Achilles tendon pain
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The Achilles tendon is a vital component of the human body, enabling us to perform essential movements such as walking, jumping, and running. However, it is also prone to damage from musculofascial shortenings and overloading. Conditions encompass but are not restricted to: tears, ruptures, inflammation and fluid sacs between the tendon and heel bone. Symptoms of discomfort include swelling, reddening, stiffness, and pain. Treatment options include modifying behavioral patterns, medication, and sometimes surgery. It's often recommended to use stretching exercises to relief pain and to prevent further damage.
​Musculofascial Shortenings?
The muscles and fascia in our body need movement to stay flexible. One-sided or restricted movement patterns are fatal for them. When you sit down, your muscles relax. Once you stand up, they stretch. If you spend most of your days sitting, the muscles and fascia become unyielding and shorten since they’re used to this particular position. The stiff muscles thus create musculofascial tension, which then causes you to feel pain.
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Causes
Achilles tendon pain is often caused by excessive tension on the tendon, which can be due overuse or underuse of the muscles and fascia connected to it.Tendon pain can be caused by insufficient movement or sudden overuse of muscles without proper warm-up. Overloading the legs can also increase musculofascial tensions in the tendon. Additionally, extrinsic factors such as wearing certain types of shoes or exercising on uneven terrain can negatively affect the Achilles tendon in the long term. Medications like cortisone or immunosuppressive drugs, as well as food additives like MSG, have also been linked to tendinosis and pain intensification. Scientists found a significant glutamate concentration in the Achilles tendons of chronic pain patients 1).1) Petersen et al. "Überlastungsschäden der Achillessehne." Orthopäde, 200, 34, 538.
'No medical advice' disclaimer: If you experience any chronic pain, I recommend you to go to your doctor first. Helena is not a doctor or any kind of medical professional and cannot make any diagnosis. The therapy and information Helena provide serve exclusively to help you to help yourself in case of well-being disorders. Please read my full medical disclaimer here.
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