5 physical therapist-approved methods for treating pain caused by Achilles tendonitis

There are thousands of tendons throughout the body to connect your bones to your muscles. Some are bigger than others. The tendon that connects your foot’s heel bone to your calf muscles is the largest tendon, called the Achilles tendon. It’s responsible for helping you walk, run and jump. When there’s pain stemming from that tendon, it can be challenging to complete your everyday movements.

Achilles tendonitis (or tendinitis) refers to inflammation of the Achilles tendon. It causes pain in the back of the leg or above the heel after physical activities, such as running. You may also experience stiffness and reduced range of motion in the lower half of your leg after periods of rest.

When you’re experiencing pain from Achilles tendonitis, physical therapy is often one of the first courses of action for alleviating it. Not only can a physical therapist help you during appointments, but they can also make recommendations for managing the pain on your own in between sessions.

Read on to learn about methods that a physical therapist may use or recommend for Achilles tendonitis.

5 methods used in physical therapy for Achilles tendonitis pain

The goal of physical therapy for Achilles tendonitis is to reduce your painful symptoms while also improving the overall quality of the area’s soft tissue to reduce the risk of further issues.

A physical therapist can determine which treatments will be the most beneficial for your inflamed tendon. They’ll consider the severity of your symptoms as well as your lifestyle, physical capabilities and overall physical therapy goals.

Here are five physical therapist-approved methods for treating pain caused by Achilles tendonitis:

• Therapeutic exercises

If you’re experiencing musculoskeletal pain, stretching and strengthening exercises will likely be a pillar of your physical therapy treatment plan. By stretching the tendon, you can increase its flexibility and reduce your pain. With strengthening exercises, you can build up the strength of your calf and surrounding muscles to reduce the strain on your Achilles tendon that’s contributing to your pain. 

Exercises that your physical therapist may recommend for Achilles tendonitis symptoms include:

• Standing calf stretch
• Heel raises
• Soleus stretch

Your physical therapist can also create an exercise program for you to practice at home and after treatment is over for long-term results.

• Manual therapy

A physical therapist will want to be hands-on when possible to directly treat the affected area; this is known as manual therapy. For Achilles tendonitis, soft tissue mobilization is an effective manual therapy approach. It involves the therapist moving their hands in massage-like movements to break up tight scar tissue that’s contributing to your pain and inflammation.

• Acupuncture

When it comes to inflammation and moving you along the recovery process, your physical therapist may recommend acupuncture. Acupuncture involves using needles to help stimulate your body’s natural healing abilities. It works by targeting the root trigger points of your pain and inflammation. 

The benefits of acupuncture include:

• Releasing endorphins for pain relief
• Triggering the body’s anti-inflammatory response
• Accelerating the recovery timeline
• Reducing muscle tension
• Shockwave therapy

Modalities are commonly incorporated into the treatment of musculoskeletal pain. Shockwave therapy is one of them. It involves sending acoustic sound waves to the affected area as a way to trigger your body’s natural healing abilities for reducing pain from Achilles tendonitis. It works by:

• Targeting the trigger points in your calf muscles
• Creating micro ruptures for increased blood circulation
• Replacing damaged cells with collagen
• RICE

You can’t ignore the effectiveness of tried-and-true pain relief methods, like applying ice to the affected area. In between sessions, your physical therapist may recommend that you practice RICE to minimize the ache and inflammation as much as possible.

RICE stands for:

• Rest  — Since Achilles tendonitis tends to flare up after activities, it’s best to try to rest your affected leg for extended periods of time throughout the day.
• Ice — Applying ice to your Achilles tendon for up to 20 minutes, several times throughout the day, can reduce the nerve activity that’s contributing to your painful inflammation. 
• Compression — If you’re going to be active throughout the day, compress the affected area with a wrap or ankle sleeve. It can reduce the tendon from moving around and worsening the symptoms. It can also reduce possible swelling.
• Elevation — If you experience swelling, lie down and prop the affected leg up above your heart to help move the fluid and blood away from the area.

At REPAIR SI, we ensure that your personalized treatment plan has the right combination of options for safe and effective physical therapy experience to address your Achilles tendonitis pain. From targeted exercises and manual therapy to acupuncture and shockwave therapy, our experienced physical therapists can help alleviate your symptoms and get you back to your regular activities as soon as possible.

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.