How to Improve Achilles Tendonitis Without Medication

If you have Achilles tendonitis, there are a few genuinely useful things you can do about it without reaching for medication.

Achilles tendonitis is inflammation running through the Achilles tendon at the back of the heel. Anyone who has had it knows how debilitating it gets, to the point that just walking around is uncomfortable. The good news is that a few simple changes go a long way.

How people usually get it

The most common cause is overworking the ankle. If you walk or run a lot, you are more likely to run into it, and more likely still if the shoes you are doing it in have poor arch support.

Start with your shoes

The simplest prevention is making sure your shoes actually support your heel and ankle. What to look for:

• The shape of the shoe should match the shape of your foot.
• The toe area should be roomy.
• It should fasten properly to the foot.
• The midsole should be firm rather than squashy.

Get those four right and you remove a good deal of the load that caused the problem in the first place.

The towel stretch

• Sit down with your left leg bent and your right leg fully extended.
• Take a towel or a belt and loop it around the ball of the extended foot.
• Pull the towel gently towards you until you feel the stretch through the calf.
• Hold, then switch sides.

Do this daily. Tendon problems respond to consistency far more than to intensity.

What comes after

Once the pain settles, the next step is strengthening the calf and ankle so it does not come back. That is the part worth getting right with someone watching, because the loading has to be progressive and it is easy to rush.

If your Achilles has been stopping you, book a free discovery call and we will work out where you actually are. In-home training across Baltimore, Towson and Pikesville.