Achilles was a hero in Greek mythology. The legend goes that he was almost entirely impervious to injury — except for in his heel. That story can help you remember that if you’re experiencing upper heel pain, your Achilles tendon could be to blame. 

William T. DeCarbo, DPM, FACFAS, specializes in Achilles tendon care. If you’ve been experiencing heel pain or soreness in your calf, come see him at Greater Pittsburgh Foot & Ankle Center in Wexford, Pennsylvania. There, Dr. DeCarbo can figure out what’s going on to cause your discomfort. More importantly, he treats it to help you find relief. 

A look at your Achilles tendon

Your Achilles tendon connects your calf to your heel. When it contracts, it makes it possible to move your heel. Because of this, you use your Achilles for just about anything that moves you forward and upward, including walking, running, and jumping. Without your Achilles tendon, you wouldn’t be able to stand on your tiptoes or climb stairs. 

Because it propels your movement, this tendon needs to be able to withstand a lot of force. The Achilles is the strongest, thickest tendon in your entire body, and it’s capable of withstanding forces of about four times your weight. 

Just like Achilles of legend, though, the Achilles tendon isn’t impervious to injury. 

When the Achilles tendon has problems

Repeated stress on this tendon can lead to inflammation in your Achilles. This causes pain, swelling, and stiffness in your upper heel and/or calf. At that point, Dr. DeCarbo diagnoses you with what’s called Achilles tendinitis. 

You can also completely tear this tendon, which is called an Achilles tendon rupture. If that happens, you’ll feel like you’ve been kicked in the calf. You’ll probably have severe calf and heel pain, and you’ll notice that you can’t stand on your tiptoes. 

If any of those sounds familiar, come see Dr. DeCarbo. He can help you figure out what’s going on, and what your Achilles needs to heal. 

In some cases, for example, a bone spur causes the inflammation in the tendon. Dr. DeCarbo checks for bone spurs to see if that’s at play for you. If it is, he helps you explore ways to get relief, from medication to removal of the spur. 

Or if you ruptured your Achilles tendon, Dr. DeCarbo works with you to find the right treatment plan. Sometimes, the tendon can heal without surgery. He might fit you with a cast or walking boot to help it heal. 

If you have tendinitis without a bone spur, rest is usually enough to heal it. Dr. DeCarbo may recommend additional treatments like extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) or physical therapy to speed your recovery and help you avoid reinjury. 

Preventing Achilles problems

To limit your risk of dealing with Achilles tendinitis or a full-blown rupture, you can make some adjustments to your daily life. Those include:

• Wearing the right shoe for the activity
• Replacing shoes when they wear out
• Wearing custom orthotics in your shoes
• Warming up before exercise
• Stretching regularly
• Doing exercises to strengthen your calf
• Slowly increasing activity level

Let’s look a little more closely at that last tip. If you want to start running, for example, don’t set out for five miles the first time you lace up your sneakers. Start slowly with short distances, and gradually increase your pace and distance run. 

Follow that advice for any type of physical activity. This allows your Achilles to get stiffer and stronger so it can withstand the forces of your exercise. 

Clearly, a lot goes into protecting your Achilles tendon. If you’ve been experiencing calf or heel pain or you want recommendations to avoid injuring your body’s strongest tendon, call our office or book your appointment online today.