The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the human body. It is under a lot of stress when running and jumping.
Tendinitis is an inflammatory process involving the tendon of a muscle. Achilles tendinitis, depending on which part it affects, is divided into insertional and non-insertional. The former (insertional) is localized in the catching area on the patella bone. In the non-insertional, the tendon fibers in the middle part tear (microtear), swell and thicken. This type of tendinitis more often affects more active people.
In both types of tendonitis, the damaged tendon fibers can calcify (harden). Also in insertional can form so-called bone spurs - deposition of a large amount of bone tissue. Tendinitis affecting the tendon's attachment site can occur at any time, even in people who are not very active. Most often the cause of this condition is longstanding strain and stress on both the tendon fibers as is the case, for example, in long distance runners and sprinters.
Achilles tendinitis is often not due to any specific traumatic event. The problem occurs as a result of frequently repeated stress on the tendon. This in a large percentage of cases happens when we make our bodies do too much, too soon. Of course there are other factors that contribute to the onset of the condition. These include:
Common symptoms of Achilles tendinitis are:
In a large percentage of cases, non-operative treatment succeeds in providing relief of complaints, although it may take several months to eliminate symptoms. Keep in mind that even with early initiation of treatment, it is possible that recovery may take more than 3 months.
Rest. This is the first step towards your recovery. To reduce pain, it is a good idea to give the affected area the necessary rest time. If you are an active person and are used to performing high intensity loads ( such as running) on a regular basis, switch to less intense loads this way you will put less stress on the tendons. Examples of such less strenuous activities are cycling, various exercise devices, and swimming.
Led. It is good to put ice on the most painful area of the Achilles tendon, you can put several times a day for 10-15 minutes. It is important to note that you should remove the ice if your skin starts to tingle or you start to feel any discomfort.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These are anti-inflammatory drugs that can be taken orally or in the form of ointments and gels. These agents do not reduce the thickening of the tendon, but help to spread the inflammatory process.
Ultrasound therapy is extremely suitable for this type of conditions. High frequency sound is used to heat the area, to increase blood flow. This type of treatment reduces inflammation and aids recovery by triggering a histamine response from the body, it also stimulates collagen synthesis.
At Okto, we have state-of-the-art equipment to provide you with high-quality treatment.
