Handling Achilles Tendon Injuries Achilles tendon discomfort is a common running injury that impacts the lower calf/heel area. Use reasonable sports training strategies, such as wearing the right shoes and extending prior to activities. Practically all the force generated when you toe off" the ground throughout running is sent by the Achilles, and this force can be as much as 3 times your body weight. My conditioning was back on track and I began playing complete field soccer once again with no heel discomfort. Ice: Apply an ice pack 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 extremely tender on palpation or pushing 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 better it is for your foot. The night splint definitely helped, however what lastly got me back on the streets was ART treatment. Being out of shape or not warming up prior to working out may also cause Achilles tendon problems. Attempt a pair of prescription orthotic inserts for your shoes if your physician believes it will assist. Achilles tendonitis normally begins as a dull stiffness in the tendon, which slowly goes away as the location gets heated 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 ended up being noticeable that I was moving with a lot less pain in my heel.