show swelling and calcification of the tendon, while a scan will give more detail if required. What else could it be?You need to be sure that the injury is not to the patella itself, such as a stress fracture or a congenital defect

tendinitis and gait analysis with a video will show whether your pronation needs treatment.What else could it be?Other more severe injuries to the tendon, lower calf muscle tears or simple heel tab bruising can all produce pain within the tendon

. —Martin Haines, chartered physiotherapist and sports injury specialist

Learning how to manage injury – and the threat of injury – is an unavoidable side-effect of being a runner, but how can you tell whether the sudden onset of pain will pass in a couple of miles or is a sign of something more serious? Is the only

) or neglected (understretched, understrengthened), they’ll complain. And the result could be one of the two most chronic, hard-to-heal injuries a runner can face – namely, plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendinitis. To avoid the dreaded ‘itises’ it helps to first

) or neglected (understretched, understrengthened), they’ll complain. And the result could be one of the two most chronic, hard-to-heal injuries a runner can face – namely, plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendinitis. To avoid the dreaded ‘itises’ it helps to first

(forefoot)Plantar FasciitisAnkle-area InjuriesAchilles RuptureAchille Rupture (partial)Ankle PainAnkle SprainPeritendinitis (Achilles)Achilles TendinitisLower-leg injuriesAnterior Compartment SyndromeCalf tearShinsplintsStress FracturesTibial Periositis

by members of Runner's World just like you. If you want to bring a discussion back to life, don't be shy: just add a new message at the end of it. Alternatively, start a new thread on the injury & health forum. HEALTH: BEATING INJURYFoot Blisters

, causing swelling of the nerve along with the pain.What else could it be?Pain over the metatarsal heads (metatarsalgia), a stress fracture of the bone, or tendinitis may mimic the pain, while conditions varying from diabetes to multiple sclerosis could

thickening in Kagar’s triangle, the area between the front of the tendon and the back of the tibia.What else could it be?It could be Achilles tendinitis, although it is important to remember that you may be suffering from several conditions at once