Achilles Tendonitis (for Teens) | Nemours KidsHealth

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href="/es/teens/achilles.html">Tendinitis de Aquiles</a> </div> <div> <div id="reviewerBoxTop"> <div id="reviewedByTop"> Medically reviewed by: <a href="https://www.nemours.org/find-a-doctor/24174-cassidy-foley-orthopedics-orlando.html" target="_blank">Cassidy Foley Davelaar, DO</a> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div id="departmentSpecialty"> <a href="https://www.nemours.org/services/pediatric-sports-medicine.html" class="rev-multi" target="_blank">Learn About Sports Medicine at Nemours Children's Health</a> </div> </div> </div> <div id="khcontent"> <div id="khcontent_article" class="khLeft"> <span class="ISI_MESSAGE"></span> <ul id="msArticleControls"> <li class="ac-readspeaker"> <div class="rs_skip rs_skip_en rsbtn_kidshealth rs_preserve" id="readspeaker_button1"> <a onclick="rsUsed('1')" rel="nofollow" class="rsbtn_play rsen" title="Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker" href="//app-na.readspeaker.com/cgi-bin/rsent?customerid=5202&lang=en_us&readid=khcontent_article&url=kidshealth.org/en/teens/achilles.html" data-rsevent-id="rs_886605" role="button"> <span class="rsbtn_left rspart"> <span class="rsbtn_text"> <span class="readspeakerLauncher">Listen</span> </span> </span> <span class="rsbtn_right rsplay rspart"></span> </a> <div class="rsbtn_exp rsimg rspart"> <span class="rsbtn_box"> <button onclick="javascript:void(0);" class="rsbtn_pause rsimg rspart rsbutton" title="Play" data-rsphrase-pause="Pause" data-rsphrase-play="Play" data-rsevent-id="rs_249118"> <span class="rsbtn_btnlabel">Play</span> </button> <button onclick="javascript:void(0);" class="rsbtn_stop rsimg rspart rsbutton" title="Stop" data-rsevent-id="rs_658053"> <span class="rsbtn_btnlabel">Stop</span> </button> <span class="rsbtn_progress_container rspart" data-readspeaker-slider-id-="data-readspeaker-slider-parent-data-readspeaker-slider-id-10734" data-rsevent-id="rs_215867" style=""> 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data-readspeaker-slider-id-="data-readspeaker-slider-parent-data-readspeaker-slider-id-14810" data-rsevent-id="rs_323957"><span data-readspeaker-slider-id-="data-readspeaker-slider-id-14810" class="rsbtn_volume_handle rsimg" data-rsevent-id="rs_195035"><a href="javascript:void(0);" role="slider" class="keyLink" style="display:block; border:0;" title="Change volume" aria-label="Change volume" aria-orientation="vertical" aria-valuemin="0" aria-valuemax="5" aria-valuenow="5" data-rsevent-id="rs_455317"> </a></span></span> </span> <a href="//app-na.readspeaker.com/cgi-bin/rsent?customerid=5202&lang=en_us&readid=khcontent_article&url=kidshealth.org/en/teens/achilles.html&audiofilename=KidsHealth_&save=1" target="rs" class="kh_rs_download rsimg rspart rsbutton" title="mp3"> <span class="rsbtn_btnlabel">mp3</span> </a> <button onclick="javascript:void(0);" class="rsbtn_settings rsimg rspart rsbutton" title="Settings" data-rsevent-id="rs_442984"> <span class="rsbtn_btnlabel">Settings</span> </button> <button class="rsbtn_closer rsimg rspart rsbutton" title="Close Player" data-rsevent-id="rs_377229"> <span class="rsbtn_btnlabel">Close Player</span> </button> <span class="rsdefloat"></span> </span> </div> </div> </li> <li class="ac-textSize"> <div id="kh-text-sizer"> <button id="kh-text-sizer-largest" onclick="textSizer('3');"> <span class="hideOffScreen">Larger text size</span> </button> <button id="kh-text-sizer-larger" onclick="textSizer('2');"> <span class="hideOffScreen">Large text size</span> </button> <button id="kh-text-sizer-regular" onclick="textSizer('1');"> <span class="hideOffScreen">Regular text size</span> </button> </div> </li> <li class="ac-print"> <div id="kh-print-button"> <a onclick='printWindow1(this.href); return false; rel="nofollow"' tabindex="0"> <span class="printLabel">Print</span> </a> </div> </li> </ul>   <div> <div class="cmp-container"> <div class="rte-image">  <h3>What Is Achilles Tendonitis?</h3> <p>Achilles tendonitis is inflammation (irritation and swelling) of the Achilles tendon. The Achilles tendon is a band of tough tissue on the back of the foot. It connects the heel bone to the calf muscles. </p> <h3>What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Achilles Tendonitis?</h3> <p>Achilles tendonitis causes pain above the heel and in the lower leg, especially after running or doing other physical activities. The pain often gets worse when exercising and better with rest.</p> <p>People with Achilles tendonitis also might have:</p> <ul> <li>stiffness and soreness in the heel, especially in the morning</li> <li>swelling or hard knots in the Achilles tendon</li> <li>a creaking or crackling sound when moving the ankle or pressing on the Achilles tendon</li> <li>weakness in the affected leg</li> <li>pain when pointing the foot</li> <li>pain with pressure from shoes</li> </ul> <h3>What Causes Achilles Tendonitis?</h3> <p>Achilles tendonitis is usually an overuse injury (when repeated movements injure part of the body). It also can happen when someone:</p> <ul> <li>suddenly increases their exercise</li> <li>doesn’t warm up the calf muscles before exercising</li> <li>exercises in worn out, non-supportive, or poor-fitting shoes or sneakers</li> <li>does not stretch the Achilles tendon and back of the leg after activity</li> <li>has a direct blow to the area</li> </ul> <p>Achilles tendonitis usually affects people who play sports that put strain on the heel, such as running, jumping, tennis, basketball, figure skating, skiing, or dancing.</p> <h3>How Is Achilles Tendonitis Diagnosed?</h3> <p>To diagnose Achilles tendonitis, health care providers:</p> <ul> <li>ask about symptoms</li> <li>do an exam</li> </ul> <p>Occasionally, doctors order imaging tests such as an X-ray or MRI (if they think the Achilles tendon may be torn).