What is the Achilles tendon?
Tendons are the structures that join our muscles to bones. They are made of a unique type of connective tissue and are capable of tolerating very high load. The Achilles tendon attaches our calf muscles to the heel bone and is the largest and strongest tendon in the body. It is the main reason why we are very springy in the leg – and is crucial for any running, jumping and hopping.
What is Achilles tendinopathy and how did I get it?
Whenever there is pain, inflammation, structural change or loss of function in a tendon, we call it a tendinopathy. While tendons are very strong, they like to have predictable patterns of load. They typically don’t respond well to sharp increases or decreases in how much work they are doing. For example, if you usually run 2km, three times a week and then all of a sudden you increase that to 10km, there is a high chance that you will upset the tendon.
Why is Physio important?
As the Achilles tendon is used whenever we are on our feet, having an unhealthy tendon can be very debilitating. The first few sessions with your physio will focus on easing your pain and making standing and walking more comfortable. Once your pain is under control, we will begin some loading and strengthening exercises. These will be made harder on your tendon as you are improving, so that eventually your tendon can tolerate explosive load.
In conjunction with your clinic treatment and exercise rehab, load management is critical in the recovery from Achilles tendinopathy. We will closely manage what you are doing through the week so the tendon is given the best possible environment to heal.
It is also important to note that tendons have a relatively poor blood supply. This results in a slower healing rate and longer recovery time. The recovery with these are often not linear and small setbacks are expected. If you believe you may have Achilles tendinopathy, book an appointment with one of Physio's and we will guide you through the challenging recovery process.
Helpful tip:
We often find that prior to seeing us, patients have tried stretching their calf to improve their pain. This is not a good idea, as stretching an unhappy tendon will only make it more painful!
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