Tendonitis Achilles tendon: treatment at home
We are told all the time that doing sports is good for health. Of course, moderate physical activities are simply necessary to be toned and have a healthy body and a healthy mind. But, as is known, occupations in professional sports are not only money and fame, but also frequent injuries, which sometimes are the reason for the departure of an athlete from a big sport. In our article, we will analyze one of such diseases - tendonitis of the Achilles tendon. Treatment of this ailment will also be considered.
What is the pathology of
? Tendonitis is a disease characterized by an inflammatory process in the Achilles tendon area. Pathology often develops in people professionally engaged in sports, that is, exerting an Achilles tendon overexertion, which leads to the appearance of the disease.
Below we will take a closer look at the treatment. Tendonitis of the Achilles tendon can develop and in the senior age, even at those who does not go in for sports. This is due to age changes, the volume of movement in the ankle joint is gradually decreasing, and the tendon becomes less elastic, which can lead to trauma.
What provokes the development of the disease
You are diagnosed with tendonitis of the Achilles tendon? Treatment and the causes of this pathology will be discussed in the article. For a start, let's take a closer look at the factors that provoke the disease:
- Decreased elasticity with age. The tendon consists of collagen and elastic fibers, which make it strong and expandable. The older the person becomes, the more these figures decrease, and the loads can lead to ruptures or damage to the fibers of the tendon. It is connected with this that after 35 years any training should begin with a warm-up.
- Large loads. As a rule, athletes are exposed to them. Excessive workouts lead to overstrain of the tendon. A short rest period does not allow the tissues to recover sufficiently and a rupture of fibers can occur.
- Flat-footed with hyperpredation, when the foot falls inward. When walking in this position, the tendon is more stretched and can be injured.
- Uncomfortable shoes, especially for sports training. There is an incorrect distribution of the load, which can lead to the development of this pathology. Love for women to high heels can result in the formation of tendonitis Achilles tendon. Treatment in this case is also necessary.
- The heel on the heel( deformity of Haglund) in the place where the tendon is attached.
- Infectious diseases can also trigger the development of pathology.
- Some problems with bones and joints, for example, arthritis. Different length of legs.
- The cause of the development of pathology can be gout, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease.
Either of these causes can lead to serious medical treatment, Achilles tendon tendonitis will not pass by itself. It is advisable to see the first signs of going to the doctor.
Symptoms of the disease
This disease can occur in two forms:
- Acute.
- Chronic.
If there is an acute form of pathology, the manifestations are as follows:
- Appearance of pain during exercise or training. Gradually, the pain subsides, and after the rest disappears altogether.
- If you feel the Achilles tendon, you feel discomfort.
If you rest your feet, then there is a fusion of microfractures, so it seems that everything has passed, but new loads lead to repeated injuries.
If you do not pay attention to symptoms on time, then gradually the pathology turns into a chronic form, which has the following symptoms:
- Gradual increase of pain.
- During exercise, the pain becomes stronger, even warming up and warming up do not help.
- Rest also does not relieve the pain, immediately after awakening you can already feel them.
- During the descent or ascent the ladder develops a pain syndrome.
Both chronic and acute forms of the disease can also have the following manifestations:
- The tendon thickens.
- Excessive tension is felt in the calf muscles.
- In the area of the ankle may be limited mobility.
- Pain can be felt all over the tendon or only in the heel area.
- Scratch may occur while the ankle is moving.
- It becomes more difficult to bend the foot and become on toes.
Do not let the chronic tendonitis of the Achilles tendon develop. Treatment in this case will take longer and more serious.
Species of the disease
The disease can develop and manifest itself in many ways. Depending on this, several forms of pathology are distinguished:
- Peritendinitis is manifested by the inflammatory process in surrounding soft tissues.
- Tendonitis - the Achilles tendon itself is affected, adjacent tissues are not affected.
- Enthesopathy. With this form of the disease, a degenerative process develops on the border with the bone, a calcaneal spur may appear.
