Managing Achilles Tendon Injuries Achilles tendon discomfort is a typical running injury that affects the lower calf/heel location. Usage reasonable sports training techniques, such as wearing the right shoes and extending prior to activities. Practically all the force created when you toe off" the ground throughout running is transferred by the Achilles, and this force can be as much as three times your body weight. My conditioning was back on track and I began playing complete field soccer once again with no heel pain. Ice: Apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel or a cold compress to your tendon for 15 minutes or more after you exercise or if you feel pain in the tendon. The Achilles tendon is the thickest and strongest tendon in your body, connecting your calf muscles to the back of your heel. The tendon will be extremely tender on palpation or pushing in on the achilles tendon or squeezing it from the sides. Usually, the closer a shoe is to looking and feeling like a running shoe," the much better it is for your foot. The night splint certainly assisted, but what finally got me back on the streets was ART treatment. Being out of shape or not warming up before working out may also cause Achilles tendon issues. Attempt a pair of prescription orthotic inserts for your shoes if your physician believes it will help. Achilles tendonitis typically begins as a dull stiffness in the tendon, which progressively disappears as the location gets warmed up. It may become worse with faster running, uphill running, or when wearing spikes and other low-heeled running shoes. After about 4 or five weeks the results became obvious that I was moving with a good deal less pain in my heel.