What Are Achilles Tendon Disorders?

Two common disorders that occur in the heal are called Achilles tendonitis and Achilles tendonosis.

Achilles tendonitis is when your Achilles tendon is inflamed. This is usually short-lived, but if it happens to not be resolved, it develops into Achilles tendonosis. This is when there is a degeneration of the tendon. The tendon then loses its structure and develops small tears.  In some rare cases, the tendon may rapture.

So what causes these disorders?

These are usually caused by an increase of a repetitive activity involving the Achilles tendon, especially activities that put too much stress on the tendon. This leads to micro-tears to the fibers in the tendon and the ongoing pressure causes the body not to be able to repair the injured tissue.

People with a flat arch in the foot have a tendency to develop these disorders because walking puts more pressure on the tendon.

Here are the symptoms for Achilles Tendon Disorders: 

• Pain in the tendon, especially in the mornings or after resting for a while.

• Enlargement of tendon. This typically occurs when the disorder worsens

• Tenderness when the sides of the tendon are squeezed, but less pain/tenderness when the back of the tendon is pressed.

What can you do for treatment?

If you’ve caught Achilles tendonitis or tendonosis at its early stages when there’s sudden inflammation here’s what you can do:

• Use ice to reduce the swelling

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, can reduce the pain and inflammation.

• Custom orthotics can be proscribed

• Physical therapy can include strengthening exercises, soft-tissue massages, and stretching.

 At River Podiatry, our team is ready to serve and consult you on your foot issues. Set up an appointment today to speak with our team of trusted foot health professionals.