If you are hunting for the best running shoes for Achilles tendonitis, then we can help you to make the right choice.
In this analysis, we are going to discuss the following brands to fit your running needs:
According to the latest statistic, Achilles tendon rupture in population is estimated to be 5 to 10 per 100,000. It may be higher in some countries, but is increasing overall. Over 80 per cent of ruptures occur during sports activities such as long marathons and sprints.
Yes, this medical condition is quite common in men and women. It either depreciates your running performance or hinders your form. However, with the right choice, you can up your running game.
With our latest and up to date collection of shoes, you will be back to the running track in no time. So let’s delve into the ocean of shoes and help you to make a smart purchasing decision.
Best Running Shoes For Achilles Tendonitis (Women Only)
NIKE AIR ZOOM VOMERO 13
If you are trying to lose weight and want to buy comfortable shoes to prevent Achilles tendonitis, then Vomero 13 is the right choice for you.
With its pleasing design, Nike Air Zoom Vomero 13 provides sufficient underfoot cushioning. It makes your running smooth and responsive.
Even the upper is smooth and flexible as many commenters told that it provides a soft Snapple feel.
It is lightweight, and many runners state that the overall experience with the shoe is quite comfortable.
This shoe can be easily be the winner for the best running shoes for achilles tendonitis.
Pros:
- Durability.
- Arch support.
- Lightweight.
- Multiple shapes and designs.
Cons:
- Costly.
ASICS Women’s GEL-Nimbus 21
Women usually suffer fewer symptoms of Achilles tendonitis than their male counterparts. Despite this fact, there are a majority of women who suffer from this injury.
To mitigate their concern, ASICS offers the brand new edition of Gel Nimbus 21.
The new version of ASICS offers a smooth heel-clutching system that ensures a proper cushioning system and gives you a different running experience.
It comes with a very unique and bold design. Along with that, it offers soft padding, which gives a smooth, breathable effect. In fact, it makes your running experience a blessing.
With its lightweight and mesh upper, the new ASICS has everything that is needed to prevent the occurrence of Achilles tendonitis.
With mesh upper and amazing shock absorbing technology, the Asics gel nimbus is verily the best running shoes for achilles tendonitis.
Pros:
- High durability with a bold design.
- Solid construction and lightweight.
- Extra cushioning, enhances the running experience.
- Soft sole.
Cons:
- Limited Colors.
Adidas Women’s Cloudfoam running shoes
If you are looking for affordable yet amazing running shoes for Achilles tendonitis, then Adidas Cloudfoam pure is the right choice for you. With its immaculate bold design and effective cushioning system, this shoe will give you a smooth running experience.
These are multi-functional shoes. You can easily use them for running, jogging and walking. They are lightweight yet breathable and comfortable. You can wear them the entire day with ease.
Not only will it help women with plantar fasciitis, but it also helps with the Achilles tendonitis. With its smooth and effective running mechanisms and breathable properties, this shoe is designed exclusively for women who are always on their toes and multi-tasking.
Pros:
- Multi-functional.
- Durability.
- Comfortable and effective cushioning.
- Affordable price.
Cons:
- Limited Variations.
New Balance (Women’s FuelCore Nergize V1 Cross Trainer)
Lightweight, durable and supportive, the FuelCore Nergize women’s cross trainer V1 are the highly recommended running shoes for Achilles tendonitis. If you ask me, I would recommend this to you.
With its bold designs, they provide adequate response and cushioning while you run. Its breathability factor gives you a competitive advantage if you run in hot climatic conditions.
Pros:
- Clean look with simplicity.
- Multi-purpose wear.
- Immaculate designs.
Cons:
- Ambiguous sizing.
- Ineffective support mechanism.
Nike Women’s Air Zoom Pegasus 33
There is no denying the fact that Nike provides one of the best running shoes for women. Nike Pegasus rightly deserves the top choice.
Pegasus 33 provides multiple designs to choose from at an affordable price. Primarily this edition of Nike shoes focuses on intensive running such as sprints and trail running. This shoe is designed to give effective cushioning and makes you improve your time intervals.
If you are trying to reduce running time and want to prevent injury, then Nike Pegasus 33 is the best option for you.
Pros:
- Admirable designs with multiple shapes.
- Extra cushioning for comfort.
- Multi-tasking shoe.
Cons:
- Issues may arise with colour choice.
