Achilles Tendinitis Injury

Achilles tendinitis is a painful condition that affects the muscles in the back of your leg to the heel. What cases this and how can you see relief from Achilles tendinitis?

On the website, Sports Injury Clinic it is reported that Achilles tendinitis accounts for eleven percent of the injuries which occur when a person is running. However, its not just runners who experience the pain, every one who walks for an extended period is also at risk.

The large muscle at the back of the calf, which extends to the heel is injured thus it causes pain when moving the muscle. The pain occurs when a person takes a step or a stride. It's the force of the push off that does it.

If a person experiences pain that comes on gradually over a few days and proceeds to get worse this causes an alarm to go off that something is not right within the body. If it hurts to touch when a person feels the area with their hand, but the area is not bruised, this is cause for concern.

Does the pain get better when you are not walking or running? If the pain fades away after walking or running this may point to a diagnosis of acute Achilles tendinitis.

However more than a few conditions cause this type of pain, so it's better to talk with your doctor to get a diagnosis before assuming anything. Even with a firm diagnosis, the area may take a while to heal for various reasons such as the muscle is used a lot in the course of a day for normal activities and poor blood supply.

In the meantime, rest the lower leg as much as possible. Sit with your feet on an ottoman and use ice for twenty minutes at a time. If twenty minutes is too much use ice as tolerated. Get some of those heels pads one can wear in the shoe so that the muscle does not have so far to stretch.

When you do plan on walking or running for exercise, wear the right shoe. Start all exercises slowly and gradually build up the duration as the days progress. Doing too much when you first begin an exercise program can cause injury to much more than the Achilles heel or cause tendinitis.

A doctor can prescribe some prescription strength anti-inflammatory medications, but taking ibuprofen will help until your visit. Depending on the severity of the Achilles tendinitis a doctor may also tape the calf muscles, do surgery or apply a cast to immobilize the muscle to speed healing.

Resources:

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/back/achilles/tendinitis.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/achilles-tendinitis/DS00737

http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/ankleproblems/a/achilles.htm