Have you ever overstrained your Achilles tendon? Then you are certainly not alone: such an overload is a typical injury that many runners suffer from at some point. What can you do if you have an overloaded Achilles tendon? We have sorted it out for you.
How do you know if your Achilles tendon is overloaded?
The Achilles tendon connects the two large calf muscles at the back of the heel. Pain in the Achilles tendon is described by doctors and physiotherapists as Achilles tendonopathy. This is a collective name for various pain complaints in different places of the Achilles tendon. An overloaded Achilles tendon often occurs due to prolonged strain on the tendon. Consider suddenly increasing the (running) load (speed and/or duration).
In addition, there are some risk factors: older age, reduced blood flow, obesity, diabetes, overpronation of the foot, stiff calf muscles and reduced strength of the calf muscles can contribute to the development of Achilles tendon complaints.
This is how you recognize an overload of the Achilles tendon
- pain during warm-up
- Pain disappears during exercise and then returns
- stiffness and pain in the morning
What can you do about an overloaded Achilles tendon?
With an overloaded Achilles tendon, the most important thing is to reduce the load. What exactly you should do depends on the intensity of your complaints. It is often advised to stretch the Achilles tendon in the first few days, for example with this exercise. In addition, you always want to keep moving. At first your Achilles tendon may feel stiff and painful, but this pain should not exceed a 5/10. A physiotherapist can also give you a number of strength exercises to strengthen the Achilles tendon.
Is walking good for the Achilles tendon?
You can walk with an overloaded Achilles tendon if it does not hurt too much. Make sure that the pain remains below 5/10 and decreases immediately when you stop. Long walks can also worsen the symptoms, so don’t overdo it.
How long does it take to heal the Achilles tendon?
It is difficult to say how long recovery from an overloaded Achilles tendon takes. With a slight overload by a healthy athlete, the complaints can disappear within a week. In an older, overweight person (see risk factors), recovery may take longer, about three to six months. This mainly depends on how the tendon tissue is loaded and how quickly the overload threshold is reached. If in doubt, always contact a physiotherapist.
How do you rest the Achilles tendon?
If you suffer from your Achilles tendon, stretching exercises for the calf muscles are often recommended. Heat can feel pleasant and a short heel elevation could reduce the strain on the Achilles tendon.
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