Achilles Injuries

Dear MendMeShop,

Hello, Ladies: In the summer of 2007, after hobbling around for a couple of months with a tremendous pain in my right foot, I limped into my orthopedic surgeon's office and was diagnosed with Achilles tendonitis. He told me this was one of those situations where you want to try everything else imaginable before surgery to see if you can get it fixed because the surgery itself was intense and the recovery time long. He stuck me in a big blue boot to immobilize my foot and sent me to PT for a couple of months. My foot calmed down a little, but walking in the boot made my opposite hip hurt so much it felt like a screwdriver was being jammed into the joint. So, I took off the boot and it just rode around in the back seat of my car. We were like cousins - we were close, but we didn't touch. Over the next year, I tried every alternative treatment I could think of. Since I am a Rolfer, of course, I tried Rolfing. Chiropracitc adjustments. Cold Laser treatments. Creams. Ointments. Homeopathic pellets. Heat. Cold.. Prayer. Toxic doses of ibuprofen. I even slept a few nights with a chunk of turquoise duct-taped to the back of my foot. I was desperate. A few weeks ago, two things happened. One, my acupuncturist began hooking the needles she stuck into my foot up to some sort of Chinese jumper cables, which seemed to help a lot. And, two, I ran across your web site on the internet. Even though the price of the ultrasound unit seemed expensive to me, the constant pain in my foot was making me crazy and, as my friend Stephen said, "Well, three hundred bucks is a small price to pay for sanity." He was right. I began using my Ultrasound unit as soon as it arrived and have done it faithfully each day for the past week, along with the inferno wrap each evening and the cold wrap a time or two for some swelling. I didn't expect it to work this well this quickly, honestly. So, each step I take without pain or without that tightness in the back of my foot so intense it feels like my tendon is about to snap, well, it brings tears to my eyes, but only tears of joy and relief. This is how I explain it to people: "Imagine that 18 months ago or so a gila monster latched onto the back of your foot with its spiney little teeth and has ridden around, clamped down on you, all this time. The pain has been intense, constant, relentless and unending. There have been no breaks it and no cure in sight, like the obnoxious party guest who won't leave. Suddenly, the gila monster, that sneaky little SOB, has let go. Just imagine the relief. That's how I feel." So, I don't know if you can use this rant in your testimonials because it's an awfully long e-mail just to say THANK YOU for this product. My foot continues to heal, and I will continue to do both acupuncture AND my ultrasound treatments but, at this moment I can say, MY FOOT HAS NOT HURT ALL DAY AND THE DAY IS ALREADY HALF OVER. For me, that's a miracle. If I could turn handsprings, I would do so right down the street in front of my office. Since I can't turn handsprings, I think I'll just go for a walk. Sincerely, Jody Seay, Portland, Or.

Rating: Five Star Rating

Jody Seay

More Facts About Achilles Tendonitis:

The achilles tendon does not have a rich blood supply. Blood supply is weakest at a point between 2 and 6 cm above its insertion into the calcaneus (heel).

Ignoring pain in the achilles tendon (ie. "running through the pain") is the biggest cause of chronic achilles tendonitis.

The achilles tendon is the connection between the heel and the most powerful muscle group in the body.

Sudden increases in running and or active sprinting sports can cause achilles tendonitis.

Excessive running up and down hills can aggravate the achilles tendon.

Stiff shoe soles at the ball of the foot will increase achilles tendon strain.

Excessive heel shock absorption can overstretch the achilles tendon.

Tight hamstrings and/or tight calf muscles create excess strain on the achilles tendon.

Therapeutic Ultrasound can speed achilles tendon recovery significantly.

Dear MendMeShop,

The MendMeShop ultrasound device I bought has been a great purchase...well worth the money. The ultrasound gel seems so much better than the gel they use at the physical therapy or chiropractic offices. I initially bought the ultrasound device for an Achilles problem, and that was taken care of within 3 weeks. I am a runner who competes in races ranging from a mile to the marathon distance and competes in duathlons and triathlons. In January of 2008 I had a severe injury of my hamstring. I took it easy, iced, and waited for the pain to go away (at this point I had not heard about a home ultrasound device.) I was able to continue running after the pain lessened, but my range of motion was limited. My right leg was tight because of the hamstring injury. In May of 2008 I was running in a boot camp class and re-injured the hamstring. An MRI showed a right hamstring strain and extensive bursitis of the right hip. I began using the ultrasound device 3 times a day and I can say that my hamstring and hip are pain free. I have not had this much flexibility/range of motion in my right leg for over a year and a half.

Rating: Five Star Rating

Barbara Doubek

Achilles Injury Treatments

How to Treat Your Achilles Tendon Injury

It is important to treat Achilles tendon injuries as soon as possible, as any activity or strain you put on your tendon can re-injure it further. Though the pain, discomfort, and inconvenience of an Achilles condition can be overwhelming, it is possible to overcome it.

Scar tissue builds on the Achilles tendon as the tears heal. The build up causes pain and inflexibility in the tendon making it less flexible and more prone to further injury.

