Throughout a person’s life, they are constantly plagued by pain of one kind or another, which can be caused by various factors. Most often, a person is aware of the causes of pain and knows how to treat them.
However, injuries and damage to important parts of the body do occur. Their treatment is specific, as are the symptoms. Now I would like to talk about a fairly common problem - pain in the Achilles tendon.
Let's try to figure out what can cause such pain, what symptoms you should pay attention to and how to deal with such an ailment.
Before moving on to defining symptoms and treatment, it is necessary to understand the anatomy of the tendon in detail.
Let's look at the main aspects you need to know:
Thanks to them, a person can move in a standing position, move his foot, squat, jump, stand on his toes, and so on.
Before starting treatment for a disease, it is worth understanding the reasons for its formation. Pain can be caused by a number of factors, which means treatment will vary.
Let's look at the list of the main causes of pain:
The latter is most common, especially in sports. Most athletes suffer from constant pain. The reason for this is quite simple.
When starting abruptly (for example, running), a huge load is placed on the Achilles tendon; in addition to the load, tension appears, which leads to injury.
Most often, this occurs in people involved in sports in one way or another. Often, Achilles tendon pain can be caused by an injury to another part of the ankle joint.
Especially when the pain is severe, a person cannot always correctly determine the epicenter.
As we age, the elasticity of the tendon decreases, meaning that even small amounts of stress can cause fibers to tear and become inflamed.
Thus, the tendon is constantly under stress, and it simply does not have time to rest and recover. The result is chronic inflammation, which can cause serious problems.
Let's look at the main symptoms. They may change depending on the reasons, but in essence they are all similar. Any injury or inflammation causes pain, but pain varies.
At first there is a feeling of discomfort and the foot in the heel area seems to be pulling, and after some time pain appears.
In addition to these main symptoms , another one that almost always occurs is swelling in the heel area.
There are usually no hematomas (only with severe injuries), but there is a tumor. It appears after heavy exertion and goes away within a few days.
It is worth saying that most often the symptoms appear all together, and not separately. Initially they are weakly expressed, but become stronger over time.
Let's move on to the treatment of Achilles tendon pain. Treatment may vary and it is strongly recommended to consult a doctor for an accurate diagnosis.
However, there are a number of general treatment measures:
There are many of them on the market, you can choose any one based on their damage. They help speed up the healing process.
It is not always possible to prevent injuries from occurring.
However, there are a number of preventive measures that can reduce the risk of pain and injury to the Achilles tendon:
With intense or too frequent movements, the fatigue processes occurring in the tendon begin to prevail over the recovery processes.
This first causes swelling, and then the breakdown of collagen fibers - in other words, tendinitis develops.
Tendinitis is an inflammatory process of tendon tissue, which most often develops in the area of its attachment to the bone or in the tendon-muscular junction.
The disease usually begins in the tendon bursa, spreading further to the tendon itself and can occur in any joint, but the ankles and knees are most often affected.
According to the mechanism of occurrence, tendonitis differs from ligament rupture and sprain in that during a sprain, a simultaneous rupture of part of the fibers occurs, followed by the process of their healing, while an acute pain focus is formed, forcing the person to reduce the load.
With tendinitis, there is a constant systematic tearing of a number of fibers, which then undergo various stages of healing.
In this case, patients, as a rule, continue to perform their usual activities with the same load, which is the reason for the process to become chronic.
The causes of tendonitis can be divided into 2 main groups:
More rare causes of the disease include:
In accordance with the cause of the pathology, infectious and non-infectious tendinitis are distinguished.
How to cure wrist tendonitis? Read from this material.
Despite the large number of varieties of tendonitis, its symptoms are almost always the same and the main ones are pain of varying severity, which over time leads to limited movement in the joint.
At first, the pain occurs at the peak of physical activity and is absent the rest of the time. Then the pain syndrome occurs at increasingly lower levels of load. Gradually, the pain becomes paroxysmal in intensity, which interferes with daily activities.
