You have indicated that you have an achilles or heel injury

Below are some specific descriptions of symptoms related to a running achilles or heel injury, or achilles or heel pain.

Decide which description most closely matches the achilles or heel problem you are experiencing then click on
the button next to it. You will be presented with a likely diagnosis for your achilles or heel injury and advice as to
what to do.

You can diagnose other running injuries here.

  • Step 1
  • Step 2
  • Step 3 - current step
  • Step 4

Click on the description that most closely matches your symptoms:

Symptom 1

Select symptom
  • Pain behind the heel (normally lower than classic achilles tendonitis – less than 2cm from where the tendon attaches to the back of the heel) when running.
  • Often worse when running uphill.
  • Tenderness and swelling in the area of pain which might make it difficult to wear shoes.
  • When pressing fingers in both sides of the heel a spongy, painful resistance may be felt.
  • Red, warm skin over the back of the heel.

Symptom 2

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  • Pain, often mild, sometimes severe, along the achilles tendon during or after running (mainly about 2-3 cm above the heel).
  • A noticeable sense of sluggishness in your leg.
  • Morning tenderness on the tendon.
  • Stiffness that generally diminishes as the tendon warms up with use.
  • Stiffness that is worse in the morning, especially after a hard session the day or night before.
  • Some swelling around the area of pain in the tendon.
  • Can be caused by rapidly increasing your running mileage or speed, adding hill running or stair climbing to your training routine, starting up too quickly after a layoff, or by a trauma caused by sudden hard contraction of the calf muscles when putting out extra effort such as in a final sprint. It can also be caused by overuse resulting from the natural lack of flexibility in the calf muscles, or by excessive rolling in of the feet (pronation).

Symptom 3

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  • Sudden and intense pain about 2-3cm above the heel on the achilles tendon.
  • Difficulty walking.
  • Worse when running and jumping – it may stop you from doing these.
  • Very stiff in the mornings, getting a bit better when warmed up.
  • Some swelling around the area of pain in the tendon.
  • Can be caused by rapidly increasing your running mileage or speed, adding hill running or stair climbing to your training routine, starting up too quickly after a layoff, or by a trauma caused by sudden hard contraction of the calf muscles when putting out extra effort such as in a final sprint. It can also be caused by overuse resulting from the natural lack of flexibility in the calf muscles, or by excessive rolling in of the feet (pronation).

Symptom 4

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  • Sharp or dull pain radiating into the arch of the foot/heel/toes.
  • Tingling, numbness, burning, or electric shock feeling on the inside of the ankle or the sole of the foot.
  • Pain with prolonged standing.
  • Pain when running.
  • Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome is commonly caused by tight shoes or fallen arches.

Symptom 5

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  • Pain and tenderness directly under the heel.
  • Inability, or dificulty walking on the heels because of pain.
  • A heel bruise can be caused by old shoes with a lack of support, overtraining, or a heavy heel strike.

Symptom 6

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  • Pain and tenderness on the underside of the heel, often about 4cm forward from the heel, although it can be anywhere along the inside arch of the foot.
  • Pain is often worse first thing in the morning, described as ‘walking on broken glass’.
  • As foot warms up, pain eases, but can worsen later in the day, especially if you are walking a lot.
  • Often worsens during a run, or worsens after the run (sometimes the next day).
  • Plantar Fasciitis can be caused by sudden increases in running intensity, duration or frequency, wearing the wrong running shoes (or work shoes with poor cushioning), running overweight, and tightness of the calves and achilles tendon.

Symptom 7

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  • Pain at the back of the ankle (but not on the achilles tendon), which is worse when you are forcibly pointing your toes.
  • Pain when forcibly going up onto tiptoes.
  • A feeling that toe-pointing is limited or ‘blocked’ by stiffness and pain.
  • Posterior impingement can be caused by forced toe-pointing and push-off maneuvers, as seen in dancing, kicking, gymnastics, or downhill-running.

Symptom 8

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  • Pain behind/below the inside ankle bone whilst running.
  • Tenderness in the above area, and sometimes at the top of the inside arch of your foot.
  • Swelling, pain, bruising, and sometimes creaking in the above areas.
  • An ache on the sole of the foot.
  • A flattening of the main arch of the foot, and an inward rolling of the ankle (pronation).
  • Standing on the toes of the affected foot may be difficult or painful.
  • A tibialis posterior tendon injury may be caused by a high intensity period of running, or recently having increased your mileage, a pronated running style (rolling in of the ankle and foot) and shoes that are not supportive enough, running repeatedly on the same camber, either on the track or on a road.