Achilles Tendinopathy
Achilles tendinopathy is an umbrella term for injuries involving both acute and chronic inflammation of the Achilles tendon, which is the tendon that connects your calf muscles to your heel bone. Two broad categories exist under Achilles tendinopathy: tendinosis and tendinitis. Tendinosis describes a degenerative change in the tendon, which makes the tendon easier to break. Tendinitis, on the other hand, is an inflammatory process that can result from overuse, lack of training, or even trauma.
The general mechanism of action resulting in any Achilles tendinopathy is an imbalance between the power of the calf muscles and the ability of the Achilles tendon to stretch to meet the power demand, which can happen in both athletes and non-athletes. In athletes, repetitive motions can place chronic stress on the Achilles tendon and cause symptoms.
