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BAREFOOTSCIENCE™ Helps Tend to Tendonitis

Last updated: June 2022
Tendonitis often results from the overuse and irritation of the tendons (the thick cords that join the muscles to the bones). This condition causes swelling, pain and tenderness that makes it difficult to move the affected joints.

In relation to the foot, the Achilles tendon is affected, causing inflammation and pain along the back of the leg near the heel.

What causes Achilles Tendonitis?

While condition is extremely common in runners and athletes, other causes may include:

  • Excessive exercise sessions - especially in cold environments 
  • Walking or running
  • New runners who over-exert themselves while training
  • Playing sports that require quick stops and changes of direction - like tennis
  • Exercising without properly warming up
  • Wearing old, worn-out or ill-fitting shoes
  • Wearing high heels for extended periods of time
  • Age is a common risk factor, as the Achilles tendon weakens with age
  • Rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes have also been linked to cases of tendonitis

Do I have Achilles Tendonitis?

Common symptoms include:

  • Discomfort, pain or swelling in the back of the heel (particularly when walking or running);
  • Unusually tight calf muscles;
  • Limited range of motion when flexing the foot;
  • Skin on the heel of the foot feels overly warm to the touch.

In some cases, if left untreated, the Achilles tendon may rupture - and in some extreme scenarios bone spurs may form.

Treatments for Achilles tendonitis can range from resting and taking a break from strenuous exercise, icing the affected area, taking over the counter anti-inflammatory medications (like ibuprofen) or (in more severe cases) steroid injections or surgery may be necessary.

Can you prevent Achilles Tendonitis?

There are measures you take to help prevent Achilles Tendonitis. These include:

  • Stretching daily
  • Properly warming up prior to exercise and cooling down afterwards
  • Easing into a new exercise routine or training programme 
  • Gradually increasing the intensity of physical activity
  • Resting after intense exercise
  • Choice of footwear - choose well-fitted shoes and replace ill-fitting or overly worn footwear

Another preventative (and restorative) measure is to build up strength from your body's foundation - the foot - with the Barefoot Science strengthening system of insoles.

How can Barefoot Science help me?

Pain and dysfunction is caused by muscle weakness, so it follows that strengthening is the path to wellness. BAREFOOTSCIENCE™ promotes a balance of strength and flexibility in the foot and leg muscles that works to relieve tension on the Achilles tendon - protecting it and the calf muscles from injury. 

Through rehabilitation and strengthening work, the Barefoot Science system progressively builds a better foundation for pain free movement.

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