19/05/2026
⭐️ Tuesday MSK Education ⭐️
🦶Painful Achilles tendons often feel stiff and sore especially after rest
🦶 They can become painful for a variety of reasons but mostly due to overload or change in footwear
🦶 Sometimes they look visibly swollen too
Treat with a conservative programme of support and progressively load - your aim is to get the tendon to take load again without a flare up of pain - resting completely will not achieve this!
🙂 Wear supportive shoes and consider gel heel supports (online or from chemist)
🙂 Regular calf stretches - gastrocnemius (back leg straight) and soleus (back leg bent)
🙂 Start loading programme and aim to build up to 3 x 15 reps TWICE per day
It is safe to exercise into pain. A pain score of 5/10 or lower usually means continue.
If not improving within 3 months, consult a health care provider.
https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/media/0svhhdqk/86720achilles.pdf
Podiatry is often the best next step for an assessment.
Shockwave therapy may be offered for more chronic Tendinopathies.
Here at Cheltenhamstickmobility we do regular balance and ankle exercises to build up control around the ankle and Achilles
www.cheltenhamstickmobility.com