What is the main cause of Achilles tendonitis?

Your heel cord aches, and you want to know what caused it before you decide what to do. It is a good question to start with, and the published answer is short.

The main cause is overuse

Cleveland Clinic spells it "tendinitis," and it says that "overuse of your Achilles tendon causes swelling, irritation and inflammation". The same source adds that "You can get Achilles tendinitis by being active on your feet." The short answer is repeated stress on the tendon.

Why a single event is often not the story

It is natural to look for one moment when it started. The source says the condition is "usually not related to a specific injury" and that "it happens because of stressing your tendon repeatedly." That points you to a pattern over days or weeks instead of one bad step.

What to watch and what to do next

A simple, free step is a short activity log. Each day, note how long you were on your feet and when the ache was worst, and look for the repeating stress. For wider reading, the Cleveland Clinic page on tendinopathy and the OrthoInfo page on Achilles tendinitis explain the condition in plain words. The Cleveland Clinic page on Achilles tendon rupture covers a separate condition that is worth reading about so you can tell the two apart.

When to book a visit

If the ache keeps coming back or gets worse, bring your log to a clinician in the Woodland Park area. A log with dates is easier to work from than a memory.

The short version

A cause in a published source describes the usual pattern. It does not replace an exam of your own tendon, so treat the pattern as a starting point for the visit.