You have indicated that you have an achilles injury

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

Decide which description most closely matches the achilles problem you are experiencing then click on
the button next to it. You will be presented with a likely diagnosis for your achilles 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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  • 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 5

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  • Pain and tenderness behind the outside ankle bone (sometimes extending above or below this area).
  • Some, but not an enormous amount of swelling and/or bruising where the pain is.
  • Pain on the outside of the lower third of your lower leg when running.
  • Common causes of a peroneal tendon injury can be a recent roll or sprain of your ankle, a recent increase in intensity or duration of training, the wrong or poorly fitting shoes, or running on the same camber all the time.