How important is your Achilles for total body movement?

October 2, 2025 •

2 min read

The Achilles tendon is the largest and strongest tendon in your body, capable of withstanding immense force during daily activities like walking and running. So, how important is your Achilles? In short, it is absolutely critical for all weight-bearing and propulsive movements.

Quick Summary

The Achilles tendon is a powerhouse of mobility, enabling fundamental movements like pushing off the ground, standing on your toes, and jumping. Its health is paramount for maintaining independence, athletic performance, and everyday function, and an injury can have severe consequences.

Key Points

Anatomical Importance: The Achilles is the largest and strongest tendon in the human body, connecting your calf muscles to your heel bone.
Essential for Mobility: It is crucial for all forms of locomotion, from walking and running to jumping and standing on your toes.
High-Risk Structure: Due to the immense forces it handles and a limited blood supply, the Achilles is prone to injury, including tendinitis and rupture.
Daily Life Impact: An injury can severely restrict everyday activities like climbing stairs and walking, impacting overall quality of life.
Preventative Measures: Proper warm-ups, gradual increases in activity, and regular stretching and strengthening exercises are key to maintaining Achilles health.
Vulnerable to Age: The risk of Achilles issues increases with age due to natural wear and tear, making care even more important for older individuals.
Slow Healing: The tendon's poor blood supply means that recovery from injury can be slow, with untreated issues potentially leading to chronic problems.

The Anatomical Powerhouse of Your Leg

Named after the vulnerable hero of Greek mythology, the Achilles tendon connects the calf muscles—specifically the gastrocnemius and soleus—to the heel bone (calcaneus). This vital fibrous cord is exceptionally strong and resilient, designed to transmit the force generated by your powerful calf muscles to your foot, allowing for precise and powerful movements.

The Critical Function of Plantarflexion

The primary function of the Achilles tendon is to facilitate plantarflexion, the movement that points your foot downward. This action is essential for pushing off the ground during walking and running, standing on tiptoes, and explosive movements like jumping.

Acting as a Dynamic Spring

During high-impact activities, the Achilles tendon acts like a spring, storing and releasing elastic energy to improve movement efficiency. This can involve forces up to 8 to 10 times a person's body weight, demonstrating its remarkable capacity and the significant stress it manages.

The Devastating Impact of an Achilles Injury

Due to its critical role and the forces it handles, the Achilles tendon is vulnerable to injury, which can significantly impact daily life. Common injuries include inflammation (tendinitis), degeneration (tendinosis), and tears (ruptures). Symptoms vary from pain and stiffness to sudden, sharp pain and the inability to bear weight, potentially affecting athletic careers and basic mobility.

Causes of Achilles Vulnerability

Factors contributing to Achilles vulnerability include a limited blood supply, which slows healing, and overuse or training errors. Improper footwear, age and gender (particularly middle-aged men), and tight calf muscles also increase risk.

Tendon Injuries: A Comparative Look


Feature	Achilles Tendinitis	Achilles Rupture
Onset	Gradual, often linked to repetitive strain.	Sudden, often feels like being kicked in the calf.
Symptoms	Pain and stiffness, especially in the morning or after activity; thickening of the tendon.	Sharp pain, swelling, a 'pop' sound, and inability to stand on toes.
Tendon State	Inflammation or degeneration of the tendon fibers.	Partial or complete tear of the tendon.
Severity	Ranges from mild to severe; can become chronic if untreated.	Serious; immediate medical attention required for proper healing.
Treatment	Rest, ice, anti-inflammatories, stretching, physical therapy.	May involve surgery or immobilization; long recovery period.

Strategies for Prevention and Recovery

Preventing an Achilles injury through specific exercises can improve flexibility and strength. These include calf stretches and eccentric heel drops, which build tendon strength, and calf raises for muscle strengthening.

Prevention is Your Best Defense

Preventative measures include warming up properly before exercise to increase blood flow, gradually increasing activity levels (following the 10% rule), and wearing supportive footwear.

Conclusion: Prioritizing Your Achilles

The Achilles tendon is vital for daily movement, from running to climbing stairs. Understanding its function, risks, and implementing preventative strategies like stretching and strengthening can protect this crucial body part. Neglecting pain or injury can lead to significant long-term issues. For more details on common Achilles conditions, consult resources like the American Academy of Family Physicians: Common Conditions of the Achilles Tendon.

Frequently Asked Questions

The main function of the Achilles tendon is to transmit force from your calf muscles to your heel bone, enabling you to push off the ground when walking, running, or jumping, and to stand on your tiptoes.

Yes, some people can still walk with a ruptured Achilles tendon, though it is often very difficult. Other muscles can provide some function, but walking will be impaired, and you will be unable to stand on your toes.

Initial signs of Achilles tendinitis often include a mild ache in the back of the leg or above the heel, particularly after running or other sports activity. Pain and stiffness may also be noticed in the morning.

Yes, Achilles injuries are quite common, particularly among athletes and middle-aged men who engage in sports. The incidence is increasing as more people take up physical activity.

To prevent an injury, you should regularly stretch and strengthen your calf muscles, wear proper footwear, and increase your training intensity or duration gradually.

Healing time varies greatly depending on the severity of the injury. Tendinitis can take weeks to months, while a full rupture, with or without surgery, can take 6 to 12 months for full recovery.

The Achilles tendon is the primary and strongest tendon, formed by the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. However, other muscles in the foot and leg, such as the flexor hallucis longus, can also assist in ankle movement.