Pain at the back of your foot? Do this exercise

Have you ever felt this niggling pain at the back of your foot, which just won't go away, no matter what you do?

- BY REVATHI MURUGAPPAN

Chances are, you could have injured your Achilles tendon, the largest and strongest tendon in the body that attaches your calf muscles to your heel bone or calcaneus.

Symptoms include a sharp, aching pain, swelling, loss of range of motion, and tight or weak calf muscles.

The inflamed part is tender to touch and more painful after exercising.

Often, the injury is labelled as Achilles tendinitis, and it is caused by overuse, repetitive stress, a sprained ankle or not using supportive footwear.

Unlike plantar fasciitis, where pain is usually felt on the bottom of the foot, near the heel, pain in Achilles tendinitis is typically felt in the back of the heel, where the Achilles tendon attaches to the heel bone, or higher up in the tendon in the lower leg.

Left untreated, it can become chronic, leading to reduced mobility and more severe complications, such as tendon rupture.

Conservative treatment involves temporarily stopping all strenuous physical activities that aggravate the tendon, applying ice therapy, wearing shoes with good ankle support, and taking pain-relieving medication if necessary.