Achilles tendinopathy

A condition which affects more runners than sedentary populations achilles tendinopathy can cause dysfunction and pain in the lower leg and or heel area. Usually felt as an ache or sharp pain either side of the achilles tendon or near the outerside of the heel bone. this can warm up during exercise only to reappear following exercise. In the later stages of this condition pain can be common during athletic participitation. Although tendons are strong load bearing structures that store and release energy (think of a spring) they can undergo structural changes due to lack of load or an increase of load that exceeds the tendons capacity to adapt. In other words tendons are responsive to loads and will be healthy given that regular adequate loads are occuring at a pace/ load that the tendon can accept. Not always is

pain and dysfunction in a tendon caused due to this mechanism. In some older populations a sedentary lifestyle, hormonal changes, the use of medications to treat urinary tract infections, stress, lack of sleep and other metabolic factors can lead to tendon pain and not necessarily changes in tendon structure leading to pain and dysfunction. Treatment considerations include soft tissue massage, dry needling, shockwave, sport tape, foot orthotics and exercises such as: calf raises - double and single. As a general rule of thumb higher loads and less reps are known to produce better healing and less pain.