WHAT IS THE BEST PHYSIO TREATMENT FOR ACHILLES TENDINOPATHY?
WHAT IS TENDINOPATHY?
Achilles tendon problems are a very common condition in the sporting population but also the general public. Whether you pound the pavements, chase a ball around a pitch or enjoy walking in the Petersfield countryside, pain in your heel can be troublesome. There are two types of tendinopathy, midportion (in the middle of the tendon) and insertional (where the tendon inserts into the bone). There can also be chronic degenerative tendon problems or more acute reactive tendon problems.
The word tendinopathy is something that is questioned throughout the healthcare industry. The term ‘Achilles Tendinitis’ has been previously miss-used in the literature but using current research we now know that there is little to no inflammatory process with this condition. Instead the tendon reacts to a change in load by thickening and swelling.
Achilles Tendinopathy Symptoms
OUR TOP PHYSIO TIPS TO TREAT TENDINOPATHY?
There are many ways to treat this condition. As a patient you may wonder “do I need exercise, shockwave, an insole, an injection or maybe surgery for my painful Achilles?”
Research from our clinical experts Jill Cook, Michael Rathleff and Dr Seth O’Neill suggest the best way to recover from this injury is an exercise programme to load the Achilles tendon and calf complex gradually. There is some evidence behind using manual therapy alongside your guided exercise programme and as a last resort injection therapy may be necessary.
Body and Mind Physiotherapists are local physiotherapists to Petersfield, located near the Heath Lake, and we are experienced at treating sports injuries and chronic Achilles Tendon pain. We can also look at running gait and the possibility of using orthotics (if necessary) for a short period to offload the tendon.
It is also important to address other contributing factors such as running training programming, attempting to minimise training errors, and selecting appropriate running footwear. It is dependent on the type of tendinopathy you have as to how much to load the tissue and strengthen the area.
EXERCISES TO HELP ACHILLES TENDON PAIN
There are so many ways to exercise and help with tendon pain, and many different ways to load the tendon safely without causing further pain.
Please follow the link below to find some beneficial exercises, however if you are struggling please get in touch with our experts at Body and Mind Physiotherapy and we can start you on the road to recovery and back to the things you love the most.