If you struggle with a tight, painful Achilles tendon, learning foam roller techniques for Achilles tendonitis can provide some easy, quick relief. Not treating the symptoms of Achilles tendonitis as soon as possible can make it worse, leading to having to take time off from running. To keep running pain-free, practice your foam rolling. It
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Foam rollers are a tool for many fitness enthusiasts, as they’re a great low-cost way to do deep tissue massage while stretching. However, if you struggle with a tight, painful Achilles tendon, foam rollers for Achilles tendonitis can provide some easy, quick relief.
When your Achilles tendon gets too tight, it begins to pull up on your heel and cause discomfort. You may experience an aching, stabbing sensation in your heel and possibly tingling and/or weakness in your ankle, lower leg, and foot.
A tendon, also called a “tendon,” is the bundle of strong white and gray fibers that connect a muscle or bone to another body part. Tendon injuries range from mild to severe and are caused by a lot of different factors, including a lot of different activities. Most often, injuries to a tendon occur during sports, from running, jumping, or squatting.
Achilles Tendonitis
Achilles tendonitis is one of the most common running injuries and is the result of a tear or partial tear to the Achilles tendon. This tear occurs in the middle of the tendon, usually when the tendon is pulled and compressed and the muscle that attaches to the tendon starts to grow back around it.
If you have an Achilles tendonitis, you may experience symptoms such as a burning, aching, or stabbing pain in your heel, and this pain could last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Additionally, your heel may feel weak or numb as well, as the tendon that connects your foot and leg to your leg is injured. You may also experience a burning sensation in your ankle and lower leg, where the muscle attaches to your heel, as well.
Causes of Achilles Tendonitis
As stated earlier, most injuries to a tendon occur during sports or from a workout, which can be from running, jumping, or squatting. Most commonly, it occurs in the middle of the tendon where it attaches to the calf muscle. When the middle of the tendon tears, the muscle that is connected to the tendon will tighten around the tear, and this may cause it to become painful, stiff, and swollen. The Achilles tendon can also tear near the calf muscles where the two calf muscles meet, and this tendon is called the gastrocnemius.
Most injuries to the Achilles tendon occur when it is overused or pulled. Additionally, the risk of Achilles tendonitis also rises when there are preexisting conditions of the tendon.
Signs and Symptoms of Achilles Tendonitis
When an Achilles tendon is injured or torn, it can often produce symptoms similar to an Achilles tendon strain, such as pain or a burning sensation. However, instead of a simple strain, the injury will usually cause significant pain and swelling. Additionally, pain in the area of your Achilles tendon will often increase when you are in the midst of a workout, such as running, and decrease when the work is done. In fact, the pain can increase when you begin your workout, but that is when you can take several deep breaths and relax. This would suggest that the injury is due to overuse.
Diagnosis and Evaluation of Achilles Tendonitis
Although this tendonitis is a simple one to diagnose, proper evaluation is very important to ensure that you get the proper treatment plan.
Treatment for Achilles Tendonitis
Achilles tendonitis can often be treated through rest and stretching. Rest is the most important aspect of treating this injury, and rest can often be very effective. If rest doesn’t work, however, we also have alternative treatments that can treat the injury. These treatments usually include stretches or exercises and are often designed to help strengthen the muscle that is injured or torn. Stretching is also recommended to promote healing, and you can choose from several types of stretching, such as static stretching, isometric stretching and dynamic stretching.
After rest and treatment, you may need to continue with treatments and exercises to keep the pain and muscle stiffness at a minimum. Stretches may need to be repeated several times during the course of the day, and some exercises may also need to be repeated.