Best Running Shoes For Achilles Tendonitis (Men Only)
Brooks Men’s Ghost 12
The main reason why I recommend this product is its cool attributes. This running beast has arch support, best cushioning and ventilating features. It helps in providing support to calf muscle and tendon. As your foot might get swollen with Achilles tendonitis, Brooks Men’s Ghost 12 will help you to reduce pain and discomfort naturally.
This pair of shoes comes at the right price and size. I admire its simple design yet great features. It also has that snug fit element that will help your foot to fit in comfortably.
These are ultimately the best running shoes for achilles tendonitis for their capacity and shock absorbing capability.
Pros:
- Durability. Long-lasting shoes with better insoles.
- Simple design with yet amazing support features.
- Insoles designed to provide calf muscles with support.
- Breathable and ventilating features.
Cons:
- Pricey.
ASICS Men’s Gel-Nimbus 18
Many runners are of the view that ASICS does not give a quality experience. While this may be true in the past, today ASICS has drastically improved the quality of its output. With a brand new addition to the ASICS family, Men’s Gel-Nimbus 18, you can now have good running experience.
Many men are prone to Achilles tendonitis more than women. So, ASICS has this smart feature of a smooth bounce back and soft cushioning. It will assist you as you run.
This edition of ASICS fulfills almost all the requirements that were missing in the past. So I believe it will be a sensible investment if you are unable to recover from calf and tendon pain.
They will be the best running shoes for achilles tendonitis if you have severe calf pain or you do not want the reoccurrence of it.
Pros:
- Snug fit. It has a stretched mesh fit which is flexible and adapts to your feet.
- Seamless construction as it reduces friction in and around the feet.
- Lightweight and gives less shock while running.
- Flexibility in the movement and mitigates injury risk.
Cons:
- Not suitable for hard rocky terrains as it is more prone to tears.
ASICS GEL-CUMULUS 22
ASICS Gel Cumulus 22 is yet again a smart edition in ASICS family. The latest version has been designed to give you more exceptional cushioning as you run. ASICS has wholly transformed this shoe and has made it lightweight, with a 3d print upper. It increases comfort and provides a snappy feel.
This shoe provides a firm heel cup that keeps your ankle and heel together. As a result, it provides necessary support to the Achilles area and helps you to run smoothly.
Since Cumulus 22 has a 10 mm heel to toe drop, it decreases the amount of stress exerted on the Achilles. The front sole has a spring gel while the heel has an enduring shock gel. Altogether, these gels prevent your feet from excessive shocks and give you a good running experience.
For their wide toe box and extra cushioning, these are indeed the best running shoes for achilles tendonitis.
Pros:
- Soft upper. Great experience as you slide your foot inside the shoe.
- Wider toe box. Comforts the toe gives space to wiggle.
- Flexible for all kinds of toes.
- Achilles supports. Gives arch support to smoothen the running experience.
Cons:
- Costly.
NIKE AIR ZOOM PEGASUS 36
Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 36 is a perfect edition for those men who want to prevent Achilles tendonitis from occurring and reoccurring. With its heel to toe drop feature, it provides a neutral stride to the runners. This gives the arch support and makes your running experience extremely viable.
The midsole provides cushion and absorbs shock while protecting your foot at the same time.
This version of Nike Air Zoom furnishes a mesh upper that gives more significant room for ventilation and makes your foot breathe altogether.
Pegasus comes in all shapes and sizes. You can view the varying colors for yourself.
Since they have impeccable grip and comfortable midsoles, they can safely be said the best running shoes for achilles tendonitis.
Pros:
- Greater arch support
- Smoothens running experience
- Good colour, complexions.
- Greater durability and lightweight
Cons:
- Limited Colors.
MIZUNO WAVE INSPIRE 16
Mizuno Wave Inspires 16 is an immaculate running shoe that assists in the prevention of Achilles tendonitis.
With its shock-absorbing capacity, it will take special care of your ligaments and tendons. Although it is a lightweight shoe, it provides durability and stability for all types of runners.
This shoe has a durable sole which means that your tendons will be at ease during upward strides. The stress endured on muscles will be mitigated, and this will prevent you from injury.
Mizuno has stood the test of time and they can be easily regarded as the best running shoes for achilles tendonitis.
Pros:
- Comfortable mid soles with adequate support.
- Sizable toe box which helps you to wiggle toe easily.
- Stability shoe and lightweight.
