What Bone Is Your Achilles Tendon Attached To?

According to Greek legend, Achilles was dipped into the River Styx by his mother to make him immortal. His left ankle was left exposed, making it the one place he was vulnerable to injury. The Achilles tendon, or calcaneal tendon, is the largest, strongest tendon in the body. However, as was the case with Achilles, is still prone to strain and injury.

Structure

• The Achilles tendon connects the muscles of the calf to the heel, or calcaneus, bone.

Function

• The Achilles tendon allows for the motion of pointing your toes, called plantar flexion.

Injury

• Achilles tendinitis is the inflammation or irritation of the Achilles tendon. It usually results from repetitive motions or sports that place a lot of stress on the calf muscles. Achilles tendinitis often is brief and can be alleviated by rest or over-the-counter medications, according to the Mayo Clinic.
  However, overuse of the tendon while strained can lead to more serious injury or full rupture.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of Achilles tendinitis include a dull ache or pain when you rise up on your toes or push off your feet to walk, direct pain to the tendon when touched, a popping or cracking sound with movement of the tendon, or swelling of the tendon area.

Treatments

• Your treatment will be determined by the extent of your injury. The most common include rest, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, custom orthotics, restrictive bandage wraps, or consistent stretching and massage. Actual tendon ruptures are treated most commonly with reconstructive surgery, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.