</p> <h3>How Is Achilles Tendonitis Treated?</h3> <p>Treatment for Achilles tendonitis starts with taking a break from the activity that led to the injury. It’s usually OK to do non-weight bearing exercises such as swimming, biking, and stretching activities like yoga. If someone with Achilles tendonitis does not rest, the tendon can become more damaged.</p> <p>Your health care provider also may recommend:</p> <ul> <li>stretching the Achilles for 30 seconds at a time 3–4 times a day</li> <li>putting ice or a cold pack on the heel every 1–2 hours for 15 minutes at a time. (Put a thin towel over the skin to protect it from the cold.)</li> <li>taping or using athletic wrap around the Achilles tendon and ankle</li> <li>raising the foot above the level of the heart to help with swelling</li> <li>taking ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, or store brand) to help with pain and swelling</li> <li>strengthening and stretching muscles through physical therapy or an at-home exercise program</li> <li>wearing a walking boot and using crutches to keep the tendon still</li> <li>using shoe inserts (also called shoe orthotics) from your health care provider or someone trained in fitting orthotics</li> <li>applying soft pads to the Achilles if it rubs against a shoe surface or wearing different shoes</li> <li>strengthening the surrounding muscles to take stress off the Achilles and help support the ankle</li> </ul> <p>Steroid injections in or around the Achilles tendon have been linked to tendon rupture and aren't recommended.</p> <p>Rarely, a person might need surgery if the symptoms do not go away after following the health care provider's recommendations.</p> <h3>What Else Should I Know?</h3> <p>With rest, Achilles tendonitis usually gets better within 6 weeks to a few months. To lower your risk of Achilles tendonitis again:</p> <ul class="kh_longline_list"> <li>Stay in good shape year-round. Drink plenty of water to flush out inflammation, and eat healthy whole grains, vegetables, and fruits to decrease inflammation.</li> <li>Increase the intensity and length of your exercise sessions gradually. Experts recommend just a 10% increase in activity per week. This is especially important if you've been inactive for a while or you're new to a sport.</li> <li>Always warm up before you go for a run or play a sport and cool down by stretching after.</li> <li><a href="/en/teens/stretching.html">Stretch</a> your legs, especially your calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, and thigh muscles. After activity, hold your stretches for 30 seconds and repeat several times a day.</li> <li>Wear shoes that fit properly and are made for your sport. Replace them before they become worn out.</li> <li>Try to <a href="/en/teens/safety-running.html">run</a> on softer surfaces, like grass, dirt trails, or synthetic tracks. Hard surfaces like concrete or asphalt can put extra pressure on the joints. Also avoid running up or down hills as much as possible.</li> <li>Do different kinds of exercise, such as <a href="/en/teens/yoga.html">yoga</a>, biking, and swimming. Work different muscle groups to keep yourself in good shape overall and to prevent <a href="/en/teens/repetitive-stress-sports.html">overusing</a> individual muscles.</li> </ul> <p>If things don't improve, see your doctor, as it may be a sign that you have a different condition.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div id="reviewerBox"> <div id="reviewedBy"><strong>Medically reviewed by: </strong><a href="https://www.nemours.org/find-a-doctor/24174-cassidy-foley-orthopedics-orlando.html" class="vcard-link" target="_blank">Cassidy Foley Davelaar, DO</a> </div> <div id="reviewedDate">Date reviewed: May 2019</div> </div> <span class="ISI_MESSAGE">  </span> </div> <div id="khcontent_article_aside" class="khRight"> <div> <aside aria-labelledby="moreOnThisTopicHeader"> <div id="kh-mott-box"> <h2 id="moreOnThisTopicHeader" class="JSMott">More on this topic for:</h2> <ul id="kh-mott-tabs" role="tablist" class="JSMott"> <li data-section="teens" role="presentation"><button type="button" role="tab" aria-controls="teens_panel" id="teens_tab" tabindex="-1" aria-selected="false">Teens</button></li> </ul> <div id="teens_panel" role="tabpanel" aria-labelledby="teens_tab"> <h2 class="sansJSMott">More on this topic<br/>For Teens</h2> <ul id="kh-mott-teens-links" class="kh-mott-links"> <li> <a href="/en/teens/sports-injuries.html"> Dealing With Sports Injuries </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/sport-safety.html"> Sports and Exercise Safety </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/center/sports-center.html"> Sports Medicine (Topic Center) </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/stress-fractures.html"> Stress Fractures </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/safety-basketball.html"> Safety Tips: Basketball </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/biceps-tendonitis.html"> Proximal Biceps Tendonitis </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/jumpers-knee.html"> Jumper's Knee </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/repetitive-stress-sports.html"> Repetitive Stress Injuries in Sports </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/teens/safety-running.html"> Safety Tips: Running </a> </li> </ul> </div> <button id="kh-mott-toggle" data-expanded="false">View more</button> </div> </aside> </div> <aside aria-label="Nemours Message"> <div id="kh-partner-ad" class="rs_skip rs_preserve"> <div class="kh-inline"><iframe title="Partner Message" id="mobad_in_if" src="/content/kidshealth/us/misc/inline_ad.html" style="display: block; 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Achilles Tendonitis (for Teens) | Nemours KidsHealth