Recently, the San Francisco 49ers placed superstar running Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve due to Achilles tendinitis, which means he must miss at least four games (and potentially more). Whenever fans hear that a player has suffered an issue related to their Achilles, they are understandably concerned.
What is Achilles tendinitis? How long is the recovery timeline? Here’s everything 49ers fans and fantasy football managers need to know about the injury.
What Is Achilles Tendinitis and How Can It Impact Performance?
According to the Mayo Clinic, “Achilles tendinitis is an overuse injury of the Achilles tendon, the band of tissue that connects calf muscles at the back of the lower leg to your heel bone.”
The clinic also says the injury “most commonly occurs in runners who have suddenly increased the intensity or duration of their runs.”
“The pain associated with Achilles tendinitis typically begins as a mild ache in the back of the leg or above the heel after running or other sports activity,” per the Mayo Clinic. Tenderness or stiffness, particularly in the morning, are also symptoms.
In terms of treatment, the clinic says most cases of Achilles tendinitis can be treated with at-home care under a doctor’s supervision. Icing the Achilles and using electrical stimulation could also help as it heals. However, more serious cases “can lead to tendon tears (ruptures) that may require surgical repair.”
Whenever a player is at risk of tearing his Achilles, teams are understandably cautious and may keep the player out until they are fully healthy.
And it gets even worse. During a recent interview on KNBR, 49ers general manager John Lynch revealed that McCaffrey is suffering from “bilateral Achilles tendinitis,” which means that he has tendinitis in both Achilles tendons. That explains why McCaffrey recently traveled to Germany to see an Achilles tendinitis specialist, as his case is a bit more complicated than typical tendinitis.
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey is consulting an expert in Germany about his Achilles tendonitis.@AdamSchefter pic.twitter.com/l0dWfxuRqF
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 23, 2024
This is certainly a red flag. This situation has escalated every week, and it’s much worse than the 49ers initially suspected when they said that he was day-to-day after missing Week 1.
Other Athletes Who Have Dealt With Achilles Tendinitis
While McCaffrey is the latest star athlete to suffer from Achilles tendinitis, plenty of athletes have dealt with this injury over the years.
“In a survey of professional athletic trainers and team physicians, Achilles tendonitis ranked third behind ankle sprains and plantar fasciitis as the primary presenting complaint within the athletic population,” according to Podiatry Today.
MORE: How Long Will Christian McCaffrey Be Out?
The 49ers are familiar with Achilles tendinitis, as one of McCaffrey’s teammates dealt with it very recently. Niners linebacker Dre Greenlaw suffered from Achilles tendinitis toward the end of last regular season and tore his Achilles while running onto the field during the Super Bowl.
After witnessing Greenlaw’s Achilles tendinitis lead to a torn Achilles, San Francisco will likely be very cautious with McCaffrey and keep him sidelined until he’s 100%.
Other professional athletes who dealt with Achilles tendinitis recently include New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks point guard Damian Lillard, Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schröder, White Sox left fielder Andrew Benintendi, and Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen.