I Have Achilles Tendinitis and Playing Tennis Makes My Pain Worse the Next Morning

When your Achilles pain is worse the morning after playing tennis, repeated running and push-offs can leave an already painful tendon more irritated overnight.

If your Achilles seems tolerable during tennis but hurts more when you take your first steps the next morning, the delayed increase can be frustrating. The repeated court movement may have asked more of your Achilles tendon than it could comfortably handle, even if the pain did not become severe during the match.

After that repeated activity, the tendon can become more sensitive and less comfortable with normal movement. That is why you may notice the difference most clearly when you get out of bed, walk downstairs, or take those first few steps after sleeping.

Your Achilles Takes A Beating During Repeated Push-Offs

Quick starts and repeated push-offs make your Achilles work throughout the match.

Every time you drive off the court to reach a ball, your calf muscles and Achilles tendon help produce that movement. Tennis can repeat those push-offs over and over, especially when you are moving quickly from side to side, which can place more stress on a tendon already affected by tendinitis.

The Extra Soreness Shows Up After You Stop

The tendon can become more painful after the activity rather than at the exact moment you finish playing.

Once the match is over, the repeated demand on your Achilles has stopped, but the effects of that activity can still be noticeable. You may feel increasingly sore later that evening and then wake up with a tighter, more painful Achilles that makes your first few steps uncomfortable.

Why Your Achilles Hurts More The Next Morning

Your Achilles has a hard time healing when blood flow and circulation are limited.

Tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues naturally receive less blood supply than many other parts of the body. Because of this, they often take longer to heal after repeated stress or injury, leaving you more vulnerable to lingering pain and a cycle of reinjury.

When circulation through the area remains limited, injured tissues have a harder time receiving the vital oxygen and nutrients they need to repair and heal. This can leave your Achilles feeling stiff, tight, weak, or painful during everyday movement and activity.

What Can Help Your Achilles Feel Better

Your Achilles starts feeling better when blood flow and circulation improve.

Chinese herbs have been used for centuries to promote healthy blood flow and circulation. Their medicinal properties help break up stagnant blood and fluids that remain trapped around injured tissues, interfering with circulation. As circulation improves, blood flows more freely through the area, allowing those tissues to receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal properly.

Topical herbal remedies made with these Chinese herbs can help relieve pain while improving blood flow and circulation to injured tissues. The right product depends on your symptoms and whether you're in the acute or chronic stage of recovery.

If you have pain, swelling, inflammation, or bruising, Acute Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by increasing circulation and dispersing stagnant blood and fluids around the injured area to speed recovery. During the acute stage of healing, getting circulation moving early allows injured tissues to receive the fresh blood, oxygen, and nutrients they need to repair and heal.

If your injured area is especially swollen, red, or warm to the touch after a recent injury or flare-up, Sinew Herbal Ice is also used to reduce swelling and inflammation while restoring normal circulation so you can quickly regain range of motion. While traditional ice is commonly used to reduce swelling, Sinew Herbal Ice acts as an ice alternative to reduce swelling and inflammation while also dispersing accumulated blood and fluids to speed the healing process.

If you no longer have swelling or inflammation, but still have pain, stiffness, weakness, or sensitivity in cold and damp weather, Chronic Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by strongly stimulating circulation and increasing blood supply to injured tendons and ligaments to promote their healing. This is especially important because tendons and ligaments naturally receive less blood supply, which is why chronic injuries can take longer to heal.

If you have residual pain and stiffness, or the area becomes more painful in cold weather, Sinew Injury Poultice is also used to significantly stimulate circulation to injured tendons and ligaments to further promote their healing. By strongly increasing circulation, it counteracts the reduced blood flow caused by cold weather that commonly aggravates chronic tendon and ligament injuries.

If you exercise, play sports, or do other strenuous activities, Sinew Sports Massage Oil warms and stimulates muscles for exertion and relieves muscle tightness and soreness after activity. Warming and preparing your muscles before activity can improve flexibility, enhance performance, and reduce the risk of injury.

Frequently Asked Questions

You may also find these commonly asked questions helpful.

Why is my Achilles pain worse the morning after tennis?

Repeated running and push-offs during tennis can place extra stress on your Achilles, making pain and stiffness more noticeable the next morning.

Why does my Achilles hurt when I first get out of bed after tennis?

Your Achilles may feel stiff and painful with the first few steps because the tendon has been stressed by repeated activity the previous day.

Can tennis make Achilles tendinitis worse the next day?

Yes. Repeated court movement can aggravate an Achilles tendon affected by tendinitis and make your symptoms more noticeable afterward.

Why does my Achilles feel better during tennis but worse the next morning?

Your symptoms may be less noticeable while you are moving but become more apparent after the repeated activity ends and you rest.

Should I play tennis if my Achilles hurts more the next morning?

If tennis repeatedly makes your Achilles more painful the following morning, reducing the aggravating activity may help prevent further irritation.

The information provided here is intended to help you better understand your symptoms and recovery, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Persistent, severe, or worsening symptoms should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.