- Durability with arch support.
Cons:
- May not provide sufficient support to heavyweight runners.
NEW BALANCE 990V5
I would personally recommend this shoe to all those suffering from Achilles tendonitis. With its classic design, this shoe provides massive cushioning and stable arch support.
This shoe has a more exceptional ventilation facility which will help your feet to breath in sweltering climatic conditions. As it provides credible cushioning, it is suitable for all those looking for arch support.
These pairs of new balance 990v5 provide efficiency, agility and prevent numbness from occurring. They are optimized for posturing and comfort, and this will help in alleviating pain in heels and tendons.
While the previous version of New balance running shoes had complaints, this new edition of new balance shoes will prove to be the best running shoes for Achilles tendonitis.
Pros:
- High comfort level.
- Useful for all kinds of foot types.
- Healthy arch support.
- Improves agility and efficiency.
- Greater breathability.
Cons:
- Expensive.
- Greater comfort over running efficiency.
Achilles Tendonitis: Brief Overview
Before we delve into understanding Achilles tendonitis in detail, let us first assess what Achilles tendonitis is and how we can cure it.
Achilles tendonitis is a tissue band that connects calf muscles from your lower leg to your heel bone. Because of its overuse, runners tend to face this problem the most.
Runners usually practice different variations while running. It can differ from long marathons to short sprints. However, Achilles tendonitis is most common in those runners who tend to enhance their intensity or duration of running. This condition is most common in old runners as the tendons deteriorate with age.
In the beginning, Achilles tendonitis starts as mild leg aches when you exercise or play sports. Over time, the severity intensifies as we are exposed to multiple forms of exercise. Symptoms show its effects in the early morning in the way of the stiffness of muscles.
Nevertheless, there are many cures to this condition that we will discuss in the next section.
What Causes Achilles Tendonitis In Runners?
The following factors cause Achilles tendonitis:
- Repetitive or high-intensity exercise or running activity.
- Constant running without breaks or intervals.
- Spontaneously changing running speeds and motions.
- Sports that have quick starts and stops.
- Poor shoe choice or shoe designs with poor insoles and cushioning system.
- Climbing at a very high speed and intensity.
- Unable to stretch leg muscles after a vigorous exercise session.
How do you know if you have damaged your Achilles tendon?
If you are feeling one of these symptoms, then you might be having this condition.
- You will feel weakness in your legs. There will be a slight pain in the lower leg or near the heel after your complete running.
- There will be mild to excessive swelling near the area of Achilles tendonitis. You will not notice this all of a sudden, but it will emanate after a day or two.
- Once you wake up the next day, you will feel drowsy. There will be a feeling of leg stiffness. This would prolong for a day or two.
- There will be mild pain in the body, especially in legs when you climb up or downstairs.
CAN I KEEP RUNNING WITH ACHILLES TENDONITIS?
If you have the symptoms as described above, then you need to stop doing all the sporting activities. This includes all kinds of movements that are directly associated with lower leg and tendons.
It is highly advisable to consult an Orthopaedic surgeon. They have expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders associated with bones, tendons, joints and ligaments.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I KEEP RUNNING WITH ACHILLES TENDONITIS?
First thing comes first that you need to consult an Orthopaedic surgeon to mitigate this condition.
However, it is not recommended to run. If you continue running, the pain in your tendons will put stress on your tissues.
It will increase swelling around your tendon that will make it difficult for you to sustain or get rid off.This will adversely affect your tendon and will also impede you from walking or jogging if you decide not to run.
While you may be able to run, you will worsen your recovery, and it will make things difficult for you in the long run.
HOW LONG SHOULD I STOP AND RECOVER AFTER ACHILLES TENDONITIS?
It is recommended that you stop running for at least three weeks. However, it depends upon the level of injury.
As soon as your tissues recover and swelling goes away, you can start slow and then up your level slowly and gradually.
How Should Runners Treat Achilles Tendonitis?
Well, there are multiple ways to mitigate or lessen the pain of Achilles tendonitis. This includes:
- Use a foam roller to massage the calves.
- Icing after you have performed high intensity running.
- Heating before each run.
- Supportive running shoes with better cushioning and ventilation.
- Eccentric heel drops and heel lift exercise. Make sure you do it with an expert, or you may end up messing your tendons.
Another treatment to recover fast is iontophoresis with dexamethasone. In this treatment, a therapist will utilize anti-inflammatory steroids to relieve tendon pain.
Bear it in mind that you don’t have to stretch your lower leg excessively. Only light stretching will do good. Once you recover fully, you can practice pre and post running stretches in a holistic manner.
HOW DO I START RUNNING AFTER ACHILLES TENDONITIS?
Once you have fully recovered from Achilles tendonitis, then you would aspire to return to your daily running routine. While you may be enticed to do so, this would not mean that you jump into running all of a sudden. The process that I will highlight below needs to be considered once you get back to normalcy. It is a step-by-step process that will help you to up your running wizard.
- First, do a bit of stretching. These are routine pre-run stretches that you do before running. But make sure you don’t do it intensely as it might hurt your leg muscles.
- Start at a gradual pace. You need to follow a constant pre-run motion so that it does not affect your tendons. Do this for at least fifteen minutes.
- Slowly up your pace while keeping a check if your legs are not hurting.
- Complete your run. Perform post-run stretches.
- Wait for a day or two to analyze the effects of running.
- If you don’t feel any symptoms, then it means that you have fully recovered. But make sure to run at a steady pace and motion daily.
How Do I Prevent Achilles Tendonitis While Running?
If you are an avid runner, then you may come across this medical condition quite often. Even for the amateur runners, they may face the brunt of Achilles tendonitis if they do not run sufficiently.
However, if you are a cautious person, then you can take precautionary measures to avoid the occurrence of Achilles tendonitis while running.
First, you need to scrutinize the running shoes that you are wearing carefully. If you are a heel striker, then you are more prone to wear out the sole of the shoe.
When this is the case, then the mid-sole becomes unusually compressed. Resultantly, the tendon becomes overstretched as heel strikes. To resolve this issue, the heel strikers need to adjust their overall form and motion of the body.
Every runner needs to buy the correct pair of shoes to absorb force and shock. If the decision is not made wisely, tendons swell and running would be severely hampered.
So for heel strikers, they need to avoid purchasing running shoes with a high profile. Such pairs of shoes have a significant distance between the foot and the ground.
CAN I CHANGE MY FORM OR TECHNIQUE TO HELP PREVENT ACHILLES TENDONITIS?
Yes, you can. But you need to commit that you will change the form.
It is essential for the heel strikers to adjust their forms. They will drastically reduce their pain if they:
- Lean forward and put the head out and feet behind while running.
- Chin should be tucked, and shoulders should be set back.
- Pelvis position should be slightly forward.
DOES BAREFOOT RUNNING OR MINIMAL RUNNING SHOES CAUSE ACHILLES TENDONITIS?
In the past, minimal running shoes or barefoot running were a better alternative to combat Achilles tendonitis. However, such claims are nothing but a fallacy.
In fact, there is a higher chance of calf pain if you do so. Therefore, make your decisions wisely.
WILL INSERTS OR ORTHOTICS HELP WITH ACHILLES TENDONITIS?
Definitely, but it depends upon the quality of inserts.
Inserts will assist in elevating your heel. It will reduce the pressure on tendons and smoothes your running experience.
It also increases the support for your running shoes.
How to Choose the Best Running Shoes For Achilles Tendonitis
Buying and owning the best running shoe requires a lot of careful assessment and expert advice. It takes a lot of research to assess which factors to consider and which not to.
It is not about selecting the popular ones but selecting the right ones. One wrong decision can only worsen your medical conditions. So let us now delve into the factors that you need to analyze while making a smart choice prudently
What’s the Size and Weight
Yes, shoes have to be supportive and comfortable. But you need to ensure that it is the right size. For this, you should know your foot size. If you don’t know, then get a measurement instrument and assess the size.
It is my recommendation to go a half size big and get lightweight shoes. As you will be wearing inserts as well, so going half size up will make your shoes more comfortable and smooth.
As for the weight, lightweight shoes will help you to run faster. It will also exert less stress on your calf and tendons.
Where Are You Running?
Many of us do not realize the track on which we are running. Research suggests that running on a hard track may worsen your tendon conditions and may lead to swelling.
Above all, there are different shoes for different conditions. For example, shoe criteria are different if you run on a flat, hilly or a hard track.
Similarly, the criteria are different for long marathons, short sprints, road and trail tracks.
So, keep in mind where you run. Your choice largely depends on it.
