A tight heel cord, known as the Achilles tendon, and tight hamstrings limit your range of motion. Learn how to alleviate the discomfort.

Like many exercise related injuries, Achilles tendinitis, or pain in the Achilles tendon at the back of the ankle, typically results from overuse and repetitive stress.

When a doctor tests your reflexes, she looks not only for movement of the stimulated muscle but also for speed and briskness of reaction. Slow or diminished reflexes can indicate a localized problem or a remote disease affecting neural function, likely near the spine.

The calf is the muscle component in the back of a person’s lower leg. It is comprised of two muscles: gastrocnemius (main part) and the soleus. When a person says, “I tore a ligament in my calf,” he really means that he tore his Achilles tendon, as this is the primary ligament that controls the calf.

Golfer’s elbow, tennis elbow and baseball elbow all refer to elbow tendonitis, which is the inflammation, swelling and irritation of the tendons in the elbow area, and can occur after participating in these particular sports. Elbow tendonitis is an overuse injury.

Bruising around the Achilles tendon, which connects the calf muscle to the heel bone, is often caused by overuse and is common in runners.

Iliopsoas tendon issues can hinder your ability to walk, as the iliopsoas muscle plays a role in the movement of your hip and thigh. The iliopsoas muscle is actually two muscles -- the iliacus and the psoas -- that stretch from your spine into your hip and upper thigh area.

Injuring your Achilles tendon can be extremely painful. You use the Achilles tendon grouping a lot, for example, while standing and walking. So, an injury can be especially inconvenient because it affects nearly all of your movements.

Your Achilles tendon anchors your calf muscles to the back of your heel bone, and its movement is what allows you to point your toes and otherwise move your foot for walking and running. If your tendon shrinks it can cause ongoing pain just above your heel whenever you put weight on your foot.

Underpronation is a term that also goes by the name "supination." In the fitness industry, this means your ankle does not roll inward when your heel touches the ground while walking or running. Prolonged underpronation of the foot can lead to plantar fasciitis and tendinitis in the Achilles tendon.

Tendons are tissues that connect your muscles to your bones. They help your body to move by pulling on your bones when muscles contract. The main tendons that run through the foot and ankle are the achilles, anterior tibial, posterior tivial, flexor, extensor and peroneal tibial.

Your tendons keep you moving. Tendons are bands of tissue that connect muscles to bones or to other muscles, and are responsible for transmitting movement impulses from the muscles to the rest of the body.