Achilles Pain When Running: What Parents Should Do
You finally started running again. Maybe it was Couch to 5K, maybe a few laps of the park while the kids were at football. Then one morning you get out of bed and the back of your heel is stiff and sore for the first few steps. It eases off, so you run again, and a week later it is worse. If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. Achilles pain when running is one of the most common niggles I see in parents who return to exercise after years off, and the good news is that it usually responds well to sensible changes in how much you do.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. If your pain is getting worse, lasts more than a couple of weeks or stops you walking normally, please see a GP or physiotherapist.
Why the Achilles gets grumpy
Your Achilles tendon joins your calf muscles to your heel bone. Every time you push off the ground, it stores and releases energy like a spring. Tendons can adapt and get stronger, but they adapt slowly, more slowly than your heart and lungs. So when your fitness improves quickly and you start doing more, the tendon can fall behind.
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust has a helpful patient page on Achilles tendinopathy. It lists common contributing factors such as a sudden increase in activity, training errors like lots of hill running, tight or weak calf muscles and stiff ankles. It also notes that morning pain and pain when you start moving after rest are common, and that this pain often eases as you warm up.
For busy parents, the usual story looks like this:
- Doing too much too soon after a long break.
- Suddenly adding hills, sprints or jumping (hello, Highgate Hill).
- Running in old, worn trainers, or switching to very flat shoes.
- Spending the rest of the day on your feet with no recovery, carrying a toddler up the stairs.
What to do about Achilles pain when running
The aim is not total rest. Tendons generally need some load to recover, just the right amount. Here is the simple approach I use with people in my classes, alongside any advice from their physio.
1. Use a pain scale
Rate the pain from 0 to 10 during and after activity, and again the next morning. As a rough guide, many physios are comfortable with mild discomfort (around 3 out of 10 or less) that settles by the next morning. If it is higher, or the next morning is worse than usual, you did too much. Cut back.
2. Reduce, don’t stop
Swap some running for cycling, swimming or brisk flat walking. Run shorter, slower and on flat ground for a while. Drop hills, sprints and jumping until things settle.
3. Strengthen your calves
This is the bit most people skip, and it matters most. A simple progression:
- Static holds: stand holding a wall, rise onto your toes on both feet and hold for 30 to 45 seconds. Repeat 4 to 5 times.
- Two-leg heel raises: 3 sets of 15, slow up and slower down.
- Single-leg heel raises on the floor: 3 sets of 8 to 12 each side.
- Heel raises off a step (only when the above feel easy): let the heel drop gently below the step, then rise. 3 sets of 8 to 12.
Do these every other day. Mild discomfort is normal; sharp pain is a stop sign. Guy’s and St Thomas’ notes that recovery from tendinopathy can take months, so be patient and consistent.
4. Build back gradually
Once walking and heel raises feel fine, try short run-walk intervals on flat ground, like the NHS Couch to 5K plan. Increase one thing at a time: distance or speed or hills, not all three in the same week.
5. Check your shoes and your day
Supportive trainers that are not worn flat can help. Also look at the rest of your life. If you are on your feet all day and running on top of that, the tendon has less time to recover.
When to see a physio or GP
- The pain is getting worse week on week, despite cutting back.
- You cannot do single-leg heel raises at all.
- There is a lot of swelling, a lump or redness.
- Pain is affecting your sleep or your walking.
Get urgent medical help if you feel a sudden snap or a feeling like being kicked in the back of the heel, especially if you then cannot push off or stand on tiptoe. That can be a sign of a rupture, which needs to be checked straight away.
A physio can assess your foot, ankle and calf strength and give you a personal loading plan. In my experience that plan is worth far more than any generic list.
Where a bootcamp class fits
A good class should help, not hurt. In my classes every exercise has an easier and a harder option, so if your Achilles is sore I will swap jumps for step-backs, skipping for marching and sprints for steady efforts. You still get a full 45-minute workout. Strength work for the calves, hips and legs is built into what we do, which supports the tendon over time.
If running is your main thing, read my post on bootcamp for runners. For other common lower leg niggles, see my guide to shin splints. And if you are not sure whether you are sore from a good workout or from an injury, my post on how long DOMS lasts will help you tell the difference.
FAQs
Should I keep running with Achilles pain?
Often you can keep doing some running if the pain stays mild and settles by the next morning. If it is getting worse or you are limping, stop running and see a physio.
Is stretching good for Achilles pain?
Gentle calf stretching can feel nice, but strengthening with heel raises is usually the main tool. Aggressive stretching, especially hanging your heel off a step for long periods, can irritate some tendons. Ask your physio.
How long does Achilles pain take to heal?
Mild flare-ups can settle in a few weeks with less load. Longer-standing tendinopathy often takes months of steady strengthening. Consistency matters more than intensity.
Should I use ice or heat?
Some people find ice wrapped in a towel helps early pain and swelling. It eases symptoms but does not fix the tendon. The strengthening and load changes do that.
Book your first class
If you want to keep fit while your Achilles settles, come and train with me. SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes in an indoor church hall in Archway N19, max 10 people, £15 a class, with low-impact options for every exercise. Book my £15 class or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215 and tell me about your heel. If you would like a more personal plan around an injury, see my injury-safe personal training in Archway.
About the author
Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.
