The name Achilles is said to be a combination of two Greek words that together mean “grief of the people.” The injury that bears that hero’s name, in honor of his only weakness, certainly aggrieves many runners, with Achilles tendinitis accounting for around 10 percent of running injuries.
Technically, Achilles tendinitis is acute inflammation of the tendon that runs along the back of the ankle, says Joe Uhan, a physical therapist, coach, and ultrarunner. Pain in that area for longer than a couple of weeks is not really tendinitis anymore. Athletes, however, tend to characterize any pain along the tendon above the back of the heel as Achilles tendinitis.
Achilles tendinitis can be confused with other injuries, such as heel problems, but the hallmark sign is “if you’re pinching the Achilles and it’s really sore,” says Uhan.
Once you have acute pain, says Phinit Phisitkul, a University of Iowa associate professor in orthopedic surgery, the treatment is pretty much the same as with any acute injury—and not something most runners want to hear: rest, ice, anti-inflammatories.
Some doctors also recommend…
