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Facts on Achilles Heel Pain

The Achilles heel refers to the tendon that connects the heel bone and the calf muscle. It is named after a character in a Greek myth, Achilles, whose only vulnerability was his heel. The tendon is the largest in the body, and it can experience pressure of up to 1,000 pounds of force. However, the Achilles tendon is also ruptured more often than any other tendon, and is susceptible to inflammation or injury called tendonitis.

  1. Heel Pain

    • The heel is the first point of impact when you walk. Each mile a person walks causes 60 tons of stress to the foot, and an excess amount of stress on the foot or heel can cause Achilles heel pain. If you begin to feel pain in your Achilles heel, the best thing to do is rest and reduce stress to the foot. Often, this will help the problem to become resolved on its own. However, certain injuries like Achilles tendonitis may require intervention by a physician, especially in extreme cases. If you ignore pain in the Achilles heel or tendon, you can exacerbate problems that might be occurring.

    Retrocalcaneal Bursitis

    • Heel pain has many different causes. Retrocalcaneal bursitis is one specific cause of pain in the achilles tendon. Retrocalcaneal bursitis refers to an inflammation in the spot on the foot where the achilles tendon joins the heel bone. Retrocalcaneal bursitis, or inflammation, can result from wearing the wrong shoes, so the shoes cut into the back of the heel or rub against the spot. Retrocalcaneal bursitis also can be caused by running too frequently. Left untreated, or if you persist in doing the activities that caused the Retrocalcaneal bursitis, the pain may become worse over time and the skin on the back of the heel may become red, swollen and thick. Eventually, a warm and tender bump might develop. In extreme cases, a bone spur may exist and/or you may become unable to wear normal shoes because of this condition.

    Achilles Tendonitis

    • Tendonitis is another potential cause of Achilles heel pain. Achilles tendonitis is caused by a rapid increase in speed or miles run, beginning to run too quickly from a resting position, running up hills or stairs, or overuse of the Achilles tendon as a result of flexing of the calf muscles.

    Symptoms of Achilles Tendonitis

    • Achilles tendonitis has specific symptoms that are distinct from other causes of Achilles heel pain. Symptoms include a feeling of sluggishness in the affected leg, pain after exercise that gets progressively worse, bursts of painful episodes on your Achilles tendon while running or a few hours after, tenderness in the juncture between the Achilles tendon and the heel bone in the morning, stiffness or swelling.

    Treatment

    • There are both surgical and nonsurgical treatments for Achilles heel pain caused by tendonitis or Retrocalcaneal Bursitis. A doctor may advise total rest, including refraining from all running or activities. Pain medications, including NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications like Tylenol) may be used to treat pain. Heel pads, shoe inserts or other orthoses (support devices) may help, along with bandages designed to restrict motion, especially in the case of tendinitis.

      Surgery is a last resort, both for the treatment of Retrocalcaneal Bursitis and for the treatment of tendonitis. Achilles tendonitis is surgically treated by removing fibrous tissue that is created by friction between the tendon and the sheath covering the tendon.

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