Painful segment in Achilles tendon?

[BenHart]

Hi

Male (53) amateur runner. I started feeling pain in the back of the lower left leg some 4-5 weeks ago.
It started with a 'general' calf tightness and eventually calf pain causing me to stop mid run. Quite possibly due to doing too much too soon.
I then avoided running for about 2 weeks and running ability came back so that calf pain may start after 7-8 km.
In addition I had some morning stiffness in the calf area but as I reduced running this is now much better.
I can do calf raises (to failure) and stretching (I normally don't stretch at all) of gastroc and/or soleus - both pain free.


Yesterday I decided to palpate my Achilles with extra care.
I started pinching the Achilles very gently progressing slowly from the heel bone up.
When I get to 13cm up I begin to feel a small and painful swelling along the tendon.
This swelling is most painful at 13 cm and it is a longish swelling of about 2cm (getting to 15cm up where it is less painful)
Applying pressure on this swelling (which feels a bit hard) can be very painful.

It seems that this is a specific find on the tendon but I wanted to know if this is really a calf issue or a tendon (or both?)

May I just add I had running-related calf issues (both sides) few years back.

Would welcome any thoughts on this injury.

Many thanks

Ben

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[BenHart]

More details:
- When I pinch 'the tendon' at 13cm from heel bone there is a possibility that I am also pinching some portion of the muscle.
- If I press (or foam roll), even hard, on the same location there is no pain. I have to pinch in order to feel the swelling and only then recreate the pain.
- Could it be a small calf tear in the Soleus/Achilles junction (just behind the achilles tendon)?
- I take it that rehab of a calf tear and of a tendinopathy are two very different things...