Today I'd like to talk to, about a problem that plagues many of my patients in the early spring, Achilles tendonitis. There's nothing more important than having a family member come down with one of these problems to cement, in my mind, the major factors that contribute to something like Achilles tendonitis.
My son developed Achilles tendonitis and calf tightness in both his lower extremities. On evaluation of his foot mechanics it was evident that not only were his poor foot mechanics over-pronating his feet, leading to the demand for overworking of his Achilles and calf, but there was clearly something abnormal in his posture of walking and running.
So, along with my assessment, I asked my local physical therapist to help me assess his foot mechanics and his posture during walking and running. This led to a discovery, as expected, of not only weak foot mechanics, but abnormalities in posture and gait. These latter issue pointed to a need for core strengthening and an ongoing program with his physical therapist, as well as his podiatrist.
So, if you're heading out this spring and are increasing your exercise activity, and begin to have calf discomfort and Achilles tendonitis, come in and see us and let us assess your foot mechanics and develop the best program to prevent Achilles tendonitis from getting worse.
