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Achilles Tendonitis – Treatments and Medications

Medications and treatment for Achilles tendonitis depends on extent of injury or pain. Complete recovery time is 3 to 9 months. Anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen relieve pain and reduce swelling. Surgery is considered if Achilles tendonitis is chronic.

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Treatments and Medications for Achilles Tendonitis

New York (USA), June 17, 2013

Treatments Options for Achilles Tendonitis

Medications and treatment for Achilles tendonitis depends on extent of injury or pain. Complete recovery time is anything between three to nine months. If symptoms have just started, recovery is fast. In persistent cases, recovery is prolonged.

Treating Achilles Tendonitis

The basic and initial treatment for Achilles tendonitis includes:

Rest: You should rest your tendon completely to prevent any aggravation of injury.

Ice: Apply ice pack over inflamed region for twenty minutes twice or thrice a day to reduce inflammation. Stop if region becomes numb.

Compression: Keep tendon compressed with proper bandage or restrictive support like orthoses or cast boot.

Elevation: Place tendon or affected foot at a slight elevation. This reduces swelling and consequently pain.

Physiotherapy: This includes ultrasound, massage, gentle stretching, and acupuncture. It aims at strengthening muscles in tendon and calf regions through exercises and massage routines extending over three months.

Podiatry: This involves fixing of various support devices to foot to reduce pressure on tendon. Take medical advice before starting with these devices.

If Achilles tendonitis does not respond to initial treatments, different options to try include:

Splinting: Put affected foot into a cast or splint such that it cannot be moved at all. This ensures complete rest. Tendon recuperates faster and better.

Surgery: Surgery is considered if Achilles tendonitis is chronic, severe, and badly damaged. It is treated as the last resort to restore Achilles tendon normalcy. In extreme cases, tendon sheath turns fibrous and thick. Tendon tissues tear or get worn out. Surgery removes worn out-tissues, repairs torn tissues, and reattaches tendon if necessary. Post-operative rest is mandatory. Adopt a planned recovery program consisting of physiotherapy sessions, massage, and simple strengthening exercises with gradual return to normal activity within ten weeks. However, return to competitive sport can be only after three to six months. Surgery has been more successful in athletics than in non-athletics.

Medications for Achilles Tendonitis

Anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen relieve pain and reduce swelling. In some cases, slow absorbing steroid injections are advised. However, only an experienced medical practitioner should administer injection.

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