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Lead Stories: Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Q&A: What can I do about pain that goes up my leg from the back of my heel?

Posted September 5th, 2007 at 1:15 PM by Martha Jones

Section: Running & Training, Injury & Rehab, Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab

achilles-tendinitis You’re describing Achilles tendinitis, pain the large tendon that extends from in the back of your heel to your calf muscle. It hurts most when you get up in the morning and when you start to walk or run. It will heal only if you stop running and find another sport that doesn’t hurt when you do it, such as cycling, swimming, or pulling on a rowing machine.

The Achilles tendon is made up of thousands of individual fibers, like a rope with thousand of strands. The fibers can be broken if you apply a force greater than their inherent strength. No medicines hasten healing.

As soon as the tendon stops hurting, doctors usually prescribe strengthening exercises, but you have to exercise against greater resistance to become strong and strong resistance prevents healing.

If you want to return to running or jogging, start out by . . .
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My Aching Feet! . . .
. . . Plantar Fasciitis

Posted July 9th, 2007 at 10:45 AM by Bridget Sullivan

Section: Running & Training, Injury & Rehab, Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab

One of the most common injuries in tennis and jogging is plantar fascitis (plantar fasciitis), pain on the bottom of the heel (1). A band of tissue called the plantar fascia extends from your five toes, along the bottom of your foot to attach on the bottom of your heel. When you run, you land on your heel and raise yourself on your toes as you shift your weight to your other foot, causing all your weight to be held up by your plantar fascia. Such repetitive force can tear the fascia from its attachment on your heel.
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