Cushioning and Ventilation
Ventilation is an important indicator. If you purchase a shoe with breathable mesh, there will be more ventilation. It will help your feet to breathe if you run in hot and dry weather.
Extra cushioning will help create arch support which will assist you in balancing yourself while running a long marathon.
Support and Comfort
If you are suffering from Achilles tendonitis or you have recently recovered from it, then you require shoes with arch support.
Look for shoes that orthopaedics and arch support features. This will surely lessen and mitigate the pain and puts less pressure on heels.
Its Design and Price
If you have recently recovered from Achilles tendonitis, then I will suggest you buy the right quality shoe. If I were you, I would have cared less about the price and more about the features that the product has to offer.
Of course, design matters. But the most critical factor are the features such as arch support, cushioning systems and ventilation. If these features are present, I will opt for such shoes, irrespective of the price and design.
The Benefits Of Using the Right Running Shoes
It is imperative to make the right choice to treat Achilles tendonitis effectively.
Before buying a pair of running shoes, it is vital to make sure that you have adequately researched. But how can you choose the right kind of shoes, and what factors you need to consider while making a purchasing decision?
Better Support For Less Pain
When I recovered from Achilles tendonitis, I quickly ran to the nearest shoe store and changed my pair of running shoes.
So before considering to buy, you need to ensure that the support system is much better. It will help to support the calf muscles and prevent an injury to the tendons.
More Comfort and Breathability
Yes, this is an essential factor as well. Nobody wants to run while making his/her feet uncomfortable.
While making a purchasing decision, I usually ensure cushioning, and breathability systems are in proper check. After all, breathing mechanisms are important under hot weather conditions.
If the factors as mentioned earlier are there, I go for those shoes.
Prevents More Injuries From Happening
Runners are prone to injuries if they are not with the right shoes. So running shoes that have arch support will prevent you from massive injuries impending in future. If you have the right size, shape and support, you are good to go.
Can Help Increase Your Performance In Running
Many runners like me have this constant habit of keeping a check and balance on their running performance. I usually monitor and analyze with different software tools in my mobile app.
I believe one of the fundamental factors to up your performance game is to have the right pair of running shoes. If you don’t have these, then your performance tracking devices are of no use. Worse, you might not improve performance at all.
How to Treat and Run Properly With Achilles Tendonitis?
- Use a foam roller to loosen the calf muscles.
- Regularly indulge in calf stretches. It will help in smoothening and lengthening the calf and Achilles tendon.
- Make sure to make a running calendar that you have to follow. Run-on certain days while taking rest on the other. Regular intensive running may worsen the calf pain and cause Achilles tendonitis. Reducing physical activity will help in recovering from swelling.
- Icing can help. Icing the swollen area will help in a smooth recovery. While icing, you can slowly move your foot upwards to reduce swelling.
If you think that the symptoms are not dissipating, then you will have to consult a therapist. This may include anti-inflammatory medicines.
Preventing Achilles Tendonitis
You need to balance motion while running. Changing the intensity of activity may adversely impact and may cause a medical condition. If you want to increase the strength, do it gradually, like 10% to 15%.
Pre and post-run stretches are the need of the hour. I have seen that many runners, even the veterans in this field, do not perform pre-running stretches. So, these stretches may help you to escape this medical condition.
A healthy diet is a must. Protein contains amino acids, which are useful for tissue repair and muscle enhancement. Therefore, lots and lots of proteins with anti-inflammatory food will help you. Altogether, it will not only enhance your running performance but will protect your tendons from injury.
Conclusion
I believe that if you are passionate enough, you can travel miles to combat any medical condition. So having medical issues like Achilles tendonitis should not compel you to give up your running dream.
If you invest in yourself, treat well and make the right choices, then you would do well.
So, here we prudently went through all the products, and now we need to make a final verdict. To mitigate confusion and come directly to the point, we recommend Brooks Men’s Ghost 12 for men. The reason being that these pairs of shoes would take care of your tendons because of their arch support and effective cushioning system.
For women, we suggest Nike Air Zoom Vomero 13. It is because it has a lovely and beautiful design, yet its attributes cannot be underestimated. These are lightweight shoes that give a perfect running experience. They are not only smooth but soft to wear. So this is our number one recommendation.
We hope that we have satisfied your concerns regarding the best pair of running shoes for Achilles tendonitis. Please feel free to comment below if you have any thoughts in mind. We would be happy to respond to you.
