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Just What Is Achilles Tendonitis?

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Should you or anyone you know have Achilles tendonitis you would be only too familiar with the painful problem this can cause you. Achilles tendonitis is the inflammation of the Achilles tendon. Usually occurring as an overuse injury, it is far more common in the young who play sport or participate in running, although it has also been quite a common ailment for those who don’t play sport at all.

A tendon is a special band of tissue, not unlike a rubber band that anchors muscle to bone. The Achilles tendonitis happens to be the largest tendon in the human body. In fact it attaches the calf muscles to the heel bone (calcaneus) and is crucial in that is allows you to lift your heel when you start to walk. You can also rely on a healthy Achilles tendon to help you run, stand on tiptoe and jog upstairs.

Should you suffer from Achilles tendonitis then your symptoms may be ( but are not restricted to):

  • Severe pain in the back of the heel
  • Walking could be difficult and often the pain is what makes it so hard
  • There may be heat,swelling and soreness to touch the Achilles tendon itself.

There are different grades of the Achilles tendonitis injury. It is graded according to the severity of the injury.

  • Mild would be considered if you had pain after participating in a particular activity or not long after participation.
  • Moderate would be considered if the Achilles tendon actually was swollen. Sometimes a hard lump called a nodule may appear on the tendon as well.
  • Severe is considered when you are unable to do any sort of weight bearing activity such as walking or standing. On a less common occasion there may be a rupture or a tear of the Achilles tendon and when this happens sufferers have reported it felt like being hit in the heel.

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