I have been a runner for many years. I’ve recently noticed an area of swelling and pain over my achilles tendon behind my ankle. Can I still keep running?

Achilles problems are serious injuries especially for runners. Achilles tendinitis is one of the most common running injuries and once this occurs I do not recommend continued running until the problem is resolved. The problem can range in severity from minor tendinitis (usually no swelling or thickening of the tendon) to partial or even complete tears.

Repetitive loading, such as running, can result in repetitive micro-trauma or micro-damage to the tendon resulting in wear, thickening and inflammation. Most runners are prone to this because of the fact that running results in tightening of your calf and achilles and most runners do not stretch enough. Also, if your arch is too high (supination), or too low (pronation) you are more likely to develop this and orthotics can be helpful.

When you achilles is swollen and sore you need to stop running and try to remain fit by substituting swimming or cycling. Use ice regularly and sometimes the use of a heel lift for several days will improve the situation. It is very important to have this properly checked to assure you do not have a more significant tear that would require surgery. A short course of physical therapy will also probably speed your recovery and make recurrence less likely.

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