MD Podiatrist Discusses Achilles Tendinitis
If you were a high school or college athlete, then you’re probably familiar with the fragility of the Achilles tendon. But you don’t need to be a super jock to have an Achilles affliction. Achilles tendinitis is another type of heel pain, which originates at the back of the heel and not underneath, like plantar fasciitis. “Remember, the feet are biomechanical, which means what happens in one part may affect another,” says Dan Michaels, DPM. “So if the plantar fasciitis has gone on for so long, sometimes you can get Achilles tendinitis.”
“You’ll notice that your foot is going to want to be in a downward flex position, meaning you’ll feel relieved when you’re wearing a shoe that has some sort of a heel, like a wedge (or something like a cowboy boot for men).” However, as comfortable as your espadrilles may feel, wearing them when you have Achilles tendinitis will only add to the pain. “If that foot is flexed in that position for too long, it’ll only add to the problem because the tendon will contract and shorten. So when you go take the shoe off, you put a lot of stress and strain on the Achilles because it would prefer to be shortened and the inflammation becomes more intense.”
