Achilles tendon
Without our Achilles tendon, we wouldn’t be able to jump over puddles, run to greet loved ones at the airport, or stand on our tip-toes to peer over the top of someone’s head at a concert.
It ensures we can bend our knees, flex our ankles and point our toes.
It’s the thickest and strongest tendon in the body, vital to basic movement. But due to a limited blood flow and ongoing strain, it can be fragile too. Our osteopaths re-establish strength by working with the supportive structures to encourage sustained and comprehensive healing.
Damage to your Achilles tendon causes pain, swelling, stiffness and prevents you from standing on tiptoes.
If you tear your Achilles tendon it may pop loudly, cause crippling pain, or feel as though you’ve been kicked in the calf.
Having flat arches, tight tendons or leg muscles may increase risk of pulling or tearing your Achilles tendon.
Weakness or stiffness in the knees, ankles and feet.
Regularly wearing high heels.
Medications, specifically glucocorticoids, statins or antibiotics called fluoroquinolones.
Our osteopaths examine and strengthen the supportive structures of your foot to restore and improve upon your full range of mobility.
They assess all the articulations of the ankle, foot and plantar fascia. To ease pressure on your Achilles tendon, our osteopaths gently stretch your ankle to improve flexibility. They pay particular attention to weak spots and improve strength in the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. This encourages healing and increases resilience to re-injury.
If you require surgery to repair your tendon, our osteopaths can empower you with physical therapy and at-home exercises to restore mobility.
Acupuncturists can also reduce stiffness and pain, while increasing your range of movement.
What’s next?
If you have a damaged Achilles tendon, we can help.
Bring your body back into balance with our osteopaths and chiropractors. Connect with us below, and we'll be in touch shortly.