At the site of inflammation the following are observed:
Depending on the location of the source of inflammation, the following types of tendonitis are divided:
Another name is “jumper's knee”, characterized by pain in the kneecap area.
At first it occurs under heavy loads, then, increasing in intensity, it begins to appear even when walking.
The acute form of the disease can be confused with a sprain, but pain that occurs regularly allows one to suspect tendinitis.
The exact diagnosis is confirmed by ultrasound, x-ray, and MRI data.
It is also typical for athletes, but it also occurs in people whose work activities involve stress on the shoulder joint.
Characterized by tears in the tendons associated with the muscles that normally support the shoulder. The symptoms are the same pain, redness and swelling of the affected area.
In the first stages, pain occurs when throwing your arm forward and raising it above your head.
As the disease progresses, the person experiences pain when offering a hand for greeting.
In the most advanced cases, paroxysmal pain occurs at night.
Achilles tendinitis and foot tendinitis
Typical for weightlifters, boxers, and wrestlers.
Under the influence of heavy loads, its tissues degenerate and tendinitis develops.
At first, pain occurs in the foot area during loads, in advanced cases, when the tendon ruptures or is torn from the heel bone - even when walking and supporting the foot.
Fig.: Localization of tendonitis: feet (left) and Achilles tendon (right)
Elbow tendinitis and biceps tendinitis
They are occupational diseases of tennis players.
Biceps disease affects the tendon that connects the biceps muscle to the shoulder joint. Tendinitis in the elbow joint affects the tendons that connect the brachioradialis muscle and the wrist flexor-extensor muscles to the bone.
The initial manifestation of the disease is a feeling of weakness in the hand, followed by complaints of difficulty lifting a cup or shaking hands.
Clarification of the diagnosis in this case is based on MRI data, since radiography in this situation is not very informative.
Covers the tendons with which the masticatory muscles are attached to the joints.
The nature of the pain can resemble a headache and toothache, so people who experience them sometimes go to the dentist.
Treatment involves creating immobility and complete rest for the diseased area of the body.
This is achieved by performing fixation - a bandage, a splint, a tight bandage.
For lesions of the lower extremities, it is recommended to use a cane or crutches.
Photo: ankle brace
But doctors advise starting physical exercise as early as possible.
Drug treatment is carried out using painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs.
To do this, you can use ointments that have these properties. In severe cases, surgery is used.
In general, the treatment process for this disease is quite long, taking from 2 to 6 weeks.
Treatment of tendinitis can also be done at home using traditional medicine.
In this case, consultation with your doctor is required, because sometimes traditional methods can only be used as additional ones.
The most effective folk remedies for all types of disease are:
The Achilles tendon, which is attached to the heel bone, is the most common location for tendonitis, as it is very often affected by all kinds of injuries and wearing uncomfortable shoes.
Often an acute attack of tendonitis occurs when trying to run barefoot. This implies the need to strengthen the tendon with the help of special gymnastic exercises.
Traditional medicine, which collects and preserves the heritage of witchcraft and healing, also knows remedies for tendon damage.
The healing properties of herbal decoctions and infusions are among the most effective:
Treatment for the shoulder joint involves resting the damaged tendon.
Usually a fixing or special plaster bandage is applied and conservative treatment is carried out.
Traditional methods for treating shoulder tendinitis are:
Knee tendonitis is a very complex type of disease.
It develops in the tendon that connects the shin bone and the kneecap.
It affects 95% of jumping athletes.
If the disease is not advanced, it is quite possible to get rid of it with the help of a plaster cast and warm compresses in addition to painkillers alone.
When treating a knee, a “homemade plaster cast”, the recipe for which was given above, would be appropriate.
After completing the compress, it is recommended to use one of the following ointments:
Why does pain occur in the elbow joint? The answer is here.
Synovitis of the knee joint - what is it? Information here.
Our hands are the most overloaded and significant parts of the body.
Damage to the tendons that attach the extensor muscles of the wrist reminds us of how important it is to take care of them.
