Achilles Tendinopathy
The Achilles Tendon connects your calf muscles to your heel bone and is the largest tendon in your body. It does an amazing job, helping you to walk, run and jump. Pain in the back of the heel area can be due various conditions that our Podiatrists treat such as Achilles tendinopathy (midportion and insertional), sural nerve impingement, Plantaris tendinopathy and Bursitis. To ensure an appropriate recovery plan is formulated, accurate diagnosis is very important.
How can we help?
We start by conducting a comprehensive initial assessment, where we gather a thorough medical and injury history and then complete a physical exam and biomechanical assessment to help us to understand the causative factors and determine a diagnosis.
We will also watch you walk, perform functional movements, and assess your footwear.
At your initial consultation, we will discuss the contributing factors to your injury and formulate a recovery plan. Tendon injuries occur when loads going through the tendon are greater than what the tendon can tolerate. An essential part of any tendon recovery plan, is to modify loads whilst improving tolerance/strength.
Your treatment plan may include manual therapy (Foot mobilisation, dry needling etc) , taping, orthotics, heel lifts, footwear advice and a strengthening program (to increase load tolerance). We also offer shockwave therapy which is very effective at reducing pain and stimulating healing.
