In this short video, Breanne Kelley, DC discusses the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for Achilles tendonitis. She also discusses Airrosti’s approach to Achilles tendonitis and how we allow our patients to stay active during treatment.
The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body. It is a band of tissue that connects your calf muscles to your heel bone and is used when you walk, run, and jump. It is also prone to tendonitis when overused.
Achilles tendonitis is an injury that occurs when the Achilles tendon becomes inflamed and irritated after extensive use. This inflammation inhibits the tendon’s ability to move and can cause sharp, intense pain near the back of the lower leg. Achilles Tendonitis is commonly known as Achilles Tendonosis or Achilles Tendonopathy.
There are two different types of Achilles tendonitis, insertional and non-insertional:
Insertional Achilles tendonitis occurs when the pain is located at the insertion point of the tendon where it attaches to the heel bone. Inflammation occurs in this area and is the cause of this unpleasant pain.
With insertional Achilles tendonitis, pain is often worst first thing in the morning or a day after activity.
In this case, pain is located in the middle of the tendon. Inflammation occurs in the middle of the tendon causes swelling and pain. This is common in active, younger people. Pain is often worst before or shortly after activity.
Achilles tendonitis typically develops when we push our bodies to do too much, too quickly. Achilles tendonitis most commonly occurs in runners and other athletes who have suddenly increased the intensity or duration of their training.
Below are a few of the risk factors associated with Achilles tendonitis.
The pain associated with Achilles tendonitis typically begins as mild heel pain. Sometimes pain and swelling are present in the back of the leg or above the heel. Any action that requires flexing the calf muscle may be painful.
Episodes of more severe pain may occur after prolonged running, stair climbing, or sprinting. You might also experience tenderness and stiffness, especially in the morning. These symptoms usually improve throughout the day as your body warms up.
When treating Achilles tendonitis, your doctor may perform a physical exam, a range of motion test, and order imaging tests to help rule out other conditions. Your doctor will recommend you take some time off to rest and heal, limit your physical activity, and modify your exercises as needed. Over-the-counter pain medications such as Ibuprofen are often recommended to curb any pain. Icing the affected area for 15 – 20 minutes at a time may also help reduce swelling and inflammation.
Depending on the severity of your injury, it may take several months to resolve the condition and return to your regular training schedule. With traditional healthcare solutions, the expected recovery times for Achilles tendonitis are 3-6 months for Insertional and four months for Non-insertional.
Other treatment options include orthotic inserts and physical therapy to strengthen the Achilles tendon and promote faster healing. With the help of professional rehabilitation experts, faster healing is a possibility.
Pain from Achilles tendonitis can be subdued with a few exercises that target the affected area. Just remember these are at-home exercises that should be a supplement to regular physical therapy. A few helpful Achilles tendonitis exercises are:
This stretch is great for mobility and helping regain movement in the ankle.
This band stretch can help you build up stability in the injured area.
Airrosti helps patients relieve pain quickly, without the use of pain medication, injections, or surgery. Our effective Achilles tendonitis treatment can resolve your injury in as few as three visits, based on patient-reported outcomes. In most cases, you can continue your normal level of activity for the duration of your treatment. You’ll also receive individualized at-home exercises you can use to further speed recovery and help prevent injuries.
If pain or an injury is keeping you sidelined, schedule an appointment with Airrosti, and get back to living life pain-free.
Reviewed by Casey Crisp, Doctor of Chiropractic
Disclaimer: Always consult with your doctor before starting any exercise program. If you experience any numbness, tingling or reproduction of your symptoms, please contact your doctor.
(Actually sending this testimonial in regards to my 13-year-old daughter) We brought her to Dr. Savoy after she had an accident and tripped at a softball tournament. She had been suffering from pain that just wouldn't go away. We were first told that she had Achilles tendinitis. Since she plays travel fastpitch, it was very frustrating for her not to be able to do what she loves the most. The pain was just getting the best of her. Well, once we decided to give Airrosti a try, since nothing was working, I have to admit that I was hesitant (it was kind of hard to believe that she would be ""pain free"" after suffering for almost one month). Well, glad we tried it. After 3 sessions, my daughter is now back to her old self, even better actua...+ show morelly! It was obvious that Dr. Savoy truly cared about my daughter's well being. Once he treated her, and along with Kristina's therapy, my daughter is now back to playing the sport she loves, pain free! Both Dr. Savoy and Kristina epitomize the true meaning of health care providers that care. Oh, and forgot to point out that it was actually a sprain that she had - Dr. Savoy was able to figure out what was really wrong with her. As long as you follow the treatment plan and do your part, Airrositi really does work. I am so glad that we decided to take our daughter there, and I'm especially glad to have crossed paths with Dr. Savoy and Kristina. If in the future we have a situation like this again, I'm definitely going back.
by M. Lopez
After suffering a terrible ankle sprain and repeated reinjury I developed achilles tendonitis. Two years of pain and swelling limited my quality of life. I was unable to exercise and even experienced pain with day to day walking. I was depressed and put on a lot of weight due to inactivity. Xrays were done, pain meds were prescribed and even arthritis medication was used. Nothing worked. Finally, I took a chance that therapy could help. After only two visits, the pain had lessened to nearly 90 percent. After a couple of months, I have NO pain! I am back in the gym consistently working out and feel stronger than ever. I am down 20 lbs, no longer taking pain medication or wearing any supports or braces and feeling so blessed. Airrosti and ...+ show moreDr. Siragusa gave me back my life again free from the pain and stress that the injury had imposed. I highly recommend them for any soft tissue injury!!
by Nancy Salinas
I learned about Airrosti from Facebook. I found Dr. Arnold based on his experience and proximity to my home. I went in for treatment on my Achilles tendon. Dr. Arnold assessed me and went to work on my leg. What I liked was the level of education that came with each session. Dr. Arnold and the staff always told me the objectives of the session, demonstrated proper stretching techniques and gave me exercises to do at home. I'm a part time fitness instructor and I've been telling everyone I can about how great Airrosti has been for me. My only regret is that I didn't find them sooner!
by Stacy Lindley
Dr. Ryabinov is amazing, and has helped every single one of our family members! It started several years ago when my husband had to stop running due to an achilles issue and thought his running days were over. Dr. Ryabinov took care of that issue. I had suffered for years with plantar fasciitis and Dr. Ryabinov got me out of those unattractive orthotic shoes. All three of my children participated in competitive Irish Dancing and would inevitably suffer debilitating injuries weeks before major competitions due to increased practices, and Dr. Ryabinov saved 1 Oireachtas (regional Irish Dance competition) and 2 World competition opportunities for our family by working on feet, knee, hip & back pain. Any pain, any where, on anyone...Dr. Ryab...+ show moreinov's got you covered!
by Samantha Poe