Most often it occurs in athletes who play tennis, badminton, and golf, although it often occurs in pianists.
A specific symptom of wrist tendonitis is the occurrence of sharp pain when bringing the tips of the little finger, index finger and thumb together.
With this disease, you cannot lean on your elbows - this makes the pain in the wrists worse, since the nerve leading to the wrist passes through the elbow.
A light palm massage and warm compresses help in this case.
Here are some effective recipes:
The complex structure of the foot together with the ankle joint ensures that a person’s weight is maintained in the required position.
The tendons that serve as bridges between the muscles and bones of the foot, under significant loads, are overstretched and injured, which entails tendinitis of the foot.
The risk group for this disease includes athletes and people over 40 years of age whose work activity involves lifting heavy objects.
Treatment using traditional medicine recommends the following in such cases:
Thus, treatment of various types of tendonitis with traditional methods brings a noticeable effect in the early stages of the disease.
For more serious tendon problems, it is best to combine this treatment with drug therapy and other treatments.
In this case, it is necessary to reduce physical activity, reduce its intensity, and provide complete rest to the damaged joint.
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Most often, problems with tendons are associated with inflammatory processes that are caused by disproportionate load. They can take many forms. Tendinitis is an inflammation of the tendon and occurs not only from physical exertion, but also from the presence of infections. The Achilles tendon, which is attached to the heel bone as a result of a sports injury or wearing uncomfortable shoes, is most often affected. Signs of tendonitis include swelling, pain, and limited movement.
A lump that is soft to the touch may appear above the tendon, and at times there is a feeling of heat on the skin. Treatment for tendinitis is rest and the use of various anti-inflammatory drugs. Mild to moderate muscle strains are easy to deal with. There is a wonderful way to relieve pain and swelling in a few days using a special fixing bandage made in the form of a “plaster”.
To do this, you need to beat the raw white of one chicken egg, add 1 tbsp. alcohol, vodka, alcohol or moonshine will do. Beat everything thoroughly, stirring in 1 tbsp. flour. Apply the finished mixture in an even layer onto an elastic bandage and apply to the damaged area. It is necessary to bandage the top loosely with a bandage and leave until it hardens. Change the “plaster” daily until complete recovery.
Good helpful advice can always be useful for people in case of tendon injuries. It is especially valuable that the application of such recommendations can be easily carried out by anyone at home. For example, such a case happened to one woman. After falling from the roof, her leg was injured at the ankle. Severe stretching of the tendon resulted in swelling of the foot and ankle, and the skin at the site of the injury turned purple.
The pain was unbearable and it was impossible to cope without painkillers. She wanted to get back on her feet as quickly as possible, and then the idea came to use colostrum (milk that appears after a cow calves), because it contains a huge amount of various useful substances. After using these procedures for a week, the swelling went away. If fresh colostrum is not available, you can use a dry mixture, adjusting it to the desired consistency with water.
There is an effect of treating minor sprains from the use of hot compresses with regular milk. The dressings are changed as they cool. You just need to remember that warm procedures should be performed after the inflammation of the tendons is removed.
Many people have also experienced the treatment of tendon sprains with the help of tinctures, thanks to the medicinal properties of herbs, and now their secrets have become the property of everyone who wants to improve their health. Tendon strains can be relieved with a cold compress with comfrey or calendula infusion. 1 tablespoon of the prepared, well-chilled tincture is diluted in 300 ml of water and applied with a bandage soaked in this solution.
Injuries to the tendons in the calves and feet often occur when attempting to run barefoot, hence Achilles tendon strains and tendonitis. To correct insufficient attention to the development of power in the calves and feet, it is necessary to engage in a special set of gymnastic exercises.
Well, if an injury does occur, folk medicine always has the most wonderful treatment recipes. Many diseases can be cured with the help of herbal decoctions, and if the tendon is damaged, you can take advantage of the healing properties of the decoctions.
