What is Achilles tendonitis?
Achilles tendonitis can be triggered by a number of things, including:

• Rapidly increasing running distance or speed
• Adding hill running to training routine
• Starting too quickly after a break from exercise (This occurs frequently at the beginning of a soccer season when there is a sudden increase in activity)
• Sudden contraction of the calf muscles such as during a final sprint
• Overuse resulting from a lack of flexibility in the calf muscles

Symptoms of tendonitis

• Pain in the morning
• Painful at the beginning of exercise until warmed up
• Advanced tendonitis - constant pain
• Stiffness that generally diminishes as the tendon warms up with use
• Swelling

What you can do

• Rest and ice the area
• Reduce training, cut out speed or hill work
• Stretch calf muscles gently when the muscle and tendon are warm
• Avoid excessive stretching, as this may aggravate the problem
• Strengthen the calf muscle
• If pain persists for more than two weeks, follow-up with a physician
• Visit a sports injury specialist, physiotherapist or orthopaedic surgeon

Other articles:

Types of leg injuries

Anterior cruciate ligament injuries (knee)

Sprains and strains

Shinsplints

Quadriceps strain

Quadriceps contusion (bruising or damage)

Lateral ligament injury

Medial ligament injury (knee)

Meniscus injury

Osgood-Schlatter's disease

Hamstring strain

Calf muscle strain in rugby

Stress fracture of the lower leg

Ankle fracture

Partial or total rupture of Achilles tendon

Plantar fasciitis

Heel spur syndrome

Posterior cruciate ligament injuries (knee)