Do you ever feel discomfort in the back of your heel? Many fitness enthusiasts and athletes who participate in sports that involve sudden shifts in speed and movement experience this type of discomfort. It is a symptom of Achilles tendonitis, which is a common overuse injury from jumping, sprinting, or running, which is required in sports such as baseball, football, tennis, and basketball.
The Achilles tendon connects your calf to your heel and it helps move and flex your foot. Just like the legend goes, it can become a weak point that compromises your performance. Overuse, tight calves, flat feet, and sudden increase in activity can cause your Achilles tendon to swell and hurt.
This will compromise your full range of motion and make it difficult to move your foot. One of the best things you can do to support your foot if you suffer from Achilles tendon is to wear an ankle sleeve consistently, especially during exercise or daily activities.
An ankle sleeve will support your Achilles tendon while applying adequate compression to help alleviate pain and promote blood flow. Our Mava Ankle Support can help apply proper pressure and improve your arch support. You can also prevent Achilles tendonitis by wearing an ankle sleeve during your exercise.
Achilles tendonitis: causes and symptoms
Intense and repetitive physical activity such as jumping, walking, running, and standing on the balls of your feet, can cause inflammation to your Achilles tendon, that is often accompanied by pain. Some of the most common causes of Achilles tendonitis include:
- walking
- exercising without warming up
- repeated calf strains
- quick shifts in movement and sudden stops in sports such as tennis or basketball
- a sudden increase in physical activity
- frequent wear of poorly fitting shoes
- wearing high heels for extended periods of time
- bone spurs in the back of your heels
- old age or rheumatoid arthritis that weaken the Achilles tendon
One of the most notable symptoms of Achilles tendonitis is painful inflammation and swelling in the back of your heel, especially during physical activity or walking. Other common symptoms include the following:
- discomfort or pain in the back of your heel
- inflammation and swelling
- tight calf muscles
- limited range of motion
- difficulty in flexing your foot
- the overly warm skin around your heel area
How to treat and prevent Achilles tendonitis
For severe cases of Achilles tendonitis, make sure you check with your doctor for professional treatment. Many treatments for this condition involve anti-inflammatory medication, rest, steroid injections, PRP injections, and even surgery. However, for mild to moderate Achilles tendonitis, your medical care provider may suggest the following:
- reduced physical activity
- stretching your calf muscles
- switching to exercise that doesn't involve repetitive foot movements
- physical therapy
- wearing shoes with a built-up heel
- wearing a compression ankle sleeve for arch support
- wearing a brace to prevent heel movement
Wearing ankle support can help you prevent Achilles tendonitis before it happens. If you are involved in sports that require repetitive foot movements, you should wear an ankle sleeve consistently. To lower the risk for Achilles tendinitis, you should also try the following:
- stretching your calf muscles to improve agility
- warming up and cooling down before and after a workout
- increase your physical activity gradually
- reduce the constant stress on your tendons by combining low impact with high impact exercises
- wear proper shoes that take the tension off your Achilles tendon
- wear an ankle sleeve during physical activity
Mava Ankle Support benefits
Our ankle sleeve is designed to help support your ankle and arch, in order to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and provide joint support to your foot. It is a necessary piece of equipment during your physical activity and recovery. Even if you don't suffer from Achilles tendonitis, consistent wear will help you prevent it. Wearing our Ankle Support will provide you with multiple benefits, such as:
- injury prevention
- weak joint support
- joint stability
- increased range of motion
- enhanced blood flow
- pain relief
- heel and arch support
- targeted compression
- reduced inflammation and swelling
- sole, arch, and ankle support
- reduced fatigue, soreness, and cramping
- accelerated recovery
- comfort during extended wear
Conclusion
Achilles tendonitis is caused by repetitive movements and sudden changes in speed that especially happen during exercise and sports. If you are involved in a physical activity such as walking, running, jumping or if you play sports such as tennis or basketball, make sure you wear an ankle sleeve to prevent overuse injuries and reduce the risk of Achilles tendonitis.
Our Ankle Support is a compression sleeve that is designed to help stabilize your weak joints and accelerate your recovery. You can wear it comfortably during your physical activity to prevent or help treat Achilles tendonitis. Make sure you don’t forget to warm up and cool down before and after every workout to lower the risk. As long as you treat yourself right, your Achilles tendon will not be your weakness.
