Achilles tendonitis is a common condition that affects athletes and active individuals of all ages. The condition typically develops as a result of tendon overstress, which leads to microtears and inflammation in the Achilles tendon. These small tears can be painful and affect your ability to walk or run normally, but because symptoms are typically quite mild at the outset, many people oftentimes take a “wait and see” approach to care. This approach can lead to additional issues, which is why we want to use today’s blog to explain why proactive treatment is so crucial if you have Achilles tendonitis.
Don’t Delay Achilles Tendonitis Treatment
The majority of foot and ankle injuries would benefit from proactive care, but that’s especially true for Achilles tendonitis for two specific reasons:
Increased Likelihood Of Achilles Tendon Rupture – Your Achilles tendon is the largest and strongest tendon in your body, but that doesn’t mean that it is immune from stress and damage. When Achilles tendonitis develops, these microtears in the tendon serve to weaken the tendon as a whole. Left untreated, and the tendon can remain weak or further degrade as a result of prolonged stress. Eventually, the tendon can become so damaged that it ruptures during a moment of acute strain. Putting off treatment for a small problem can lead to a major issue that requires surgery and months of rehabilitation. You’re at an increased risk for more severe Achilles tendon issues if your tendonitis goes untreated, so work to resolve the issue with targeted treatment.
Treatment Is Simple – Treatment for Achilles tendonitis is relatively simple and straightforward, and your tendon is rather receptive to treatment. Not only can you greatly reduce your risk of a tendon rupture with treatment, but simple adjustments to your daily habits can provide the right environment for tendon healing to take place. Most patients experience significant improvement in their symptoms in just a few weeks by pursuing a combination of treatments like:
- Rest/Activity modification
- Gentle stretching
- Targeted physical therapy
- Hot/Cold therapy
Essentially, you want to rest the area and work to resolve any lingering inflammation before working to strengthen the tendon and the nearby soft tissues so that it can continue to handle the stress you put on the area during activity. When returning to activity, a gradual reintroduction is a must. Achilles tendonitis is typically the result of tendon overstress in a short period of time, so you need to slowly expose the area to greater levels of stress. It’s similar to how you would train for a marathon. You wouldn’t just try to run 26.2 miles, you’d slowly build up your distance and your pace so that you are ready to tackle the biggest challenge on race day. Slowly building up strength and stress tolerance in your tendon can help to prevent recurrences down the road.