How to Cure Achilles Tendonitis

The achilles tendon is the largest and strongest tendon in your entire body. It attaches to the heel bone and connects the foot to your leg muscles. Achilles tendinitis is most commonly caused by overuse or stressing of the tendon which may gradually cause small tears. There are various methods to cure achilles tendinitis.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• ice
• sandwich bag
• compression wraps
• pain and anti-inflammatory medications

Limiting Inflammation

1. Apply ice to the injury. The ice should be wrapped in a paper towel or a sandwich bag should. An ice massage, rubbing the tendon with ice in a back-and-forth motion, will cool the injured area.

2. Soft tissue manipulation is very effective for treating Achilles tendinitis. A common method of soft tissue treatment is a friction massage to the damaged tendon. This type of manual therapy and stretching of the tendon will dramatically improve the tendon and the tendons range of motion. With your hands, gently massage the tendon in a rolling motion lightly. This will loosen/relieve the stress of the muscle.

3. Pain and anti-inflammatory medications will help with the pain of the injured tendon. Because it is almost impossible for anyone stay off of their feet for a week or so at a time, aspirin or ibuprofen will be extremely helpful.

4. Compression wraps are helpful in providing support of the tendon during activities such as walking, running or playing sports. Compression wraps can also be harmful, decreasing the blood supply to the injury, which slows healing and makes you susceptible to re-injuring the tendon. Ensure the skin is dry and clean before applying a compression wrap. Apply the elastic bandage around your foot. Tightly wrap the bandage, but not so tight it decreases blood circulation, so it will protect and support the tendon. Leave toes exposed to ensure there is adequate circulation. Wear the wrap for a week, but remove it at night. Loss of circulation will go unnoticed if you are asleep.

5. Tendinitis will usually heal if the activities that perpetuate it is stopped. Allow adequate healing time before you return to activities such as running, exercising or playing sports. Surgery may be required if the tendon is unresponsive to this treatment and gets worse.

Tips & Warnings

• Your tendons will strengthen to meet the demands of your normal activities. Because the blood supply to tendons is poor, stretching the muscles associated with the tendon will ensure that overuse of the tendon is limited.

• Continue to treat your achilles tendon until the healing process is 100-percent complete. It is a common mistake to stop the treatment of the injured ankle when the tendon starts to feel better.

References

• Achilles Tendon
• Achilles Tendinitis
• Achilles Tendinitis