Battling Achilles tendon pain? Looking to build strength and resilience to prevent Achilles tendonitis? Achilles tendinopathy often shows up as pain or stiffness along the back of the heel or lower calf. It develops when the Achilles tendon, which connects your calf muscles to your heel bone, becomes overloaded. The Achilles tendon acts like a spring, storing and releasing energy with every stride. When the surrounding muscles aren’t strong or coordinated enough to share that load, the tendon ta