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5 Soothing Treatments for Achilles Tendon Pain
A complex network of parts makes up your body and enables you to move. Your tendons often go as unsung heroes, anchoring your muscles to your bones to keep you upright, motile, and flexible. That’s particularly true for your Achilles tendon, the biggest and strongest tendon in your body.
This tendon connects your calf muscles to your heel. Just because it can withstand more than 1,000 pounds of force doesn’t mean it’s impervious to injury, though. If you experience pain along your lower calf or the back of your heel, you probably have an Achilles tendon problem. Fortunately, Samantha Childers, DPM, and Ricky Childers, DPM, offer specialized Achilles tendon care at our North Central Texas Foot & Ankle offices in Roanoke and Decatur, Texas.
Here, we take a look at several of the most commonly effective treatments to soothe Achilles tendon pain, starting with the easiest.
Rest
Sometimes, the simplest things work best. Resting your Achilles tendon allows it to heal any inflammation that could be causing your pain.
You might be tempted to push through your discomfort, but don’t. If you run or play sports through this pain, you only make the injury worse.
Instead, stop doing anything that heightens your discomfort. The rest might be an unwelcome deviation from your usual routine, but taking a couple of weeks off now can prevent a much more serious issue like a tendon rupture — which would take you out of commission for months.
Ice
Usually, Achilles tendon pain stems from inflammation. Ice can help to bring down the inflammation while also numbing the area, temporarily easing your pain.
Best practice says to ice for about 15 minutes as you elevate the area, then wait at least a half-hour before re-applying the ice.
Orthotics
Personalized shoe inserts can take the pressure off your Achilles as you do your necessary tasks like grocery shopping. With our custom orthotics, we can help you protect your tendon as it heals and prevent reinjury in the future. These inserts give you an easy way to soothe your pain.
Physical therapy
Targeted exercises can help you stretch and strengthen your Achilles tendon, easing your pain immediately while delivering long-term benefits.
Medicated treatments
If none of these soothing treatments work, our team can explore options like anti-inflammatory medications, corticosteroid injections, and regenerative medicine. We talk with you about your Achilles tendon pain to recommend the right treatment(s) for you.
If all else fails or if you have a serious issue like a tendon rupture, our team also offers surgical repair.
To find the right option to soothe your Achilles tendon pain based on the severity of your issue, call or message one of our offices to schedule an appointment.
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