Achilles Tendon Treatment Options:
Causes, Symptoms, and Prevention
What is An Achilles Tendon Injury?
The Achilles tendon is a strong fibrous cord that connects the muscles at the back of your calf to the heel bone. Its strength and flexibility are crucial for jumping, running, and walking. However, the stress and pressure it bears often lead to injuries, including:
1. Tendonitis
Tendonitis may occur due to overuse or damage to the tendon, and it can cause pain down the back of your leg and around the heel. It is crucial to seek medical treatment to prevent the condition from worsening.
2. Rupture
When tears form on the tendon fibres, due to acute (sudden) injuries when the tendon is stretched past its breaking point. As such, leading to either a partial or complete tear of the tendon.
Causes of Achilles Tendon injury
Overstretching of the tendons due to sudden movements can lead to an Achilles tendon rupture. This usually occurs among people who play sports such as soccer, basketball, badminton or tennis. The frequent sudden stops, starts, and pivots cause the tendon to stretch and eventually rupture. Besides sports, other injuries include:
- Wear and tear over time
- Accidents
- Falls
- Tripping
- Twisting of the ankle
Symptoms of Achilles Tendon injury
Common symptoms of an Achilles tendon injury include:
- Feeling or hearing a pop or snap at the back of your ankle
- Inflammation or swelling at the back of the leg near the heel
- Pain and stiffness
- Tenderness in the spot where the tendon is torn
- Thickening of the tendon
- Difficulty flexing the affected foot
Treatment Options
Non-surgical treatment
- RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation)
- Applying ice to the injured area to help reduce the inflammation and swelling
- Immobilisation with a brace or walking cast
- Physical therapy
- Medication to help relieve the pain and inflammation
Surgical treatment
Surgery may be required to repair a torn Achilles Tendon. This also depends on the severity of the injury, if non-surgical treatments fail to relieve the pain or if the symptoms worsen. The procedure generally involves making an incision at the back of the lower leg to stitch the torn tendon back together. Other procedures include:
- Debridement (removal of damaged tendon tissues or bone spurs and repair the tendon)
- Removal of the damaged tendon tissue and fix the remaining tendon by moving another tendon to the heel bone to strengthen the area
How Can I Prevent An Achilles Tendon Injury?
To reduce the risk of an Achilles Tendon injury, some measures include:
- Stretch and strengthen the calf muscles
- Choose running surfaces carefully
- Choose the appropriate exercise shoe with proper heel cushioning
- Slowly increase the training intensity