Achilles tendinopathy is a general name for symptoms coming from the Achilles tendon. Tendons are tough bundles of connective tissue that connect muscles to the bones. Tendons act like tent guide-ropes. When the muscles contract it provides a pulling force on the tendon which then pull on the bones and move joints. The Achilles tendon attaches the calf muscles (back of your lower leg) to the heel of your foot. When your calf muscles contract (tighten) this pulls through the Achilles tendon causing your foot to point downwards. This movement is important for walking and running. 

Achilles tendinopathy is a common condition that can involve pain and swelling or thickening of the Achilles tendon. Also, the calf muscles are usually weak too in people with Achilles tendinopathy. Pain is usually localised to the Achilles tendon itself and usually varies throughout the day. The pain is often more noticeable first thing in the morning or directly after being still for a prolonged time. It is usually also noticeably painful after a sustained period of activity or exercise such as running or walking. Runners with Achilles tendinopathy commonly report a pattern of pain and stiffness at the beginning of their run which becomes more tolerable during the run (warming up effect) but then becomes more painful again after stopping (latent onset). Others may notice the onset of symptoms after a large and sudden increase in activity, especially if the activity was repetitive and/or a bit more than you would usually do (overuse). This leads to the tendon struggling to cope with the amount of strain being applied to it, for example:  

  • increasing the intensity or volume of training too quickly  
  • walking for longer or further than is normal for you  
  • doing sports that involve lots of jumping and landing such as dancing, tennis or athletics

Older adults may develop symptoms more gradually simply due to the normal aging process within the tendons of the body.