Decoction of elecampane: pour 3-4 tablespoons of elecampane with boiling water, boil, infuse and apply a bandage soaked in the resulting decoction to the sore spot.
Elderberry decoction: When stretching the tendons on your hand, boil green elderberry in 3 liters of water, then add 1 tbsp. baking soda. Cool without straining and use as baths, immersing the damaged part of the arm up to the shoulder area.
Decoction of plantain seeds: 2 tbsp. l. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over plantain seeds. Boil. Cool, shake, strain and take 2 tbsp. l. 3 times a day.
Decoction of hay dust: fill 1/3 of the volume of a large pan with hay dust, add cold water, put on fire, cook for 15 minutes, leave. Its use in the form of baths reduces pain, swelling and relieves inflammation.
Decoction of pine twigs: pour half or 2/3 of the pine twigs into an enamel bowl (3-5 liters or 10-30 liters), fill to the top with cold water, cook for 30 minutes, leave. Use for baths.
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First method: several onions crushed into a pulp, mixed with 1 tablespoon of sea salt. Place the resulting mass on gauze and apply to the damaged area. Maintain this compress for 5-6 hours for several days in a row.
Second method: mix chopped onions (4-5 medium heads) with 100 grams of sugar, stir well, spread the mixture in a thick layer on a cotton cloth and apply to the sore spot.
If you are a supporter of folk remedies, then you can treat tendons with fresh, crushed wormwood leaves, using them in the same way as onion compresses. A paste of bodyaga powder diluted with water is effective against swelling.
1. An excellent remedy for sprains is lavender oil; it is very easy to prepare. You will need a few tablespoons of lavender herb and any vegetable oil. Mix everything, the oil should cover the herbal raw materials, and keep in a warm place for a week. After infusion, strain the oil and lubricate the affected area several times during the day.
2. Mix 2 drops of fir oil, 2 drops of lavender oil and one teaspoon of any vegetable oil. Lubricate the skin over the tendon with the resulting mixture, morning and evening, every day with light movements.
3. For inflammation of the tendons of the foot, mix one teaspoon of vegetable oil with 5 drops of geranium, lavender and clove oils. You can rub this mixture into the sore spot 48 hours after the injury twice a day. To alleviate pain, in the first two days after injury, it is recommended to apply lotions to the affected area 6 times a day, for five minutes, consisting of one glass of ice water and 5 drops of lavender oil.
During the process of infusion, the beneficial substances of plants saturate the water and thus the resulting folk remedy, with the help of lotions or ingestion, transfers them to the body and tissues.
Tincture from shepherd's purse: stimulates the restoration of tendons and cartilage tissue, relieves pain and accelerates regeneration processes, and prevents the disease from becoming chronic. Infuse one tablespoon of dried shepherd's purse herb in one glass (200 g) of boiling water for two hours. Apply a gauze bandage soaked in the infusion to the damaged area and secure with a bandage. Remove the bandage after it dries.
Tincture of wormwood: an infusion of two tablespoons of dry wormwood herb steamed with 200 ml of boiling water will have an anti-inflammatory and restorative effect, infuse for half an hour. Strain and drink a tablespoon before meals 2-3 times a day.
Calendula ointment: mix equal parts of dried calendula flowers and baby cream. Apply to the affected area, covering with a bandage at night. Relieves inflammation and infection.
Ointment from wormwood and pork fat: prepared from 100 grams of pork fat and 30 g of dry wormwood. Boil the mixture over low heat, cool, and apply to the sore spot in an even, thin layer.
500 gr. clays are diluted with water until a mastic consistency is formed. Adding 4 tbsp. l. apple vinegar, the product can be used. Moisten a napkin, apply it to the affected area and tie it with a scarf, leave for 1-1.5 hours, remove and bandage tightly. After 5-6 procedures, the unpleasant symptoms of stretching disappear, the tendons restore their functions and there is no trace of swelling and pain.
