Treating Achilles Tendon Pain
Your Achilles tendon is a durable band of fibrous tissue that connects your heel to your calf muscle. The Achilles tendon may become damaged or inflamed from ankle injuries typically caused by quickly speeding up, slowing down, or pivoting. An inflamed Achilles tendon, or tendonitis, can be treated in several different ways. The treatment options for Achilles tendon pain fall under three categories; home treatments, therapeutic treatments, and medical procedures.
Home Treatments for Achilles Tendon Pain:
Rest is the most crucial part of treatment, and the length of rest required will depend on the extent of the damage. Partial rest means you can modify your activities and intensity levels of any exercise. However, complete rest means the tendon is severely damaged, and you must keep off of it fully.
Ice baths, cold compresses, or ice massages can reduce swelling, pain, and inflammation. Ice the injury 15 to 20 minutes at a time. 2 – 3 hours between each application. Many people use alternating heat and ice therapy for muscle pain. However, do not use heat for tendon injuries.
Try new footwear that offers complete support and comfort. In fact, the right footwear and supportive insoles can reduce the risk of injury to your Achilles tendon.
Change the surface you play sports on. Athletes are more likely to get tendonitis than anyone else. Therefore, a softer playing surface can reduce the risk of injury. When running, use synthetic tracks instead to reduce the amount of stress placed on the Achilles tendon and your joints.
Stretching and strengthening exercises will help improve ankle stability and calf strength. Movements that typically cause injury to the Achilles tendon are less likely when your ankle and calf are stronger.
Achilles Tendon Pain Therapeutic Treatments
Anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) are for pain relief and inflammation from tendonitis. The most prescribed anti-inflammatories are ibuprofen, aspirin, and cox-2 inhibitors.
Physical therapy may be scheduled for more severe injuries to reduce pain and improve the body’s ability to heal.
Orthotic devices are also given by your doctor or orthopedic specialist to reduce the stress placed on your tendon. Such devices include Achilles straps and heel lifts.
Night splints are exactly what they sound like, worn during sleep. A night splint works to stretch your Achilles tendon while relaxed. Therefore, strengthening it and helping it heal.
A temporary brace or cast will prevent your ankle from moving. This reduces the movement of the tendon so it can have time to heal.
Transdermal nitroglycerin patches are for severe Achilles tendon injuries. Nitroglycerin is a vasodilator that promotes the relaxation of blood vessels. It’s first applied over the tendon, therefore, delivering a steady release of medication throughout the day.
Medical Procedures:
Therapeutic ultrasound can stimulate the Achilles tendon and the nearby muscles with high-frequency waves to relax them to promote healing. Cold Level Laser Therapy involves the use of wavelengths of light to accelerate tendon healing and reduced inflammation.
Iontophoresis is a non-invasive procedure that uses a mild electrical current to deliver anti-inflammatory medications through the skin directly to the Achilles tendon. This procedure is a preferred treatment option for individuals that do not like injections.
Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) is non-invasive. It uses high-energy shock waves to facilitate the healing of damaged tendon tissue. This procedure is performed by a licensed therapist and is done when other conservative options have failed. This treatment can be painful and generally involved local or regional anesthesia.
Achilles tendon pain is difficult to manage. For a top foot/ankle doctor, call us at 888-409-8006.