ANKLE
Achilles Tendonitis & Tendinopathy Shockwave Treatment
If you’re dealing with Achilles tendinitis or tendinopathy, our advanced Focused Shockwave treatment is successful with nearly all cases. Most people with this condition fully recover after undergoing our treatments, allowing them to return to their sports or physical activities. Some even come out of retirement to resume their athletic pursuits, and many others who aren’t athletes experience relief and a pain-free Achilles tendon after a series of sessions. Many have been dealing with the issue for 6-12 months without resolution using traditional methods but finally get relief with Shockwave.
The Achilles tendon is the thick, springy tissue at the back of your ankle that connects your calf muscles to your heel bone.
Chronic Achilles tendinopathy can be very painful, and traditional treatments don’t always work. Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) has been used for years to help manage various soft tissue issues, including Achilles tendinopathy.
Symptoms of Achilles Tendonitis
- Mild pain after exercise or running
- Tenderness of the tendon about 3cm above the point where it joins the heel bone
- Stiffness of the lower leg
- Swelling or thickening around the tendon
Causes of Achilles Tendonitis
Achilles tendonitis can be caused by a number of factors including:
- Increase in activity & overuse of the tendon
- Insufficient warm-up prior to a sporting activity
- Insufficient recovery time between activities
- Building your training program to quickly – especially hill running
- Sudden extra exertion, such as a final sprint
- Misalignment
- Change of footwear or training surface
- Improper footwear or worn out trainers
- Weak or tight calf muscles
Rehabilitation Programs
Depending on the severity of the injury, these can include:
- Rest, to allow the inflammation to settle
- Regular pain relief with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Steroid injections
- Using shoe inserts and heel lifts to take the stress off the tendon
- Physical Therapy to strengthen the weak muscle group
Chronic Achilles tendonitis may follow on from acute tendonitis if the condition goes untreated. This is a more difficult condition to treat, particularly in older athletes.
See research: (Click below to read research)
Eccentric Loading Compared with Shockwave Treatment for Chronic Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy