Handling Achilles Tendon Injuries Achilles tendon pain is a common running injury that influences the lower calf/heel location. Usage reasonable sports training strategies, such as wearing the right shoes and extending before activities. Virtually all of the force generated when you toe off" the ground during running is sent 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 full field soccer once again without any heel pain. Ice: Use an ice bag covered in a towel or a cold compress to your tendon for 15 minutes or more after you exercise or if you feel discomfort in the tendon. The Achilles tendon is the thickest and best tendon in your body, connecting your calf muscles to the back of your heel. The tendon will be very tender on palpation or pressing in on the achilles tendon or squeezing it from the sides. Typically, the closer a shoe is to feeling and looking like a running shoe," the much better it is for your foot. The night splint definitely helped, however what finally got me back on the streets was ART treatment. Running out shape or not heating up prior to exercising might likewise cause Achilles tendon issues. Try a pair of prescription orthotic inserts for your shoes if your physician believes it will assist. Achilles tendonitis usually starts off as a dull tightness in the tendon, which slowly disappears as the location gets warmed up. It might get worse with faster running, uphill running, or when wearing spikes and other low-heeled running shoes. After about 4 or 5 weeks the results became visible that I was moving with a lot less pain in my heel.