Patient Education

What’s going on?

There are a lot of tendons that run from your leg into the back of your foot.
Sometimes aging or the type of shoe wear can make this tissue less flexible.
Overuse from sporting activities can also aggravate the symptoms.
Shoes with a high back can press on the tendon and cause pain.

How long will it take?

If you make the necessary adjustments to your activities and footwear to decrease stress on the tendon and complete your home exercise program to restore the flexibility of the tissue, you will likely see significant improvements in six weeks.

How will we treat your condition at IHSM?

At IHSM, a doctor of physical therapy will perform a detailed physical examination to determine what may have led to your injury or symptoms.
Based on the findings, we will design a specific treatment plan to help you recover.
Initially, this may include taping or the use of a heel lift to decrease stress on the tendon.
You will likely also have an exercise program to help restore the flexibility and mobility of your ankle joint and surrounding muscles.
Strengthening exercises (eccentrics) that target the painful tissue is critical to your full recovery.
Modalities such as acupuncture, infrared heat, or electrical stimulation may also be used to control the pain in your ankle and foot.
In addition, we will also work with you to explore ways to perform bothersome activities in a more comfortable manner.
Orthotics or taping may be necessary to support your foot and reduce stress on the tendon.

What can you do to help yourself?

Adherence to our comprehensive home program is essential to ensure an optimal recovery.
Refrain from performing activities that exacerbate the pain like walking, running and jumping.
Gently move your ankle and foot around before your first step after sleeping or sitting.
It is essential to manage your weight to decrease stress on your tissues. It may be advised to choose minimal weight-bearing exercises like recumbent cycling and diet modification to do this.
You may be encouraged to sit or sleep in positions that minimize the shortening of the achilles tendon.

Instructions:

You can do the towel stretch right away. When the towel stretch is easy, try the standing calf stretch, soleus stretch, and leg lift. When you no longer have sharp pain in your calf or tendon, you can do the step-up, heel raises, and static and balance and reach exercises.

About IHSM

Integrative Health and Sports Medicine, LLC is a one-stop health and wellness center. Our mission is to restore our patients to a healthy, pain-free, and productive life. By combining orthopedic physical therapy techniques, sports medicine, acupuncture, and Chinese medicine, we can treat conditions and achieve results in cases that have not responded well to modern Western medicine.

We are located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Please email us at info@ihsm.org to schedule a consultation and let us help you on your journey to optimal health.

HEP: Achilles Tendon Injury