For prevention purposes, it is necessary to learn to avoid overwork. It is advisable to start treatment promptly at the first signs of tendon diseases. Of course, folk remedies are not a panacea. They can relieve the symptoms of a sprain, relieve swelling and pain, but if the injuries are serious, you need the help of a doctor. Tendon inflammation occurs as a result of various factors and does not go away on its own.
Sometimes it is necessary to undergo complex treatment and eliminate any disease that provokes changes in the tendons, for example, diabetes or arthritis. It is more difficult to treat a tendon rupture at home. Treatment of this type of injury is carried out with the prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; in severe cases, surgical intervention is required.
Bear bile. Warm bile heated in the oven is applied as a compress and left overnight. It helps well as an anti-inflammatory medicine with a resolving effect.
Therapeutic wraps. Prepare a mixture from a heated bottle of apple cider vinegar, adding 2 tsp. salt and 4 drops of iodine. Moisten a cotton napkin in this mixture, squeeze it lightly and apply it to the tendon area, putting pieces of ice on top. Wrap the compress in a towel and leave for 15 minutes. After removing it, apply a tight bandage.
Heat treatment. Heat helps relieve swelling. Pour slightly heated sand into a material bag and apply to the injured leg, leaving for 10-15 minutes. You can use salt and wheat.
The medical term “foot tendinitis” refers to inflammation of the Achilles tendon. There are 3 types of this disease:
All of these types of tendonitis are interrelated, so one form can lead to another. At the initial stage of each type of disease, the same treatment technique is used.
The main reasons for the development of inflammation in the leg are excessive and regular stress, due to which the calf muscle suffers. Due to overexertion, the muscle tissue is shortened, and the heel tendon is always in a tense state.
Note! If a person does not stop playing sports or doing hard work, then he will definitely develop Achilles tendinitis.
People in the age category from 40 to 60 years are at risk because... In addition to tendonitis of the heel tendon, which appears due to unusual load on the leg, they often develop inflammation of the ankle joint.
Long walking or running can also cause tendonitis. A passive lifestyle leads to tendon rigidity and partial contracture. Such extremes contribute to the development of pathological processes in the heel tendon and the formation of arthritis of the knee joint.
Tendinitis is also an accompanying disease of all athletes.
Their Achilles tendon becomes inflamed due to excessive stress on their legs, poor exercise routine, and prolonged and excessive strength exercises.
Signs of the disease are as follows:
Note! In the final stages of tendinitis, pain occurs when the ankle joint is loaded.
It is extremely important to determine the stage of development and type of disease, because Treatment for Achilles tendonitis varies. The inflammatory process occurring in the tendon and surrounding tissues is removed with the help of anti-inflammatory drugs and the use of general methods of therapy aimed at eliminating the pathology:
The disease is treated using surgical or conservative treatment.
Conservative therapy is prescribed immediately after diagnosis of the disease. So, a tightening bandage is applied to the affected area, upon palpation of which severe pain occurs, and cold compresses, for example, ice, are applied.
Important! The sore leg should remain at rest and in an elevated state during treatment.
Initial conservative therapy usually lasts one or two days. This prevents the occurrence of hematomas that turn into scars.
The doctor also prescribes drug therapy, which includes antibiotics and anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs that have analgesic and regenerative effects.
Note! Therapy with non-steroidal drugs should last no more than ten days, because Long-term treatment with drugs belonging to this group complicates the rehabilitation process.
The next stage of treatment is rehabilitation. The recovery period begins a few days after the Achilles tendon injury, because At an early stage, inflammation can be prevented by ensuring tissue regeneration.
At the rehabilitation stage, special gymnastics is actively used, based on simple general strengthening exercises and stretching. Thus, Achilles tendonitis goes away faster, and the elements of the tendons and joint are restored. But the main thing is that the functioning of the triceps ankle muscle is activated, which is important for the full functioning of the heel tendon.
First, the patient does stretching, which consists of sitting exercises using an expander and a towel. The resistance should be increased gradually so that pain does not occur when creating the load.
