The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon located in the back of the leg that inserts into the heel. It lets you point your toes toward the floor and raise up on your tiptoes. You use this tendon to jump, walk, run, and stand on the balls of your feet. Continuous, intense physical activity, such as running and jumping, can cause painful inflammation of the Achilles tendon, known as Achilles tendonitis (or tendinitis).

  • Discomfort or swelling in the back of your heel
  • Tight calf muscles
  • Limited range of motion when flexing your foot
  • Skin on your heel overly warm to the touch
  • Over-pronation or under-pronation in the walking process
  • Exercising without a proper warm-up
  • Straining the calf muscles during repeated exercise or physical activity
  • Playing sports, such as tennis, that require quick stops and changes of direction
  • Sudden increase in physical activity without allowing your body to adjust to increased training
  • Wearing old or poorly fitting shoes
  • Wearing high heels daily or for prolonged durations
  • Having bone spurs in the back of your heels
  • Being older, as the Achilles tendon weakens with age
  • A short achilles tendon
  • Direct trauma (injury) to the tendon
  • Heel bone deformity
  • I.C.E therapy – resting the tendon by not putting weight on it for a couple of days, icing the area after exercise or when in pain, wrap a bandage or athletic tape around your tendon to compress the injury and elevate your foot to decrease any swelling
  • Reducing your physical activity or switching to a different, less strenuous sport
  • Physical therapy – very gently stretching and later strengthening your calf muscles, Kineseotaping, soft tissue release
  • Orthotics, brace & footwear
  1. Wearing a brace or walking boot to prevent heel movement
  2. Athletes should use an orthotic device, heel cup, or heel cradle for extra support to take tension off your Achilles tendon by correcting the alignment or using a temporary heel raise.
  3. Customised Orthotic Insoles & Footwear
  • Cold Pack
  • Orthotics
  • Braces or Tendoachilles Support
  • Heel Cup
  • Heel Raise
  • Customised Orthotic Insoles & Footwear