Orthopedics-Online

Causes of Achilles tendonitis

introduction

The causes of Achilles tendonitis are diverse, but in most cases the stress is the most important factor in the development of the inflammation.
This leads to inflammation when the Achilles tendon is often severely irritated due to excessive stress.
But incorrect exposure can also cause inflammation.
Less strong parts of the Achilles tendon are particularly stressed.

What are the typical causes of Achilles tendonitis?

Misalignments
- Knock knees
- External rotational deformity of the foot
- Buckle feet / overpronation
burden
- jogging
- Obesity
- Standing profession
Unstable ankle

Appointment with an expert in Achilles tendonitis?

I would be happy to advise you!

Who am I?
My name is dr. Nicolas Gumpert. I am a specialist in orthopedics and the founder of .
Various television programs and print media report regularly about my work. On HR television you can see me every 6 weeks live on "Hallo Hessen".
But now enough is indicated ;-)

Athletes (joggers, soccer players, etc.) are particularly often affected by the Achilles tendonitis disease. In many cases, the cause of the Achilles tendonitis cannot be identified at first. Therefore, the treatment requires a lot of experience. I focus on Achilles tendonitis.

The aim of every treatment is treatment without surgery with a complete recovery of performance.

Which therapy achieves the best results in the long term can only be determined after looking at all of the information (Examination, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc.) be assessed.

You can find me in:

Lumedis - your orthopedic surgeon
Kaiserstrasse 14
60311 Frankfurt am Main

Directly to the online appointment arrangement
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Further information about myself can be found at Dr. Nicolas Gumpert

Buckle feet

The buckle foot describes a misalignment of the foot in which the ankle is almost in an X position.
The foot buckles in such a way that the inner edge of the sole of the foot is pressed more strongly towards the ground. At the same time, the outer edge of the foot lifts upwards.

This form of misalignment increases the stress situation, especially on the inside of the ankle.
The Achilles tendon is stressed every step of the way when you run. It acts like a spring, which absorbs the momentum when you step on it and releases it again when the foot is pushed off. The axis of power transmission is changed by the knee position or an overpronation in the ankle.
As a result, the middle part of the Achilles tendon is more stressed, while the outer part hardly has to bear any stress.
Over a longer period of time, the Achilles tendon can be irritated, which is why inflammatory reactions occur there.

In addition, the Achilles tendon usually slides over a bursa with every step. This lies between the foot bone and the Achilles tendon and prevents direct abrasion of the tendon on the bone.
Due to a misalignment in the ankle, the bursa can no longer fully fulfill its buffering effect, which is why additional loads and abrasion forces act on the Achilles tendon.

Do you want to do something about your Achilles tendonitis? Read our article:

Therapy of achilles tendinitis

jogging

The Achilles tendon is the tendon that transfers the force of the calf muscles to the ankle. The Achilles tendon is particularly important when jogging. Compared to walking, a significantly greater power transmission must take place when jogging or running. Therefore, the Achilles tendon is particularly stressed in these sports.

Frequent jogging with a slowly increasing load can usually train the calf muscles and Achilles tendon sufficiently to withstand the strain.
However, if you start training very quickly or suddenly increase your running workload significantly, you risk developing Achilles tendonitis.

The physical structures (calf muscle, Achilles tendon, bursa, ankle) cannot adapt quickly enough to the increased stress.
There is an irritation of the structures, which can be expressed as inflammation.

Achilles tendonitis cannot only be triggered by a sudden increase in exertion when jogging. A change in running can also cause the inflammation. For example, many runners have problems when they buy new jogging shoes. The body has to adapt to the slightly changed load axis.
Therefore you should train carefully with new shoes before you go back to a normal load.

High weight

A high weight or overweight means that the legs generally have to carry a particularly heavy load with every step. This mainly affects the Achilles tendon, which forms a small spring with every step.

The greater the body weight and therefore the force that acts on the Achilles tendon, the more stress the tendon has to be able to withstand. As a result, small foci of inflammation can form permanently in the Achilles tendon.
Limescale deposits and ossification are also possible.
These in turn irritate the tendon and promote the development of Achilles tendonitis.

Standing profession

Anyone who is on their feet all day because of a standing job usually puts a particularly heavy strain on their feet and legs.

Over time, this can lead to degenerative changes in bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments.
These are simple signs of wear and tear, which, however, can cause greater damage depending on the severity.

The Achilles tendon is particularly predestined for complaints, as it is through this tendon that the main power transmission from the body to the feet takes place. Therefore, the Achilles tendon is stressed with every step.
Inflammation can develop there as a result of a permanent higher exposure due to a standing job.

Knock knees

Knock knees describe a misalignment of the legs in the knee joint.
Usually the hips, knees and ankles are roughly perpendicular to each other.
With knock knees, on the other hand, the knee is shifted inwards so that the legs form an X when viewed from the front or back.

The change in the axis of the leg causes discomfort, especially in the knee joint, in the long run. However, the axis shift also affects the ankle.
There the power transmission changes, which can lead to overloading of the Achilles tendon. This ignites due to the increased stress.

Do you have knock knees and want to correct this misalignment? find out about the

Operation of knock knees

Unstable upper ankle

An unstable ankle joint is often not particularly noticeable in everyday life.
Nevertheless, small changes in movement in the ankle can be observed with every step. Because of the instability in the ankle, other nearby parts of the body are stressed more. They compensate for the instability with their increased activity.

The Achilles tendon is one of the structures that can offer the most additional stability in the area of the ankle. Therefore, it is more stressed with an unstable ankle. In the long run, this overload can cause small inflammations in the tendon.
Without adequate therapy, these can develop into Achilles tendinitis.

External rotational deformity of the foot

An external rotation malalignment is particularly noticeable in the ankle.
In contrast to the leg axis, the foot axis is twisted slightly outwards there.
This can lead to instability in the ankle.

At the same time, the ankle joint and surrounding structures are exposed to changed loads. This can cause inflammation in the Achilles tendon.