Facebook Twitter Linkedin Instagram Youtube
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Instagram Youtube
Contact Us
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Instagram Youtube
Contact Us

Achilles tendonitis / tendinopathy help

  • Injuries
  • Easy
Subscribe

This is an instructional video to correctly demonstrate Achilles tendonitis / tendinopathy help

The content in this video is provided for general information purposes only and is not meant to replace a physiotherapy or medical consultation.

Step by Step

  1. This video’s aim is to help you if you are suffering with Achilles Tendonitis
  2. The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscle in the lower leg to the heel bone of the foot.
  3. It is the largest tendon in the body and can withstand great force.
  4. Achilles tendonitis is most likely to develop due to overuse of the Achilles tendon, possibly due to prolonged running or walking or someone with altered biomechanics at the foot, ankle or knee
  5. The symptoms are usually:
  6. Pain at the back of your heel, made worse when walking or running
  7. Swelling or thickening and sometimes heat along the tendon
  8. There is sometimes restricted movement of the ankle
  9. It is usually tender to touch in this area.
  10. Achilles tendonitis can be diagnosed by your GP or physiotherapist from the presentation of your symptoms; usually no further investigations are required
  11. Rest the tendon from the aggravating activity
  12. Apply ice over the tendon. Always wrap the ice in a towel to avoid an ice burn
  13. Take a course of anti-inflammatories, unless you have been advised not to take these by your GP.
  14. Pain killers will help to control pain until it subsides. Take advice from your pharmacist
  15. The latest research states ‘Eccentric control’ exercises can help.
  16. This is where the muscle elongates whilst working.
  17. A physiotherapist can guide you through these exercises.
  18. This must be done gradually and not progressed until the exercise is pain free
  19. A physiotherapist can help to put a tailored exercise program together for you
  20. But here are a few things that may help:
  21. Calf stretch (Gastrocnemius)
  22. To stretch the right leg
  23. Take a long stride forwards with your left leg, keep both of your feet pointing forwards. Now while keeping your back knee straight and your back heel in contact with the floor start to bend your front knee and lean your body forwards until you feel a stretch in your back leg’s calf.
  24. Hold for 30 secs and then repeat for the other leg if needed
  25. Calf stretch (soleus)
  26. Take a long stride forwards with your left leg, keep both of your feet pointing forwards. Now while keeping your back heel in contact with the floor start to bend both knees and lean your body forwards until you feel a stretch in your back leg’s calf.
  27. Hold for 30 secs and then repeat for the other leg if needed
  28. Remember one of the other potential causes was foot posture.
  29. You can get trainers and insoles specific to your foot type and this may help.
  30. Obviously if you are unsure on this then your physiotherapist can guide you on correct footwear and insoles
  31. If you get worsening symptoms or are unsure, then initially reduce the push into the discomfort and if this isn’t enough then stop altogether and consult your Physiotherapist
  32. After several days you should hopefully notice increased flexibility and possibly reduced pain generally.
  33. When things are improving you can start the Eccentric strengthening exercises
  34. Eccentric calf Exercise on the floor:
  35. Standing on the floor on your unaffected leg, simply raise up onto your toes
  36. Next place your affected foot down onto your toes and lower your heels to engage the calf muscles. At first do the lowering with each leg taking equal weight
  37. When you can advance pain free then start to do the lowering part with more and more weight onto your affected leg until you are on the affected leg alone on the lowering part of the exercise.
  38. The next advancement is to add resistance
  39. Resistance is achieved by bearing weight across your back with a bar or by holding a dumbbell in your hands.
  40. Repeat 10 times and do this every day
  41. You should always be pain free during this exercise and should start with body weight only.
  42. Once you can advance without pain then add light resistance and build up slowly as long as there is no pain.
  43. The aim is to get up to a very substantial resistance level so that you are training the tendon to tolerate more load.
  44. Once you have done this then you need to do an Eccentric calf exercise on a step
  45. Eccentric Calf exercise on a step:
  46. Standing with your unaffected foot with your heel hanging off the edge of a step, simply raise up onto your toes
  47. Next place your affected foot down onto your toes on the edge of the step and lower your heels to engage the calf muscles. At first do the lowering with each leg taking equal weight
  48. When you can advance pain free then start to do the lowering part with more and more weight onto your affected leg until you are on the affected leg alone on the lowering part of the exercise.
  49. The next advancement is to add resistance as you did previously
  50. Repeat 10 times and do this every day.
  51. You should always be pain free during this exercise and should start with body weight only.
  52. Remember injuries take time to recover and do so gradually so be patient there are no miracle cures.
  53. Physiotherapists are trained to treat Achilles tendonitis. They use evidence based techniques such as deep tissue friction massage, ultrasound, acupuncture and an exercise program which can help to settle symptoms and aid the healing process.

Related Exercises

For

Services

General

Exercises

  • Talke Clinic

  • 113 Chester Rd, Talke, ST7 1SB
  • Stoke Clinic

  • Samien Fitness, 38 Yeaman St, ST4 4AP
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Instagram Youtube
  • Copyright Hawkes Physiotherapy 2025
Website Managed and Hosted by
Stellified Digital Marketing Agency

Subscribe to our mailing list

Get tips, offers, new articles & exercises straight to your inbox!

  • By clicking subscribe below you are confirming that you have read our Privacy Policy.

Enquire

By clicking subscribe you are confirming that you have read and agree to our Privacy Policy.
Click here for our opening times

Enquire

Online Physiotherapy

Put simply this is Physio done via either telephone or video over the internet. Skype and facetime are examples of this.

Contrary to popular belief online physiotherapy can be very effective and it can help the same injuries that face to face physio can help. I have helped many people with injuries such as disc prolapses, tennis elbow, neck pain and much more).