How to Fix Achilles Tendonitis: 3 Simple Steps to Speed Up Healing

Three simple steps that may significantly reduce the healing time of Achilles tendonitis, demonstrated by a chiropractor with over 24 years of clinical experience — including self-taping, home therapy, and the eccentric exercises that are the cornerstone of tendon rehab.

Achilles tendonitis is pain, stiffness, or swelling in the Achilles tendon — the large tendon connecting the calf muscles to the heel bone. It’s a repetitive strain injury, usually from overuse (running, jumping, sudden increases in training), tight calves, or unsupportive footwear, and it’s known for being slow and stubborn to heal.

Our chiropractor Jasper Hulscher explains what Achilles tendonitis is, then works through three steps: a heel-raise widget (heel wedge) to take load off the tendon, a simple self-taping technique to support and offload it, and home therapy plus the key stretches and eccentric heel-drop exercises. Eccentric loading — slowly lowering the heel below a step — is the evidence-based cornerstone for Achilles tendon healing.

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[01:20] What it is — inflammation/irritation of the Achilles tendon (connecting the calf muscles to the heel bone); a repetitive strain injury, often from overuse, tight calves, or poor footwear.

[02:05] The heel-raise widget — a heel wedge placed in the shoe lifts the heel slightly, shortening the distance the tendon has to stretch and taking load off it while it heals.

[02:39] Self-taping — a simple technique to support and offload the Achilles, reducing the strain on it through the day.

[08:34] Home therapy — simple, effective self-care to reduce irritation (e.g. relative rest, ice, and switching to non-loading activity during flare-ups).

[09:15] Stretches and eccentric exercises — stretching both calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus), and the key eccentric heel-drop exercise: rising up on both feet, then slowly lowering the affected heel below the level of a step. Eccentric loading is the cornerstone of Achilles rehab.

Achilles tendonitis is pain, stiffness, or swelling in the Achilles tendon — the large tendon connecting the calf muscles to the heel bone — and it’s a repetitive strain injury known for being slow and stubborn to heal. Common causes include overuse (running, jumping, sudden training increases), tight calf muscles, and unsupportive footwear. This video offers three practical steps to speed recovery. First, a heel-raise widget (a heel wedge in the shoe) that lifts the heel slightly to take load off the tendon while it heals. Second, a simple self-taping technique to support and offload the Achilles through the day. Third, home therapy plus the key stretches and exercises — stretching both calf muscles and, crucially, the eccentric heel-drop, where you rise up and then slowly lower the affected heel below the level of a step. Eccentric loading is the evidence-based cornerstone of Achilles tendon rehabilitation, and combining it with offloading and calf stretches gives the best chance of a faster recovery. Persistent, severe, or sudden Achilles pain — especially if you felt a snap or can’t push off the foot — should be assessed promptly to rule out a tear.