Ankle & Foot

Achilles tendinitis

What is Achilles Tendon?

A tendon attaches muscles to bone. Your Achilles tendon is the biggest and strongest tendon in the body. It is found at the back of the lower leg, just above the heel bone. It attaches your calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) to the heel bone (calcaneus) and helps you go up onto tiptoes. Achilles tendinitis is an overuse injury of the Achilles tendon, the band of tissue that connects calf muscles at the back of the lower leg to your heel bone. Achilles tendinitis is seen both in athletes & non-athletes. Lack of flexibility in Achilles tendon increase the risk of tear. Achilles tendinitis most commonly occurs in runners who have suddenly increased the intensity or duration of their runs. It is also common in middle-aged people who play sports, such as tennis or basketball, occasionally.

Common symptoms associated with Achilles tendinitis

The most common symptoms that people complain of if they develop Achilles tendinopathy are:

1. Morning stiffness: Many people complain of stiffness around the tendon when they get up in the morning. This usually eases after a few minutes of walking, but sometimes may last longer.
2.  Tenderness over the Achilles tendon: Often the tendon is very tender to touch when gently squeezed. There may be a tender lump and/or audible clicking from the tendon when you move your ankle.
3. Variable pain: Some people can ‘exercise’ through the pain. This means that the pain settles during exercise but after resting it may then increase. Some people experience severe pain from their Achilles tendon which stops them from doing their sport.
4. Pain in & around Achilles tendinitis typically begins as a mild ache in the back of the leg or above the heel after running or other sports activity.
5. Episodes of more-severe pain may occur after prolonged running, stair climbing or sprinting.

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Exercises for plantarfasciitis ESPECIALLY FOR MORNING before taking first few steps 

6 exercises for 30s reps in each direction 

Exercise 1: Scrunch and splay done for 30 reps each direction. 

Exercise 2: Ankle Pump

Exercise 3: golf ball roll under arch avoid under heel, it is self massaging technique for plantarfasciitis, performing in sitting position with mild to moderate pressure not provoking any pain.

Exercise 4: Self mobilization, by supporting the heel with one hand and taking toes into flexion and extension passively for 30 reps in each direction 

Exercise 5 & 6: Heel & toe raise in sitting for 30 reps in each direction.  *simply skip standing part for safety reasons.

Reason for doing in morning to avoid irritation of Plantarfascia by weight bearing in morning with warming the tissue.

These exercises with improve blood circulation and increase extensibility/flexibility making Plantarfascia less irritable.