To treat pain in the Achilles tendon, it is recommended to place a bag with ice pebbles in the painful area and rest, avoiding physical effort and reducing training.
Pain in the Achilles tendon can indicate a small inflammation, which can happen with some type of physical effort, such as running, walking or cycling, and it is not always serious. Pain can also happen due to the use of a shoe that presses on this tendon, contusion in this place, the development of a heel spur or due to bursitis. Although it is less common, there are cases where the person reports not having had any type of effort that can justify the onset of pain.
This change is usually simple and does not last long, with symptoms regressing within 7-15 days of treatment. But if there are no signs of improvement with the following tips, seek medical help.
What to do?
In case of pain in the Achilles tendon, some indicated strategies are:
- Ointment: You can use a cream or ointment containing menthol, camphor or arnica, it can relieve discomfort; Rest: Avoid effort, but it is not necessary to rest completely, just do not practice physical activity for a few days; Suitable footwear: Wear sneakers or comfortable shoes, avoiding very hard shoes and also high heels, Anabela sandals can be used as long as the heel is no more than 3 cm high, no other type of shoe or sandal with heels is recommended; Contrast bath: put your feet in a basin with hot water and salt for 1 minute and then switch to a basin with cold water, leaving for another 1 minute. Make 3 exchanges in a row. Ice packs: Place crushed ice inside a sock and wrap it around the ankle and let it work for 15-20 minutes, several times throughout the day; Acupuncture: It can be useful to fight pain and inflammation in an alternative way.
If the pain remains for more than 7 days it is recommended to seek medical help, as it may be a tendonitis, for example, which can be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs for a few days, and physiotherapy sessions for complete recovery. If tendonitis treatment is not carried out correctly, the pain can worsen and recovery takes longer, so it is important to start treatment as soon as possible.
It is not necessary to immobilize or bandage the foot.
Indicated exercises
Stretching and strengthening exercises for the leg muscles are recommended: gastrocnemius and soleus. For stretching, you should:
- Climb on a step and support your foot on the end of the step; Support your body weight and lower your heel as much as you can Keep in this position for 30 seconds at 1 minute;
Repeat the same exercise with the other leg. Perform 3 stretches with each leg - twice a day, for 1 week.
After this period it may be indicated to perform strengthening exercises with these same muscles, in which case the same step can be used, as follows:
- Support your feet at the end of the step; Raise your heel as high as you can. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Other exercises can be recommended by the physiotherapist, as needed, these are just a few examples of what can be done at home.
For people who practice intense physical activity, the return to training should be done gradually.
Learn what you can do to cure Achilles tendonitis
What causes achilles tendon pain
The main symptoms of Achilles tendinopathy are mild pain, while the person is at rest, which becomes moderate during activities such as walking for more than 15 minutes or going up / down stairs. The pain worsens when performing a squat or jumping movement and you may notice some swelling in the back of your foot. During palpation of the tendon, it may be possible to find points of greater tenderness and thickening of the tendon.
In case of rupture of the achilles tendon the force is very intense and when the tendon is palpated it is possible to observe its discontinuity. In this case, it may be necessary to perform surgery, when the tendon breaks completely, but physiotherapy can only be used in cases of partial rupture.
Learn more about the treatment for Achilles tendon rupture
Why does the tendon inflate?
The Achilles tendon inflames when subjected to greater effort than usual, and when the person is unable to get enough rest, it can cause a breakdown at the cellular level, which results from an incomplete healing response, which can also be related to less blood coming to the tendon. This causes small microscopic lesions to occur in the tendon, including the deposition of fibrin and a disorganization of the collagen fibers that cause pain, inflammation and rigidity of movement.
The doctor may order an X-ray or ultrasound to assess the source of the pain and indicate the appropriate treatment. Surgery is very rarely indicated.
