Achilles Tendinopathy

Achilles tendinopathy is a stubborn, achy pain just above your heel where the Achilles tendon attaches. It’s especially sore in the morning, stiff after sitting, and sharper when you push off to walk or run. The tendon isn’t torn — it’s degenerated from too much load and not enough recovery. The right loading program rebuilds the tendon, and we tailor one to where you are now.

What Achilles Tendinopathy feels like

• Pain, tenderness, weakness and/or stiffness around the affected Achilles tendon including the bottom of the calf
• Pain and stiffness that tend to develop gradually and are usually worse when waking up in the morning
• Pain after exercise
• Pain when the area around or the middle of the Achilles tendon is touched
• Swelling or tenderness of the tendon
• Pain in the heel and along the tendon when walking or running
• Trouble standing up on one toe
• ** If you get a sudden pain in your heel or calf and your heel becomes swollen bruised and painful, you may have completely torn your Achilles tendon. If this happens, you must seek urgent medical attention. **

Common causes of Achilles Tendinopathy

• Repeated tiny injuries (known as micro trauma) to the Achilles tendon
• Excessive mileage
• Sudden increase in the amount or intensity of an activity
• Decreased recovery time between hard workouts
• Starting up too quickly after not exercising
• Training or exercising wearing inappropriate footwear (e.g. shoes without proper support)
• Training or exercising on hard or sloped surfaces (such as concrete, uphill terrain, stairs etc.)
• Having insufficient or poor flexibility (for example, having tight or underdeveloped hamstrings (thigh) muscles)
• Misalignment
• Leg length discrepancy
• Pes cavus (flat foot)
• Lateral ankle instability

How we treat Achilles Tendinopathy at Physio Wellness

There is no single fix for achilles tendinopathy — recovery comes from combining the right treatments for your specific situation. Your physiotherapist will assess your case in detail and recommend a plan from these proven approaches:

• Physiotherapy — Hands-on assessment and a custom exercise plan to address the root cause, not just the pain. Learn more
• Shockwave Therapy — Acoustic waves that stimulate tissue repair in stubborn, slow-to-heal injuries. Learn more

When to come in

Book a consultation if your symptoms have lasted more than a week, are getting worse, or are interfering with sleep, work, or daily activities. We offer same-week appointments and direct bill most insurers.