Achilles tendinopathy is a condition of pain, inflammation, weakness and stiffness of the Achilles tendon.
The Achilles tendon originates from your calf muscles (gastrocnemius, soleus and plantaris), and inserts into your calcaneus, or heel bone. Its main role is to facilitate plantarflexion of the foot, and flexion the lower leg via the calf muscles.
Achilles tendinopathy is theorised to originate due to a series of repetitive minor injuries (micro trauma). Due to the repetitive nature of the injuries, the tendon has inadequate time to heal. Consequently, this leads to extensive, long-term damage to the tendon.
Risk Factors for development of Achilles Tendinopathy Include:
