Chronic Achilles Tendinitis Health Video

Pain and/or swelling at back of ankle that lasts for weeks, even months. Learn more about the swelling of the Achilles tendon in this medical video on treating Achilles tendinitis.

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Creates tenderness in heel area
Heel lift in shoe may help
Reduce stress on ankle
Could lead to ruptured tendon

About this Author

Medical Director Thomas Clanton, M.D., is also professor in the department of orthopedic surgery at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. Board certified since 1984, Dr. Clanton is a former president of the Texas Society for Sports Medicine. Associate editor of Foot and Ankle International, he is widely published and lectures throughout the United States, Mexico, Japan and Europe.Dr. Clanton currently serves on the Board of Councilors of the International Federation of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Dr, Clanton has been a team physician for the Rice University Athletic Department since 1982, as well as being a team orthopedist for the Houston Texans since 2001 and head team physician for the Houston Rockets since 2005.

DR. THOMAS CLANTON: Chronic Achilles tendinitis is inflammation of the Achilles tendon that is no longer acute. So it's a condition that has gone on for many weeks, often months, in its continuation of symptoms. So it produces pain, often swelling, and occasionally even thickening or a mass-type effect in the Achilles tendon. So that is occurring in the back of the ankle in this region before the Achilles tendon reaches its attachment normally. This type of condition is also called Achilles tendinosis because oftentimes the problem is not actually inflammation in the tendon. It is more a degenerative condition within the tendon itself that can occur from damage to the fibers or even cyst formation within the tendon. This can be treated by reduction in stress. Sometimes it can be helped by adding a heel lift within the shoe. Anti-inflammatory medications may help if there is an inflammatory component to the problem. But as I said, the problem often does not have a lot of inflammation associated with it. So when it has become a chronic condition, while it can be treated non-operatively, this is a condition that is more likely to require surgery since it has not responded to non-operative treatment in most circumstances prior to becoming the chronic problem that it is. So these types of problems in the Achilles tendon as long as they are not causing a lot of symptoms can be watched. You can continue to participate in sports, but there is always a risk of the tendon rupturing due to the weakness that is created by the damage within the fibers. So that's the thing that one has to be concerned about.