Achilles Tendinopathy

Shockwave Therapy Treatment of Achilles Tendinopathy?

An Achilles tendinopathy is a painful condition affecting the Achilles tendon, the connective tissue that connects the calf muscles (gastrocnemius, soleus and plantaris) to the heel bone. Repetitive strain of the Achilles tendon leads to small micro tears within the tendon, causing the tendon to become irritated and painful.

Strain and irritation to the Achilles tendon can not only cause extreme discomfort but also huge inconvenience if you are someone who likes to stay mobile and active. When you book your first appointment with the Tunbridge Wells Chiropractic team, we always do our utmost to assess your needs and tailor the right plan to get you back on your feet and moving freely in the shortest period of time.

Upon arrival at your first appointment with us, you’ll be welcomed into our clinic and invited to have a friendly discussion with a member of our team of experts such as Andrew Bowden, who specialises in helping people reach their potential without pain. This chat will help us understanding both you, your symptoms and your overall health, and we’ll also complete a neurological and orthopaedic examination. We advise you to dress comfortably so you can feel as relaxed as possible.

The treatments we offer for Achilles tendinopathy can include chiropractic care and physiotherapy, as well as orthotics and advise on ways you can ease your symptoms yourself at home. We also extracorporeal shockwave therapy which stimulates blood flow and new collagen fibres to help repair the damaged tissue.

If together we decide that chiropractic care is right for you, we can help you arrange a follow up appointment to get you back on track as soon as possible.

Factors That May Cause Achilles Tendinopathy:

• It is a condition that is associated with certain sports such as running, however it can still affect individuals who are less active.
• Having poor technique for your chosen sport, such as running form.
• An increase in intensity or frequency of training too quickly
• Poor flexibility in hamstring and calf muscles
• Exercising on hard or sloped surfaces
• Inappropriate footwear for exercise
• Hyper pronation (walking or running flatfooted)

What are the Symptoms of Achilles Tendinopathy?

• Pain and stiffness around the Achilles tendon.
• Initially pain at the start of activity and then eases during the activity, before becoming painful again afterwards. As the injury progresses, it may become painful during and after activity.
• Pain and stiffness first thing in the morning upon waking.

How Can Achilles Tendinopathy Be Treated?

• Rest from aggravating activities
• Extracorporeal shockwave therapy fires high energy shockwaves through to the injured tissue to stimulate blood flow and new collagen fibres to help repair the damaged tendon.
• Chiropractic or physiotherapy can help identify the appropriate rehabilitative exercises and manual therapy techniques to improve biomechanics and reduce pain levels.
• Short term painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen
• Ice packs in the early stages can help reduce swelling and pain
• Orthotics may be beneficial
• Choosing appropriate foot wear