitating the act of walking, and Achilles tendonitis can make walking almost impossible.
The two most common causes of Achilles tendonitis are inflexibility of the tendon and over-pronation (your feet roll inwards excessively) . Other factors associated with Achilles tendonitis are recent changes in footwear and changes in training schedules. Often long distance runners will have symptoms of Achilles tendonitis after increasing their mileage or increasing the amount of hill training they are doing.
In most cases, symptoms of Achilles tendonitis develop gradually. Pain may be mild at first and worsen with continued activity. Repeated or continued stress on the Achilles tendon increases inflammation and may cause it to rupture. Partial or complete rupture results in traumatic damage and severe pain, making walking virtually impossible and requiring a long recovery period.
If damage to the tendon is minor, the injury may respond to a simple course of treatment known as RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation). For compression, the Achilles Healer ( http://pattstrap.com/achilles.htm ) is suggested. The Achilles Healer applies compression to the Achilles Tendon helping to reduce stress on the problem area. In addition, upward pressure is applied to the heel. The lift of the heel will reduce stress and pain of the Achilles tendon
The two most common causes of Achilles tendonitis are inflexibility of the tendon and over-pronation (your feet roll inwards excessively) . Other factors associated with Achilles tendonitis are recent changes in footwear and changes in training schedules. Often long distance runners will have symptoms of Achilles tendonitis after increasing their mileage or increasing the amount of hill training they are doing.
In most cases, symptoms of Achilles tendonitis develop gradually. Pain may be mild at first and worsen with continued activity. Repeated or continued stress on the Achilles tendon increases inflammation and may cause it to rupture. Partial or complete rupture results in traumatic damage and severe pain, making walking virtually impossible and requiring a long recovery period.
If damage to the tendon is minor, the injury may respond to a simple course of treatment known as RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation). For compression, the Achilles Healer ( http://pattstrap.com/achilles.htm ) is suggested. The Achilles Healer applies compression to the Achilles Tendon helping to reduce stress on the problem area. In addition, upward pressure is applied to the heel. The lift of the heel will reduce stress and pain of the Achilles tendon