The trick with any tendon injury is getting it to heal with minimal scar tissue formation and with as much realignment of the tendon fibres as possible - something ultrasound therapy is great at! Even with optimum healing, there is always less elasticity in a previously injured tendon. This will cause the tendon to hurt, during exercise and everyday activities. However, if you heal your injury efficiently and quickly, your chance of re-injury later on is much lower than average.

Allowing your Achilles tendon to rest is always recommended following injury. Avoid all activities that may have caused the injury or irritation and begin cold compression treatments as soon as possible. The Achilles tendon is a difficult tendon to rest completely as it is an essential tendon for walking and daily activities. Fortunately, there are healing tools that can help treat your tendon and speed up the healing process so you can get back to a life without pain and risk of further injury. Therapeutic ultrasound and Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy (BFST^®) will treat scar tissue and promote blood flow to heal your tendon faster and more completely than any other methods available.

Although steroid injections may provide temporary relief from the pain of Achilles tendinitis, they should generally be avoided as they weaken the tendon and may lead to a rupture. If you do opt for an injection, doctors usually recommend that you do not participate in strenuous activities for several weeks to reduce the risk of a rupture.

Cold Compression Therapy

Cold Cmpression Freezie Wrap Therapy for your Achilles tendon injury will reduce pain, swelling and tissue damage for faster healing.

Doctors recommend using cold compression as soon as possible following an acute Achilles injury and re-injury to reduce pain and swelling and minimize tissue damage that occurs with soft tissue injuries like tendon tears.

The Ankle/Achilles Freezie Wrap^® allows you to treat your Achilles tendon in an effective and convenient way. The adjustable wrap allows you to control the compression to a level that is comfortable for you and the gel packs are chilled in the fridge not the freezer. This eliminates the risk of cryoburn, or 'cold burns', on your skin that can be cause by ice and freezer gel packs. You can also wear the Freezie Wrap^® for longer treatments so you can enjoy even more relief from your pain.

Cold Compression Therapy works by interrupting and slowing nerve and cell function in the injured area and reducing swelling that can block blood vessels. This is important because once blood vessels are blocked or damaged, they can no longer carry oxygenated blood through the Achilles tendon and tissue cells begin to break-down. Without cold compression therapy cellular break-down and tissue damage continues as the cells do not get the oxygen they need to survive. By limiting the amount of damage done to your tendon, you also limit the amount of healing that needs to occur. This is a very important step to heal your tendon faster and with less pain!

The deep cooling effect provided by the Ankle/Achilles Freezie Wrap^® slows cell metabolism thereby reducing cellular break-down and tissue damage. Furthermore, because the cold wraps serve to numb the nerves, the wraps also reduce pain!

Ultrasound Therapy

Ultrasound Therapy increases tissue elasticity while promoting the flow of blood (filled with vital oxygen and nutrients) to your injured Achilles tendon. This cleans the injured area by getting rid of damaged tissue and reducing the inflammation on the tendon while opening up the blood vessels to begin healing.

During the healing process, scar tissue builds on the tendon and can attach the inner layers of the tendon to the surrounding paratenon that it glides through, limiting the flexibility and movement of the tendon. Fortunately, you can treat your Achilles tendon with therapeutic ultrasound to soften scar tissue and improve the gliding motion and flexibility of your tendon.

MendMeShop Therapeutic Ultrasound treats Achilles tendon injuries and reduces inflammation and scar tissue

Not only does ultrasound aid in the duration of healing, but it helps to prevent long term complications. Pain, lack of mobility, tendinosis, or a complete tendon rupture are some of the more common long term complications that can occur when Achilles injuries and tendinitis go untreated. By treating your tendon with ultrasound, scar tissue becomes softer and the tissue becomes stronger reducing the risk of chronic problems in the future.

For those who suffer from long term Achilles injuries, ultrasound can help. Ultrasound therapy can help to break up scar and fibrous tissue that has built up over time on the tendon and restore flexibility in your ankle.

MendMeShop^® ultrasound therapy with phonophoresis is safe, convenient, and easy and generally requires between 5 - 10 minutes per treatment. It is based on a form of deep tissue therapy, which is generated through high frequency sound waves (that we can not hear). These waves send vibrations deep into your body and slightly increase the temperature of your soft tissue cells. The waves are delivered through a hand held transducer and conductive gel that are used together in a slow, circular motion on your skin over the injured area.

MendMeShop Lavender Infusion Gel enhances your ultrasound therapy to give your Achilles tendon the ultimate in scar tissue treatment and improved healing power.

Ultrasound can also be used to administer therapeutic medicines into the body. This is a process known as phonophoresis. Ultrasound with phonophoresis is rapidly becoming more popular than ultrasound therapy alone.

Using MendMeShop^® Lavender Infusion Ultrasound Gel during your therapy gives you 2 therapies in 1. You get the benefit of the regenerating sound waves from the ultrasound device itself AND the added bonus of the therapeutic ingredients inside the gel being delivered into the tissue where it is most effective. 1 FREE bottle of MendMeShop^® Lavender Infusion Ultrasound Gel comes with every MendMeShop^® Ultrasound Therapy System and it contains the therapeutic essential oils of natural Bulgarian lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, and menthol.