Regarding physiotherapeutic therapy during rehabilitation, the following will be used:
Thanks to these physiotherapeutic methods, the frequency and intensity of pain is reduced, and the functioning of the inflamed tendon is restored. Another effective method of restorative therapy is massage, which can be used to strengthen and stretch the tendons of the ankle joint.
Note! If there is a strong valgus or varus curvature of the foot, you should wear special braces for the ankle joint .
In some cases, at night the patient needs to wear a corsage on his foot, which will hold the leg in a certain position. However, sometimes this corsage must be worn during the day, but in this case the patient will not be able to move without crutches.
Also, to effectively treat heel tendonitis, your doctor may prescribe a plaster cast. Often, during such treatment, painkillers are not prescribed, but if there is constant sharp pain in the affected area, the doctor, as an exception, prescribes analgesics.
Important! Glucocorticoids cannot be injected into the tendon and surrounding tissues, because these drugs can cause it to rupture and prevent it from suturing in the event of a pathological process.
When six months of conservative treatment does not bring the desired results, surgical therapy has to be used. The surgical intervention is carried out as follows: a midline skin incision is made, which exposes the Achilles tendon. Then the compacted areas of the tendon and the damaged tissue surrounding it are removed.
If most of the calcaneal tendon is removed, the removed parts are replaced with plantar tendons. At the same time, to avoid overstretching the tissues surrounding the tendon, the anterior tissues are slightly weakened, so that they can connect on the back side. In the case of enthesopathy, the surgeon uses a lateral incision technique to excise the tendon bursa.
In the presence of Haglund's disease (a bone ridge on the heel bone, i.e. a spur), which presses on the area where the tendon and joint join, the pathology is removed through osteotomy.
During postoperative rehabilitation, the patient wears a plaster boot or orthosis for 4-6 weeks. The patient will be able to step on the prosthetic limb in two or four weeks (it all depends on the patient’s well-being). After which the rehabilitation process begins, the duration of which lasts up to 6 weeks. You can find out more about what tendinitis is on our website.
To prevent the development of heel tendonitis, people over forty years of age need to adhere to an active lifestyle, an integral part of which is moderate exercise. The patient should also do daily gymnastic exercises aimed at strengthening and stretching various muscles, including the calf muscles.
If you are planning strong and prolonged loads on the calf muscle group, then you should prepare for long walking or running. It is necessary to do preparatory exercises in advance, and it is important to increase the load gradually.
Important! Any gymnastics complex should include exercises aimed at stretching muscles.
People who are professionally involved in any sport often develop inflammation of the ankle joint, so they must carefully monitor their training regimen. You need to do regular, moderate loads with their gradual increase.
And those who run need to follow the correct running technique and control the load. Doctors recommend that all athletes always follow the norm in everything, avoiding overexertion, so that the tendons of the joint always function correctly and tendinitis of the heel tendon does not develop.
An Achilles tendon rupture is a serious injury to the lower extremities, worsening a person’s quality of life, depriving him of full walking and new achievements in sports. Most often, treatment will require surgical intervention, less often - conservative therapy, and complete restoration of the functions of the calf muscles will take at least 6 months.
The expression “Achilles heel,” indicating the only weak spot of the mythical hero of the Trojan War Achilles, eventually became the second name for the heel tendon. Its tissue, consisting of parallel bundles of collagen fibers and fibrocytes (tendocytes), connects the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles with the calcaneal tubercle.
Despite the fact that the Achilles tendon is the largest in the human body, withstanding loads of up to 350 kg, it is considered the most injured due to its functions. Its tasks are plantar flexion of the foot, raising the tips of the toes, and ensuring the movement of the legs when walking or running.
The possibility of rupture increases as the load on the Achilles tendon increases.
