ACHILLES PAIN · RUNNING · FIRST STEPS · HILLS · PUSH-OFF
Achilles pain that won’t go away—or keeps coming back when you run?
Get a plan that takes you back to it.
It settles when you rest. Then your first steps hurt again. You try an easy run, a hill, speed work or a longer week — and it is back.
Book an Achilles assessment →45–60 minute first appointment · Appropriate treatment starts on day one · Brunswick · Fitzroy North · Thornbury
Not sure whether this is the right diagnosis or what treatment you need? Start with Premier’s Tendon Clinic. We will assess the problem, begin appropriate treatment on your first visit and give you a clear plan for what happens next.
WHEN IT KEEPS COMING BACK
Rest can quiet the pain. It does not always solve the problem.
Your goal is not just less pain. It is confidence to run again.
The solution is a plan that prepares the tendon for what you want it to do.
THE PREMIER DIFFERENCE
Do not guess your way back to running.
Find what is driving it
We assess the painful area, nearby joints, strength, movement and the demands your Achilles is handling.
Use the right tools
AxIT testing and shockwave therapy are used when they genuinely add value — not as a one-size-fits-all answer.
Build back to your goal
Your plan is built around walking, running, lifting, work or sport — the activity you actually want back.
DOES THIS SOUND LIKE YOUR ACHILLES PAIN?
You should not have to plan your running week around a sore Achilles.
The first few steps are the worst
It is stiff or sore getting out of bed, after sitting, or as you start walking—then seems to ease once you get moving.
Running has become a negotiation
You avoid hills, speed work, longer runs or back-to-back sessions because you are not sure how the Achilles will react.
It keeps settling, then returning
You rest it, reduce training or change shoes. It improves enough to give you hope—until you test it again.
WHAT YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY TRIED
More random treatment is not the answer.
You need the right next move.
Most people do not arrive at Premier having done nothing. They have already rested, iced, stretched, bought new shoes or inserts, worn a brace, reduced their running, had massage or physio, followed generic calf exercises, or considered an injection. Some of those tools can help. The problem is using them without a clear answer about what your Achilles needs now.
The question is not “What treatment should I try next?” It is “What is this Achilles ready for—and what is the smartest way back to my goal?”
YOUR 45–60 MINUTE ASSESSMENT
Leave with more than a list of exercises.
Your first appointment is designed to give you a clear answer and begin appropriate treatment on the day. We start with what you want back, assess the painful area and the wider picture, explain what we think is most likely involved, then select the treatment that makes the most sense for you.
Depending on what your physiotherapist finds, treatment may include hands-on care, dry needling, Shockwave Therapy, exercise or another appropriate physiotherapy approach. You leave knowing what was started, what to do next and how the plan will build towards your goal.
1. Get the story straight
When it started, what changed, what settles it, what flares it, and what you want to get back to.
2. Assess the whole loading picture
We look at the sore area, ankle and calf function, strength, movement, running or work demands, and other factors that can be keeping the problem going.
3. Give you a plan you understand
You leave knowing what we think is most likely involved, what to change first, where treatment fits, and how to begin building towards your goal.
ACHILLES PAIN IS NOT ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL
Where it hurts and what sets it off can change the plan.
Mid-portion Achilles pain
Pain or thickening higher up the tendon can behave differently from pain right at the heel. Your assessment helps work out which pattern you are dealing with.
Pain at the back of the heel
Symptoms close to where the tendon meets the heel can be aggravated by different positions, footwear and loading demands.
Not every sore Achilles is the same problem
That is why copying the first exercise plan you find online can leave you stuck. The plan should follow the assessment—not the other way around.
WHERE SHOCKWAVE FITS
For stubborn Achilles pain, it may be an important part of the plan.
But it is not the whole plan.
Shockwave therapy is one of the tools Premier may use when it is appropriate for the presentation in front of us. It can be particularly relevant for people who have already tried rest, generic rehabilitation or other treatments without getting where they want to go.
The difference is not simply having a machine. It is knowing when it is likely to add value, using it as part of a wider strategy, and pairing it with a progression that prepares your Achilles for real life again.
Find out whether shockwave may suit my Achilles →BACK TO THE THINGS YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO DO
The end point is not “your pain is a bit better.”
Run without bargaining
Build back to the hills, speed work, long run, parkrun or social run you have been holding back from.
Train without protecting it
Squat, lift, jump, play sport or work through your day without constantly checking how your Achilles feels.
Know what to do when life changes
Leave with a plan you understand—so a busy week, holiday or change in training does not automatically send you back to square one.
WHEN TO TAKE ACTION
Book before Achilles pain makes the decision for you.
Book if you are avoiding hills, cutting runs short, worrying about the first few steps, changing your stride, or repeatedly waiting for it to settle before it flares again. You do not need to wait until you cannot run at all.
Achilles pain: common questions
Can I keep running with Achilles pain?
The right answer depends on your symptoms, current capacity and what you are asking the tendon to do. An assessment helps you make that decision with more confidence.
Why does it feel better, then flare again?
Rest can reduce symptoms without necessarily preparing the tendon for the same demands that set it off.
Should I stretch my Achilles?
Stretching is not automatically the answer. Whether it belongs in your plan depends on the pattern of pain, the way you move and what the tendon is being asked to handle.
Do calf raises help Achilles pain?
They can be part of rehabilitation, but the right starting point, range, load and progression matter. A generic programme can be too much, too little, or simply not suited to your presentation.
Are shoes or orthotics the answer?
Footwear can influence comfort and load for some people. It is rarely the complete answer when the problem is changing how you run, walk or train.
Does shockwave therapy fix Achilles pain?
Shockwave may be useful for some people with persistent Achilles pain. It is not a replacement for understanding the problem and progressively rebuilding capacity.
What about an injection?
People often ask after trying other options. The right next step depends on what is driving your symptoms, your goals and the wider clinical picture. An assessment gives you a clearer basis for that decision.
Do I need a scan?
Not every Achilles problem needs imaging. Your clinician will explain if imaging is likely to add useful information to your assessment and plan.
How long will it take to get back to running?
That depends on the presentation, current capacity, goals and how your Achilles responds as you progress. We will give you realistic milestones rather than a vague promise.
What should I bring to my appointment?
Bring the shoes you run or train in, any relevant scans or past treatment information, and a clear sense of the activity you want back.
Will I receive treatment at my first appointment?
Yes. Your physiotherapist will assess the problem first and begin appropriate treatment during your 45–60 minute appointment. The treatment provided will depend on what they find.
Page updated 11 August 2026 · Read about Premier’s Running Injury Clinic · Research background: Dr Sanam Tavakkoli Oskouei’s Achilles tendinopathy publication.
Get a clear Achilles assessment and a plan for the activity you want back.
Brunswick · Fitzroy North · Thornbury
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