Diagnosis of the disease
If a tendonitis of the Achilles tendon is suspected, treatment should be started only after the diagnosis is clarified.
The following diagnostic methods are used:
- Physical examination. The doctor conducts palpation and identifies the places where the pain is most painful.
- Radiation diagnosis, but in the absence of calcification it does not help to make an accurate diagnosis.
- MRI will help determine the presence of gaps.
- ultrasound. With its help, you can determine the need for surgical intervention.
- There is also a radiology study, it shows the site of the inflammatory process.
Once the diagnosis has confirmed tendonitis of the Achilles tendon, the treatment should be prescribed by a physician.
Tendonitis therapy
If the unpleasant sensations in the tendon have arisen for the first time, then it is enough for a while to limit the load and rest the legs. To remove swelling and redness, you can use the ice.
If even after rest and reduce the load the pain does not pass, then you will have to visit a doctor. As a rule, the treatment of this disease is conducted in several directions:
- Conservative therapy.
- Medication.
- Traditional methods of therapy.
- Physiotherapy.
- Surgical intervention.
Depending on the severity of the disease, the doctor chooses the treatment tactics.
Medication for tendonitis
If tendonitis of Achilles tendon occurs, treatment of ruptures or minor injuries should begin with reducing the load and immobilization of this area. This can be done in several ways:
- Apply a tire or gypsum.
- Use a flexible bandage.
- Tapping.
- Imposition of orthoses that can partially or completely restrict movement.
This should begin with if there is tendonitis of the Achilles tendon, treatment. The photo shows it well.
Further, the doctor prescribes medical therapy, which includes:
- Admission of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - Nimesil, Naklofen.
- If there is an extensive inflammatory process, then antibacterial therapy may be required.
- To relieve the pain, you can put a compress at night using "Analgin", "Novocaine" or inject an anesthetic.
- If the diagnosis of tendonitis Achilles tendon, treatment with ointments is also possible. To do this, often use "Voltaren", "Dolobene gel", "Solcoseril."
After using the drugs to remove the inflammation and reduce pain, you can proceed to physiotherapy procedures.
Physiotherapy against tendonitis
Physiotherapy methods are an excellent addition to medical treatment. Most often, patients are prescribed the following procedures:
- Magnetotherapy.
- Laser treatment.
- Ultrasound treatment.
- Shockwave therapy.
- Electrophoresis.
- Mud applications.
Properly conducted therapy, if there is tendonitis Achilles tendon( treatment and symptoms are presented to your attention in the article), soon gives a positive result. The pain subsides and mobility recovers.
Traditional medicine for tendonitis
With many diseases, folk treatment can help. Tendonitis Achilles tendon also suits him well. The most effective ways to call it:
- Massage with ice. For this, take plastic cups and pour water in them, put them in the freezer. When the liquid freezes, the upper part of the container is massaged by the injured place for 15-20 minutes several times a day.
- «Home gypsum».It is necessary to beat up the chicken protein and add 1 tablespoon of alcohol or vodka. Shake well and add a tablespoon of flour. Apply the mixture to the elastic bandage and bandage the sore spot. Change this bandage is necessary every day, it will help to remove puffiness and pain.
- Folk healers recommend adding turmeric to the diet. Curcumin, which it contains, helps relieve pain and remove inflammation.
- Use of salt dressings. Preliminary it is necessary to dissolve a tablespoon of salt in a glass of warm water. In the liquid, moisten the napkin, wring out, wrap in a bag and place in the freezer for a few minutes. Apply to a sore spot and pribintovat, hold, until the napkin is completely dry.
If there is Achilles tendinitis tendonitis, folk remedies can be treated using infusions and decoctions of medicinal herbs:
- Prepare an infusion from a tablespoon of comfrey, calendula and 250 ml of hot water. Bring to a boil, infuse for several hours, and then 1 tablespoon of infusion dilute in 300 ml of water and make a bandage on the injured place.
