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Achilles Tendon Specialist

Scheffel Foot Center Our Services Achilles Tendon

Scheffel Foot Center

Podiatry located in Worcester, MA & Clinton, MA

Your Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in your body and it can withstand a fair amount of stress. But when it’s pushed past its limits, this tendon can tear or rupture, requiring immediate care. At Scheffel Foot Center, Dr. John Scheffel has extensive experience helping his patients in Worcester, Massachusetts, overcome Achilles tendon problems, getting them back up on their feet as quickly, and safely, as possible. To learn more, call or request an appointment using the online booking tool.

Achilles Tendon Q & A

What is the Achilles tendon?

Your Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in your body and it connects the muscles in the back of your calf to your heel. In its role, your Achilles tendon allows your foot to flex and rotate in almost every direction, which means it’s designed for a large range of motion. But if you test this range of motion or overstress the tendon, you may end up with a sidelining injury.

What are the most common Achilles tendon injuries?

While Achilles tendon injuries are most often associated with sports, the fact is that anyone can injure their Achilles tendon and even a misstep can cause a tear.

In many cases, you may start out with tendinitis, which is the result of tiny tears along the connective tissue that develop from repetitive use or overstressing the area. Tendinitis causes inflammation along the tendon and leaves your tendon vulnerable to further problems.

Whether or not your tendon was already compromised, complete and partial tears are often the result of an acute injury, which happens when your tendon is suddenly overstretched. From tripping on the stairs to executing a sudden pivot on the soccer field, an Achilles tendon tear can happen anywhere, at any time.

What are the symptoms of an Achilles tendon injury?

Whether you’re dealing with tendinitis or a more significant tear, you should be on the lookout for the following:

  • Pain or discomfort in the back of your leg around your heel
  • Swelling
  • Limited range of motion

The trick to successfully handling an Achilles tendon issue is to make an appointment with Dr. Scheffel at the earliest signs of a problem.

How are Achilles tendon injuries treated?

When you see Dr. Scheffel, the first order of business will be to take a look at what’s going on inside your ankle. Through advanced imaging, Dr. Scheffel is able to determine what type of injury you’ve sustained and the extent of the damage. Based on his diagnosis, Dr. Scheffel comes up with an appropriate treatment plan that may include:

  • Rest, icing, compression, and elevation (RICE)
  • Anti-inflammatory medications
  • Bracing or booting
  • Physical therapy
  • Orthotics


These therapies are designed to prevent further damage to your tendon because, in the case of a severe tear, Dr. Scheffel may need to go in and repair the damage surgically.

If you’ve injured your Achilles tendon, call Scheffel Foot Center or request an appointment using the online scheduler.

Conditions & Treatments