Have Achilles Tendinopathy? Read This!
Many patients come seek treatments at our clinic (Boules Acupuncture Clinic ltd.) for a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions and one of them is Achilles Tendinopathy (AT).
If you’ve had it, you know how annoying and slow the healing process can be. One of the reasons it takes forever to heal, and in many cases never really does, is that many people with AT do not treat it the most optimal way.
Before going into some tips that can help speed up that healing process, I wanted to quickly review what AT is.
According to the Mayo Clinic “Achilles tendinitis is an overuse injury of the Achilles (uh-KILL-eez) tendon, the band of tissue that connects calf muscles at the back of the lower leg to your heel bone. (1)
Achilles tendinitis most commonly occurs in runners who have suddenly increased the intensity or duration of their runs. It’s also common in middle-aged people who play sports, such as tennis or basketball, only on the weekends.” (1)
So now that we got that out of the way, let’s go over some tips that will help you get back into the game ASAP.
#1 STOP stretching.
There is always a time and place from everything, even stretching, but when it comes to a tendon injury, stretching isn’t your friend!
By stretching cranky tendons we create more pressure at the site of injury which leads to more pain. Tendons LOVE to be loaded meaning that we need to introduce some exercises that will help load the AT such as toes raises. Our focus with them is to slow down on when the heels are approaching the floor and make sure that the heels do not go below the step (because that would then stretch the tendon). Shoot for 10 reps 3 sets and slowing add more reps as the exercise becomes easier.
#2 Vitamin C
Yes, you read correctly. Vit C is very important not just for your immune system but also for tissue repair, especially tendon repair. “Vitamin C reduces inflammation and strengthens connective tissue. Take 1,000 mg three times daily.” (2)
#3 Use a foam roller
A foam roller is a great way to reduce tension in the calf muscles that many times contribute to AT. We can replace static stretching with foam rolling to ensure looser calf muscles without stretching and stressing the tendon. Best way to use a foam roller is to slowly scan the muscles you are working on (in this case the calves) and find tender spots. Once you locate them, stay there until the tenderness subsides and then find another spot. Do this for a few minutes. You will develop a love hate relationship with the foam roller that is worth having.
#4 Use some heat
I know I know, most people tell you to ice the heck out of your injuries but with subacute and chronic tendinopathy there is rarely inflammation of the AT that would benefit from icing. In most cases there is degeneration of the tendon which would make heat a better option because it increase blood supply to the area. More blood supply will lead to more healing. Apply a warm compress for 20min at least once a day.
#5 Neuropuncture!!!
You might of heard of Acupuncture but we at Boules Acupuncture Clinic are taking it to the next level by actually providing Neuropuncture. Neuropuncture is a 21st century electro acupuncture system that integrates modern neurology, medical sciences and traditional acupuncture to get outstanding clinical results with our patients. Neuropuncture can help by:
-decreasing pain & encouraging the body to release its natural pain killers
-improves the blood circulation to the site of injury allowing for proper healing to occur
-improves strength in the leg to support the injury and prevents re-injury from occurring
-releases tight muscles and tissues that contribute and in many cases create the injury in the first place.
We have more details on how Neuropuncture works in treating injuries in a different article we wrote (click here for the article)
If you have been suffering from AT for a while and you are just tired of scrolling through Instagram to find rehab exercises that might help, give us a call and schedule an appointment at our clinic. Our holistic approach will help you Move & Feel better in no time.
Written by Dr. Dimitrios Boules Doctor of Acupuncture
(1) https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/achilles-tendinitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20369020
(2) James F. Balch M.D., Mark Stengler N.M.D. & Robin Young-Balch N.D. “Prescription for Natural Cures.” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/prescription-for-natural-cures/id635416177
