Achilles tendonitis or tendinopathy is a painful condition affecting different parts of the tendon:

Tendonitis vs. Tendinopathy

‘Tendonitis’ is acute with active inflammation, whereas ‘tendinopathy’ or ‘tendinosis’ refers to more chronic, degenerative changes within the tendon structure over time.

Insertional vs. Mid-Portion

Pain can be felt right at the back of the heel where the tendon inserts into the bone (insertional), or higher up midway between the heel and muscle (mid-portion).

Because the treatments for insertional, mid-portion, acute, and chronic tendon issues are all different, getting a proper diagnosis is vital. Depending on what we find, treatment options include osteopathy, activity modification, footwear adjustments, and targeted exercises.

However, we also have a secret weapon in clinic: our MLS® Laser.

How Laser Therapy Saved My Achilles (The Real Story)

The whole reason we have an MLS® Laser at Remedy Health Clinic is down to my own chronic Achilles tendinopathy.

Several years ago, I was completely fed up with my Achilles getting irritated during every single athletics season, preventing me from fully competing. A patient of mine mentioned she’d seen a podiatrist who used laser therapy for chronic plantar fasciitis. The podiatrist offered to try treating my Achilles with his laser as an experiment for us both.

Using ultrasound as a reference, we measured my left Achilles and discovered it was twice as thick as the right one due to swelling!

After just 4 laser sessions, my Achilles had returned to its regular size and was completely pain-free.

Years later, I still have zero issues with my left Achilles. While I work hard to keep everything strong and mobile, the miraculous effect the laser had on my chronic issue wasn’t forgotten. I vowed to invest in one for Remedy Health Clinic to help my patients in the exact same way!

How does the MLS® Laser work?

The MLS® laser delivers two synchronised wavelengths (808nm and 905nm) deep into damaged tissue:

The 808nm wavelength targets tissue repair and cell regeneration.

The 905nm wavelength delivers powerful analgesic effects to knock out pain and inflammation.

Because the 905nm wave is nanopupulsed (rapidly turning on and off), there is zero risk of thermal damage. It is totally painless, and requires no downtime after your session!

Your Go-To “Old-Standard” Achilles Exercise

While you book in to see us, here is the single best exercise you can do to strengthen a grumpy Achilles tendon:

The Eccentric Heel Drop

Stand with the ball of your foot on the edge of a step, holding on to a rail for balance. Lift up on your tiptoes using both feet. Then, take your uninjured foot off the step and slowly lower your heel down below the level of the step using only your injured leg. Take a full 4–5 seconds to lower down. Put both feet back on the step to push back up. Repeat 3 sets of 10 repetitions daily.

A Sneak Peek at Something New…

As a coach and clinician, I don’t just look at how your feet hit the track. Did you know your breathing mechanics play a massive role in running injuries? If your diaphragm isn’t functioning properly, it restricts your ribcage and spine. This alters your entire core stability, throwing off your hip mechanics and putting extra, unnatural strain all the way down into your lower legs and Achilles. I am actually working on a brand new project combining Osteopathy, specialised coaching, NLP, and breathwork to bridge this exact gap. Keep your eyes peeled, as I’ll be launching this new business arm very soon!

Don’t let injuries cut your summer short!

Your body is amazing at eventually compensating for minor injuries, but those small tweaks add up and leave you sitting on the sidelines.

Give yourself the best chance of staying injury-free. Whether you want to try Laser Therapy, need deep tissue work, chiropractic care, osteopathy, or a combination of all three—the Remedy TEAM is here to get you moving beautifully.