Achilles tendonitis is often caused due to chronic overuse, rather than a direct injury or acute trauma. Soreness is usually present day-to-day as well as with exercise. Your foot type will predispose you to injuries with your Achilles tendon. If you have a pronated foot, i.e. “flat foot” or collapsing arch, or an extremely high arch, you are predisposed.
Treatments:
Orthotics, Physiotherapy, simple stretching, and icing can all be useful forms of treatment for Achilles tendonitis.
Orthotics can help to off-load stress from the Achilles tendon by preventing excessive arch collapse. This arch collapse would otherwise cause the heel to move into a position which would place stress on the Achilles tendon. Sometimes adding a slight heel lift raises the heel enough to stop full range of motion of the Achilles tendon, and this can give it time to heal, also.
Physiotherapy should always be done with an Achilles tendon injury, this is often when the core of stretching and strengthening exercises will be done.
Stretching will be helpful, but you could hurt your Achilles tendon more if you try to stretch too intensely or too frequently, please ask your pedorthist, physiotherapist, or kinesiologist for advice.
Icing help to decrease swelling and discomfort. Ice for 10-15 minutes, for desired benefit. Repeat if necessary, every 3-4 hours.
Achilles Tendonitis