So I received this question recently from a friend just back from a three week trip to Spain:
“Paul… about half way through my trip I noticed a horrendous pain in my Achilles that seemed to be worse on a morning, getting worse as the days went on… it was so painful I was contemplating ringing from Spain and asking you to book me an appointment for as soon as I could get off the plane.
I didn’t do anything or remember hurting it in any way significant, have any thoughts what might have caused it”
– Danny, T. 53. Bishop Auckland.
Let me start by saying that this is a very common problem at this time of the year – i.e. in the middle of summer and happens a lot when people go on holiday.
And I’ll answer Phil’s question in the context of helping you to avoid the discomfort that can often and so easily be caused by spending more time out on the roads either walking or running.
So if you’re being more active at this time of year because of the light nights, pay careful attention to avoid this problem:
So, here’s a bit about the problem with the Achilles and it just happening for no apparent reason…. Well, it likely did happen for a very good reason – that being the person in this story swapping his usual trainer style shoes for summer sandals.
The difference between the two? …Not much more than “1 inch”.
As in, the difference in the heel support offered by trainers in comparison to wearing to sandals or flip flops, which offer non.
When I quizzed ‘”Phil” a bit further, he revealed to me that for pretty much the whole of his three weeks he had been walking around in flip flops and sandals. And because these types of footwear offer very little support and only ADD tension to muscles such as calf and Achilles tendons, seriously, pain is inevitable.
I know Phil’s history, and he’s had a bad back in the past too. That’s a very dangerous cocktail that is almost guaranteed to cause Achilles tendon pain to the point where Phil found it almost impossible to get out of bed on a morning because of the pain.
If you’ve had lower back pain in the past, wearing flip flops continuously is something I wouldn’t recommend.
And if it’s taking YOU twenty minutes or so on a morning to warm up an Achilles tendon or just to stop it from hurting, a good place to look to make a positive improvement is what you wear on your feet – the NIGHT before.
Because as I walk or cycle along the sea front promenade of my home town in Hartlepool at the minute, I’m seeing lots of people wearing summer sandals and likely to be falling victim of the same type of Achilles tendon pain that Phil suffered from because their Achilles tendon is being stressed and stretched in way that it just isn’t used too.
Tip: If you’re going away this summer for a couple of weeks be careful not to only be walking around in flip flops all day long… they’re not great for back, knee or Achilles problems and will increase the likelihood of pain and stiffness in any of them by the time you get back.
And if you’re spending any extra time walking or running right now, be sure to do it wearing nice soft and very cushioned trainers. More tips for recovering from a sports injury when you go here: www.paulgoughphysio.com/sports-injury-clinic. ..
When you do, there’s a free 27 page report with all my best tips to recover from sports injuries, quickly. Go get it while you can.
Or, if you want our tips report on easing LOWER BACK PAIN, please just click here now: www.paulgoughphysio.com/back-pain 
You might know Paul as an expert Columnist who writes weekly health articles for TWO of the North East's biggest daily Newspapers, The Northern Echo And The Hartlepool Mail, he is a regular Speaker at Industry Seminars around the globe and a Radio Personality, often heard on the BBC. Paul has been an expert guest on dozens of Radio shows and regularly interviewed in newspapers, magazines and trade journals all over the world, including the Guardian.
Paul’s background included working extensively in the Premier League with a Top Professional Football Team, and since quitting his job in Professional Football in 2007, his Physio Practice has become the fastest growing in the UK and biggest in the North East. So successful, that companies like BUPA, ASDA, The Vela Group And Coast & Country, repeatedly retain his Physio company's services to keep healthy their own staff and workforce. Paul Gough Physio Rooms is now a large multi-physio, multi clinic speciality practice in Darlington, Durham, Guisborough and Hartlepool.
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