It has been estimated that it affects up to 18% of runners. If you've injured your Achilles, it's important to avoid strenuous exercise for at least the first four weeks of healing. How Long Does It Take to Get Good at Running? If you continue to try and stretch the tendon, it will extend the amount of time it takes for the tendon to heal. Fields KB, ed. You support this structure by tapping the calf muscles and Achilles tendons, which aids in faster healing and the prevention of future injuries. Tu P.Heel Pain: Diagnosis and Management. World J Orthop. For more ways to fix Achilles tendonitis from our Medical reviewer, like the best non-prescription pain relievers, read on! For those with chronic pain or an injury that is not healing properly, you can use athletic wraps and tape to help reduce the stress on your tendon. You should leave the ice pack on until you notice the swelling reducing. Wrap so it fits snug, not too loose or too tight. Did you know you can get premium answers for this article? Failing to get proper treatment could threaten your mobility in the future, limiting your ability to walk or play sports. "This article answered every question I had in clear, concise, and easily-understood language. the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Compression can bring swelling down and keep the ankle from moving too much. Therapeutic effectiveness of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization for soft tissue injury: mechanisms and practical application. You should be able to slide a finger under the wrap. Use pillows to elevate your leg above your heart. These devices go into a shoe to increase support on a specific area of the foot. This will also help hold down the vertical strips of tape. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. You can also perform single heel drops, which are basically the same exercise but on one leg only. If the pain is a lot more severe and other treatments have been unsuccessful you should seek professional medical attention as soon as possible. These will help restrict your ankle from bending, which will give your tendon time to heal. It is important to wrap the ice in a towel so that it does not come into direct contact with the skin. Applying a cold compress to the injury helps reduce blood flow, which can help relieve the pain. Starting at the back of the calf, over the anchor strip, lay one piece of wide athletic tape down to extend to the anchor piece on the bottom of the foot. Get medical treatment immediately if you experience abrupt severe pain in the tendon area or cannot put weight on the affected leg. Thanks for the article. Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. After I completely healed from minor Achilles inflammation, I hope I can resume my treadmill exercises. Do such wraps work? Does wrapping your ankle Help Achilles tendonitis? Obviously, if K-taped works well, use it. Dr. Siddharth Tambar, MD is a board certified rheumatologist at Chicago Arthritis and Regenerative Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. Keep the . [1] Waltham, MA: UpToDate Inc. Fast, Easy Ways to Heal an Achilles Tendon, An Achilles tendon injury is formally known as Achilles tendonitis, and it is a condition where the Achilles tendon becomes inflamed and painful. 4th ed. You can do this exercise for up to four repetitions at a time and five times a day. Last Updated: October 2, 2020 Runners Legs vs. Walkers Legs? Circle a length of tape around your lower calf and foot. Siddharth Tambar, MD. You can ice the area for up to twenty minutes, but you should always stop to let the skin warm up if you start to feel the skin go numb. [v161376_b01]/. Have you recently made changes to your exercise routine, or have you recently started participating in a new sport? J Exerc Rehabil. Leave a little bit of room to pull through on both ends so you will be able to tie it off at the end without too much difficulty. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. [1] If your doctor writes you a prescription for a stronger pain reliever, ensure that you always take it as directed. $6.49. Medina Pabn MA, Naqvi U. Achilles Tendonitis. All rights reserved. Wrap a compression bandage in figure-eights, alternating loops between your calf and foot. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The tape should make figure-eights, alternating loops between your calf and foot. The K-tape has really taken off in recent years, and numerous athletes have utilized it. You'll find six videos with easy-to-follow instructions on how to wrap an ankle, elbow, knee, leg, shoulder or wrist with ACE bandages. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health. This helps reduce swelling. Then, work your way down to your toes, keeping mild tension to secure the bandage. [6] 3 Ice your calf to reduce pain. Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. This helps deliver nutrients and oxygen to the tissue, which can aid in the healing process. Largely the same way as above. This will keep your wraps neat but will not put too much restriction on your circulation. After icing your achilles, wrap it up in an ace bandage or towel. Watch medications you take, as some of their side effects can affect your ankle health. Make sure that you don't put direct pressure onto your Achilles tendon. (2018). By using our site, you agree to our. Check Price at Amazon. Even when used as directed, most over-the-counter pain relievers are not meant for daily use. The pain may also be accompanied by swelling, bruising, redness or warmth around the injury site. He holds a Bachelor of Science in psychology from University of California, San Diego and a Juris Doctor from Lewis and Clark School of Law. You should also seek help if you cannot point the affected foot downward. Place two strips of tape