Achilles Tendinitis – Part 2 - Health Plus Digest

Treatment for tendinitis is to modify your activities to reduce the stress on the tendon. Because this tendon is responsible for walking, you may have to limit the amount of walking you do for a short period of time or your physician may recommend a short period of time on crutches. It can take up to 3 months for the pain to completely go away and you should not return to your previous level of activity until the pain does go away.

Ice the tendon 3 – 4 times a day for 2-3 weeks. Cross training can be included as long as the activity doesn’t cause pain, such as swimming or biking. Once the pain begins to subside you must also stretch the calf muscle and Achilles tendon to ensure that it will return to full function when healed. Do not overstretch the area or you will cause further damage to the tendon.

The injury can become chronic if it’s not treated correctly and quickly. In this case the tendon will thicken with damage and you’ll see swelling only in the tendon. You may feel a creaking when you press your fingers into the side of the tendon and move the ankle.

Resources:

American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society: Achilles Tendinitis

http://www.aofas.org/footcaremd/conditions/ailments-of-the-ankle/Pages/Achilles-Tendinitis.aspx

Sports injuyr Clinic: Achilles Tendinitis

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sport-injuries/ankle-achilles-shin-pain/achilles-tendonitis

Runners World: Achilles Tendinitis

http://www.runnersworld.com/tag/achilles-tendinitis

MedlinePlus: Achilles Tendinitis

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001072.htm

American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons: Achilles Tendinitis

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00147

Mayoclinic: Achilles Tendintis