Once the inflammation of your Achilles injury has been reduced, nourishing and strengthening the tendon tissue and surrounding area is recommended. Using Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy will speed your recovery and heal your tendon more completely preparing it for leg strengthening exercises. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist to find out which exercises are appropriate for your situation.

Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy

MendMeShop Ankle/Achilles Inferno Wrap speeds the healing of Achilles tendon injuries and tears

After the inflammation and swelling is gone you can begin to treat your Achilles tendon with Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy, or BFST^®. BFST^® increases the amount of blood that flows naturally to your ankle to nourish your tendons, ligaments and muscles to speed healing.

The Achilles tendon receives a limited blood supply compared to other tendons in the body and this significantly reduces its natural ability to heal itself.

By treating your Achilles tendon with BFST^® you can increase your body's blood supply to the ankle and increase your body's natural healing power. In addition, the fresh blood flow whisks away dead cells and toxins that have built up from the injury leaving the area clean and able to heal faster. Our Ankle/Achilles Inferno Wrap^® provides effective, non-invasive, non-addictive pain relief and healing with no side effects.

With these 3 easy therapies you will notice incredible improvement in your tendon. The more diligent you are with your treatment and rehabilitation, the faster you will see successful results! During your recovery, you will probably have to modify and/or eliminate any activities that cause pain or discomfort in your Achilles tendon until your pain and inflammation settle.

An effective recovery regimen is as follows:

When treating your Achilles tendon, rest the area (meaning do NOT exercise this area other than gentle stretching), and apply a Freezie Wrap^® for 10-15 minutes at a time as needed for pain and swelling. Do this to the injured area for 1-3 days, until the swelling goes down. This can be further helped by the use of ultrasound applications over your Achilles tendon, as this reduces swelling quickly and reduces scar tissue on the tendon. An Inferno Wrap^® may be used after the inflammation and swelling is reduced to speed the healing process. If you follow these suggestions and gradually start flexing and lightly exercising the area, your Achilles tendon will drastically improve.

Learn More About These SUPERIOR Achilles Treatments

I want to learn more about The Cold Compression Freezie Wrap^®

I want to learn more about MendMeShop^® Ultrasound Therapy

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We recommend that you consult your doctor and/or physiotherapist before using any of our outstanding products, to make sure they're right for you and your condition.

Other Suggestions for Achilles Tendon Treatment

Wearing heel pads to reduce strain on your tendon
Tendon strengthening exercises/stretching
Maintain flexible calf muscles
NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) - such as Advil, Motrin or Tylenol
Manual therapy - refers to "hands on" therapies including acupressure, massage therapy and Shiatsu
Taping (wrapping special tape around your heel and the back of your leg/foot)
Shoe inserts/orthotics
A plaster cast - in certain cases
Surgery - if all other methods of treating the tendonitis fail. Keep in mind that if you have completely ruptured your tendon, it requires surgery to be corrected.

Preventing Achilles Tendon Injuries!

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Some methods of preventing Achilles tendon injuries include:

Using an Inferno Wrap^® on your ankle before exercising, and using a Freezie Wrap^® after exercising.
Increasing exercise intensity slowly - to condition your tendon to higher levels of exertion/stress.
Stretching your tendon before and after exercise (warm up and cool down).
Wearing shoes that fit correctly (cushioning under the heel and proper arch height) and support your feet.
Running on softer, flat terrain is advisable to avoid injuring or re-injuring your Achilles tendon.

Achilles Tendon Facts

There are over 250,000 achilles tendon injuries each year in the US.

One quarter of Achilles tendon injuries involve professional medical intervention.

Males experience Achilles injuries more often than females due to higher participation in sports and genetic difference.

Achilles tendonitis accounts for an estimated 11% of running injuries.

3-5% of athletes are forced to leave their sports career due to Achilles tendon overuse injuries that go untreated.

Oral Medications can mask the pain but do not aid in the healing of Achilles tendonitis. Anti-inflammatories, cortisone injections, and pain killers can cause Achilles tendonitis to worsen.

A fully ruptured tendon REQUIRES surgery. It will not heal on its own.

Achilles tendonitis and Achilles tendinitis are the same thing.

Continually using your Achilles tendon while it is injured will lead to a more serious and/or chronic injury.

Related Injuries

Peroneal Tendinitis

Posterior Tibial Tendinitis (tendinitis of the foot)

Plantar Fasciitis

Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome

Patellar Tendinitis

Quadriceps Tendinitis

Shin Splints

Repetitive Stress Injury Overview

ACL Tear Injury

Hoffas Syndrome (Knee)

Contact one of our Mendmeshop Customer Service Advisors for any questions help with ordering and recommended treatment directions

pain relief and injury treatment with ultrasound therapy

Advanced Therapy for torn achilles, ruptured achilles, sprained ankle or other ankle injury

Ankle sprain treatment and pulled achilles treatment without surgery

Relieve the pain of plantar fasciitis with a cold compress

This universal leg wrap can increase healing rate of a shin, calf, groin, thigh, or hamstring

Freezie Leg wrap for cold compression of the shin, calf, groin, thigh, or hamstring

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