Pain at the back of your heel could mean a strain or injury to the big Achilles Tendon there. Don't worry, the inflammation and pain should settle down with some anti-inflammatory medications, rest, and simple stretches.

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SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

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You'll have pain behind your heel, which gets worse when you walk a lot, tip-toe, or engage in any leg exercises like running or jumping.

 

WHAT CAUSES IT?

 

Pain in this tendon is caused by inflammation, which is usually caused by a strain of the tendon. This usually happens with overuse of the area, such as if you try to run a long distance or do some jumping exercises, when you weren't very active to start with.

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You can also have tears in the tendon, either because of overuse, as above, or from a hard impact to the area. Tears in the tendon are generally more serious, because you may need to see a specialist and do an ultrasound or MRI scan to diagnose it, and some people may even need surgery for it.

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WHAT CAN I DO?

 

On your part, there are a few things you can try doing:

 

1. LOSE WEIGHT

 

When you carry more weight, you put more stress on the tendons and ligaments in your foot, and are more likely to strain and injure them. Losing some weight will help alleviate your foot issues quite nicely. Follow a healthy diet (like Intermittent Fasting) and regular exercise regime to maintain a healthy weight.

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2. REST

 

You need adequate rest between exercise sessions. If you run long distances daily, or do lot's of jumping exercises, you're going to end up with foot pain if you don't give your body some time to rest and recover between workouts. Try and take at least 1 to 2 days between workout sessions so your body can rest and recover adequately!

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Once you do have a foot problem, you need to rest so that the inflammation can settle down and your body can recover. If you have a mechanical problem causing pain, you're not going to recover if you keep stressing the affected area again and again, without giving it time to recover. Rest adequately from your physical exercise and try and stay off your feet all the way until your pain has settled.

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3. FOOTWEAR

 

When you walk for long distances or try to exercise in improper footwear, you can strain your foot because of the stress on your joints, tendons and ligaments. Look for a sports shoe with a nice, thickly-cushioned sole, and wear it whenever you're out of the house. It may not be the most fashionable thing to wear, but it'll help keep you from getting a foot strain.

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4. FOOT STRETCHES

 

Plantar Fasciitis will respond to foot stretches. Doing your stretches several times daily will help the inflammation in the affected area to settle down, and your pain will improve. Check out some of the stretches you can do here. 

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The caveat is that you do need to do these exercise regularly, several times daily, for you to see a significant change in your condition.

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It is also especially important to warm-up and do these foot and ankle stretches before a legs workout, to minimise the chance of you straining your tendons.

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If you aren't improving with your own home stretches, you may need to see a physiotherapist for some formal therapy sessions. medical studies show that supervised exercise is superior to home therapy, so seeing a physiotherapist can be
very useful for some people.

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5. FAST

 

There have been several medical studies that indicate a reduction in inflammation in your body when your body is in a fasted state. Give Intermittent Fasting a go - it'll help you manage your weight well, and may help you with your persistent aches and pains.

 

Check out our guide to getting started with Intermittent Fasting here. 

 

SEE A DOCTOR?

 

You can see a doctor after you try resting for some time, and doing your own foot stretches and changing your footwear, but your pain is still persistent.

 

Your doctor can try prescribing you some anti-inflammatory medications, this usually helps bring down the pain very nicely, and helps accelerate the recovery process.

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SEE A SPECIALIST?

 

You may need to see a specialist if your pain is very persistent beyond a few weeks, and is not getting better with rest, medications, and stretches. 

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Some people may need an MRI scan to check for a stress injury to the heel bone. An ultrasound or MRI scan will help check for any tears in the tendon area. 

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WRAP IT UP!

 

Achilles tendon tendonitis can be a persistent problem if you don't nip the problem in the bud, and start resting and doing your stretches. Remember, once you have a tendon problem, the worst thing you can do is to ignore it and leave it to worsen.