Achilles tendinitis is common, especially in middle-aged people. The most common cause is overuse of the Achilles – the tendon in the back of the leg that attaches to the heel bone.
“While you are active all day, the inflammation and overuse of the tendon actually leads to tiny tears in the tendon,” says Jason George DeVries, a foot and ankle surgeon with Orthopedics & Sports Medicine BayCare Clinic. “Over time, this process of continually tearing and healing the Achilles tendon leads to scar tissue, and this can show up as an enlarged area of the tendon.”
Symptoms include pain in the heel, a bump on the heel, or a swollen heel that’s painful when touched, squeezed, or stretched.
DeVries says treatment options can include:
- Rest
- Medications
- Physical therapy
- Wearing shoe supports
- Surgery
“Thankfully, with proper treatment, people can get back to their life doing they activities they love without pain and discomfort in their heels,” DeVries says.