Typical causes of Achilles tendon rupture are:
Experts associate Achilles tendon rupture with limited blood flow, that is, decreased nutrition of muscles, tissues and systemic age-related changes. From 30 to 40 years of age, the risk of injury is highest: the loads remain the same, but the body can no longer adequately respond to them. Most often, an Achilles rupture (sports slang) is typical for men, since in their arsenal of physical training the most traumatic sports are: running, football, basketball, tennis, hockey and others. At the same time, we are not talking only about professional sports. The Achilles tendon can be torn while practicing ballet, ballroom or folk dancing.
The tendon plate may tear partially or completely. While a partial Achilles tendon rupture is asymptomatic or mild, a complete rupture is indicated by sudden, aching pain and loss of mobility in the injured leg.
Other symptoms that are most pronounced with a complete rupture of the Achilles tendon are:
Symptoms of a partial rupture of the Achilles tendon are characterized by less intense pain and preservation of mobility of the injured limb. To more clearly determine the extent of injury, ultrasound, CT or MRI is prescribed. Computerized images of tissue damage become the subject of analysis and the basis for choosing a treatment method.
Experts believe that you should hurry up with the operation and should do it immediately after injury, since at this time it is easier for the surgeon to sew up the frayed ends of the Achilles tendon. A quick response reduces the prospect of complications after surgery, and reduces the time for returning limb mobility.
If the symptoms of a complete rupture of the calcaneal aponeurosis (tendon plate) are confirmed, then the exclusively surgical method of its restoration is used. Surgery on the Achilles tendon is necessary to ensure adequate fusion of the thinned ends of the aponeurosis both in the event of external factors of injury and degenerative changes in the tendon itself. The surgery involves a large incision or several small ones on the back of the calf, after which the torn bundle of collagen fibers of the Achilles tendon is sutured.
Trauma to the aponeurosis is always associated with a violation of the integrity of blood vessels, affecting the fusion of damaged fibers. Due to obstructed blood flow, torn tissues do not heal well. Without surgical intervention, re-rupture of the Achilles tendon is almost inevitable.
Serious complications after surgery include:
Many of these problems can be easily eliminated by modern medicine, although in some cases surgical assistance will again be necessary.
Conservative treatment of Achilles tendon rupture is possible if it is incomplete or affects older people for whom returning to sports or ballet is not so important. The operation is not performed on patients with diabetes, persons suffering from diseases of the blood vessels, heart, or lungs.
The Achilles tendon, the rupture of which always requires rigid fixation of the leg, with a non-surgical treatment method is secured with a plaster splint with an elongated toe or special shoes - orthoses or braces. The creators of orthoses combined knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology with the principles of engineering and biomechanics in the product. In this case, the torn aponeurosis is immobilized more efficiently: the mobility of the tendon is limited in the required direction, the tension when moving the leg is reduced, and the pain is relieved.
During the therapeutic treatment of the Achilles tendon, it is recommended to limit loads and bed rest, in which the patient holds the leg at some elevation.
After the operation, the sore leg is also provided with complete rest by applying a splint, which is then turned into a short plaster “boot”. Subsequently, the surgical technique involves the use of orthoses or lightweight polymer plaster, which is not afraid of water.
If the Achilles tendon ruptures, treatment continues with medications: anti-inflammatory, painkillers, external. They speed up healing, shortening the recovery period. Since recovery will last 6–8 weeks, thromboembolic events in the vessels are possible when using both methods. To prevent them, special drugs are prescribed.
Conservative treatment is effective and helps to avoid infectious risks characteristic of surgery . But no matter how much effort doctors and patients put into restoring the tendon plate, they are not able to fully restore its previous functions. The likelihood of recurrent Achilles tendon rupture remains high.
In any of the treatment options, patients after an Achilles tendon rupture are offered systemic rehabilitation. The step-by-step program for restoring the functions of the diseased aponeurosis, after cessation of immobilization, includes:
In patients with an Achilles tendon rupture, rehabilitation with exercise therapy should not cause pain if the restoration of motor activity occurs without forcing and with mandatory medical supervision. Moving to the next phase of recovery depends on achieving certain results that allow you to take a new step towards recovery. Only a specialist can assess the possibilities for moving to the next stage.