- Compress of elecampane. You need to take 3 tablespoons of grass and pour 0.5 liters of hot water, boil for 15 minutes. Soak a tissue in a decoction and attach it to a sore spot.
- Use of pine twigs for the preparation of trays. It is necessary to take a bucket and fill it with two-thirds of the pine branch, pour cold water and boil it for half an hour. Then you need to insist 2-3 hours and take a bath for 15-20 minutes.
- Use a mixture of 2 drops of fir and lavender oils to spread the sore spot, and add a teaspoon of any vegetable.
- Tincture of wormwood has a general strengthening effect on the body and relieves inflammation. To make it you need to take 2 tablespoons of dried herbs and pour 250 ml of boiling water, after a 30-minute infusion, take a tablespoon several times a day.
After a compress, you can recommend the use of one of the ointments:
- Calendula ointment will help to cope with the inflammatory process. Prepare fairly simple: you must mix in equal quantities baby cream and marigold flowers. To put on a sore spot is best for the night.
- Take the same amount of pork fat and wax from wormwood, combine and melt on fire. After cooling, it can be applied to the affected area.
- You can make an ointment from clay. To do this, take 500 g of clay and dilute it in water until the consistency of the mastic, and then add 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Then moisten the resulting composition with a napkin and apply to the sore spot for an hour. The course of therapy is up to 6 procedures and helps to get rid of pain and swelling.
Thus, if the diagnosis is "Achilles tendinitis tendonitis," treatment with folk remedies will help to restore the habitual way of life faster.
Operative intervention
If all conservative methods of treatment are tried, but there is no result, then it will be necessary to resort to surgical intervention. The doctor during the operation makes an incision and excises the affected area, and then the tendon is sewn. If there is a Haglund outgrowth, then it is also removed.
If you still had to resort to surgery for a disease such as tendonitis Achilles tendon, treatment, rehabilitation after the operation will take a couple of months. It is necessary to wear a special boot for 6 weeks. Gradually, after about a couple of weeks, you can try to step on the operated leg.
After removal of the orthosis, a rehabilitation course is prescribed, which will help to fully restore the tendon function. This usually takes from a month to three.
Special exercises with tendonitis
After an operation the complex of exercises will help to recover faster. Here are some recommendations for their implementation:
- The first place is walking, for this you need to pick up comfortable shoes and in the process of movement to carry out a smooth roll from the heel to the toe. Walking time, speed and step length should be increased gradually.
- It is recommended to do lifting on socks and half-squats.
- Well help in restoring exercise in the water. The body loses most of the weight, so those exercises that can not be done in the hall in a certain period can be safely performed in the water.
- You can only run after a good workout.
- It is useful to perform exercises to stretch the gastrocnemius muscles and tendons, for this purpose, stand near the wall, lean on your hands, and put your injured leg back and rest on your toe. Stay in this position for 30 seconds.
- Stand on the edge of the platform and crouch. This exercise strengthens the strength and elasticity of the Achilles tendon.
When carrying out any exercises, it must be remembered that the load should increase gradually. Return to sports training is possible only after the permission of the attending physician.
How to prevent the development of the pathology of
We have considered such a disease as Achilles tendon tendonitis. Treatment and prevention of it should be at the proper level to prevent the development of pathology. For this, the following recommendations should be observed:
- With age, the elasticity of the tendon is reduced, so after 40 years it is necessary to lead a flexible lifestyle and include in the set of exercises those that will help to use the calf muscles.
- While doing sports or any loads, do not immediately start the main exercises, you need to do warm-up and stretch.
- All athletes should monitor compliance with the training regime, the muscles should not be overloaded.
- For any sports activities, you must choose the right shoes.
If you consult a doctor with the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease and follow all the recommendations for treatment and recovery, then the prognosis for tendonitis of the Achilles tendon is quite favorable. Gradually the tissues will recover, the inflammatory process will come to naught, and it will be possible to return to the sports regime or the habitual way of life. But we must always remember that our health is only in our hands, so take care of yourself.