parallel to your tendon on each side of the tendon. If you are experiencing Achilles tendonitis or any other type of physical discomfort, please consult with a doctor about how best to proceed in order to eliminate stress on the affected area. You can try other activities like swimming or biking until your Achilles tendon has healed. Before treating Achilles tendonitis, visit a doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. To treat Achilles tendonitis, use RICE. If your pain is severe, your doctor may also recommend a recovery boot in order to keep the foot flexed and strain off the tendon. Work your way up by wrapping the bandage several times around your foot and ankle in a figure-eight pattern. Apply a cold compress to your sore Achilles tendon for 20 minutes at a time. Pull the tape down to your calf by using a slight stretching motion. With K-tape, this is no longer an issue because it is too flexible. Start by wrapping a strip of tape just below the widest part of your calf and another just before your toes. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. Start above your ankle and wrap the bandage a few times to keep it in place. Beginning at the back part of the calf and across the anchor portion, lay one wide swath of athletic tape down and extending to the bottom of your foot to the anchor section. Rest and avoid any activities that stress your calve muscles and Achilles tendon. 2017;13(1):12-22. doi:10.12965/jer.1732824.412, Park YH, Jeong SM, Choi GW, Kim HJ. Step 2: Dorsiflex the ankle at a right angle (90 degrees) Step 3: You should always start at the point where your toes meet the body of your foot (dorsal aspect of foot) . . You can care for most cases of Achilles tendinitis at home, but you should still see a doctor regarding the exact steps that are right for your injury. Finally, cover the strips by your toes and upper ankle with more tape to secure them. There are a few things one can do to help ease the pain. Step 1: Step 1: Initial Treatment of a Sprained Ankle After injury, apply cold pack to ankle for 24-48 hours to help with pain and will reduce swelling. Elevation. Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd., all rights reserved. Thank you so much! Gulati V, Jaggard M, Al-nammari SS, et al. This article was co-authored by Siddharth Tambar, MD. She holds a doctorate in medicine, a master's in biomedicine, and a Bachelor of Science in biology from Boston College. To build strength in your tendon, perform gentle exercises like toe stretches or bilateral heel drops. Check with your sports physician if you think your calf strain may need more serious treatment and/or therapy. I am in a jam, because I saw a Podiatrist after 6 weeks of heel pain. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Icing is most effective in the first 48 hours after an injury, but its effects will diminish after that. Stick 2-3 strips of tape up the back of your calf to connect the 2 strips. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Ankle Brace & Achilles Tendon Support Sleeve for Running & Everyday Wear - Ankle at the best online prices at eBay! What medications and supplements do you take regularly? Do this frequently throughout the day. Injuries to the Achilles tendons can happen when you overuse them while doing exercising like running, jumping rope, etc. Do not start wrapping from the top towards the bottom. Wrap two sections of the tape over the top part of your ankle and the ball of your foot. Older adults are more likely to develop Achilles tendonitis because the tissue becomes less elastic with age. This can happen from a bone spur, infection, or overuse. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2015. http://www.clinicalkey.com. Both athletic tape and compression bandages can typically be found at pharmacies, big box stores, and from online retailers. You may actually have a torn or ruptured Achilles tendon, which is a far more serious diagnosis. Thanks. The strength and flexibility in your tendon may have diminished during your injury. Welcome to NoLimitsTiming - The best resource for running information on the web. Calf muscles like extra heat and compression. Start with the wrap rolled up and unwind it as you go. Continue wrapping the area with a Figure Eight pattern all the way up to your mid-calf, near the back of your leg and over to your Achilles tendon on both sides of it where you will end by tying off in a knot or double knot. He's an avid hiker, backpacker, and climber who loves to stay fit so he can make sure he's healthy enough to enjoy his favorite hobbies. I prefer to actually do something proactive rather than the clinic doctor's advice of just rest it and ice it. This content does not have an Arabic version. More common symptoms of Achilles tendonitis that may warrant a trip to the doctor include mild-to-moderate aches in the back of the leg or above the heel, especially after a sports activity or exercise. This article has been viewed 149,128 times. Tendon pain to the Achilles usually results from repetitive micro-tears in the tissue that is not allowed time to heal properly before being irritated again with exercise or other activities. Maughan KL, Boggess BR. The third letter, C, stands for "Compression.". For more ways to fix Achilles tendonitis from our Medical reviewer, like the best non-prescription pain relievers, read on! Ice: put an ice pack (or try a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel) on the tendon for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/61\/Wrap-an-Achilles-Tendon-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Wrap-an-Achilles-Tendon-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/61\/Wrap-an-Achilles-Tendon-Step-1.jpg\/aid10168316-v4-728px-Wrap-an-Achilles-Tendon-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"