By Misha Gilani, DPT
Achilles tendonitis is a very common condition that we treat here at Loudoun Sports Therapy and it affects every age group. Achilles tendonitis is the inflammation of the Achilles tendon in your foot. When a patient is suffering from this condition, they will most commonly complain of problems such as pain, limited range of motion, weakness and swelling. They often have difficulty performing daily and functional activities such as ascending or descending stairs, walking, running and pain at night; this pain is due to the inflammation that causes the calf muscles to weaken. This leads to more pain as the muscles are no longer stabilizing the ankle joint.
If Achilles tendonitis is not taken care of, this can cause further dysfunction above the ankle joint such as knee and the hip joint. That’s because you start moving differently to avoid that pain. You may change your gait or walking pattern to perform your daily activities. Many people with Achilles tendonitis will walk differently when they walk for longer periods of time and they may also start negotiating steps to avoid the pain. This is why it’s important to see a physical therapist to better understand your dysfunctions and the appropriate way of treating your symptoms.
So what causes Achilles tendonitis? Achilles tendonitis can stem from a number of factors including:
- Age
- Heredity
- Weight
- Poor body mechanics
- Overuse
- Weakness
- Repetitive stress injuries
