Skip to content
Specialized foot & ankle care. Here in Houston.KSF Orthopaedic Center Mossy Oaks · Spring, TX
Timothy J. Miller, MD · Houston & Spring, TX

Understanding Achilles Tendinitis

English audio · 0:56

The video’s audio and on-screen text are in English.

Leer esta página en español

Patient summary

Dr. Miller explains how the Achilles tendon connects the calf muscles to the heel bone and describes where patients may notice pain, thickening, or a lump around the tendon. Symptoms can develop over time, even without one clear injury.

Achilles pain can arise at the heel attachment or farther up the tendon. An examination helps identify the cause and guide treatment. Read the Achilles tendinitis guide for information about evaluation, nonsurgical care, and when to seek prompt attention.

Read the English text shown on screen

This text is recovered from the video’s English on-screen text, including original repetitions. It is partial and is not a complete audio transcript.

The Achilles tendon is one of the largest tendons in your body. It connects the the muscles in the calf, the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles up in the lower leg down to the heel bone and those two muscles form one common tendon. This tendon has somewhat of a limited blood supply in this area and so, that is one of the reasons why it does rupture or tear. It's also the reason why people tend to get tendonitis in this area. People generally don't get Achilles tendonitis from any specific injury. It's something that just tends to happen over time. It can come from an injury but most often there's no identifying cause. Sometimes people only have pain in the area just at the heel or just above the bone in the tendon itself. Sometimes people will even see a a growth or lump or enlargement of the tendon in the area at or above the bone attachment as well.

Download the timed English on-screen text (VTT)

Explore your care options

General educational information. An appointment helps determine which options are appropriate for you.

Schedule a Visit ↗Call (281) 440-6960