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Achilles Tendon Problem

10 replies

Loobz · 22/05/2005 20:08

I have a very inflammed and very sore achilles tendon. Have been to gp who has referred me to hospital, my appointment is in August.
Has anyone had this type of problem and more to the point how was it treated?
Dh and Ds2 have been winding me up all day saying that they will put me in plaster to immobilise the tendon until it heals - I think (and hope) that they are just winding me up but wouldn't mind hearing from anyone else who has had treatment for this type of thing.

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Potty1 · 22/05/2005 20:38

Loobz - I suffer on and off from a sore achilles. Do you know what started it off? I run (of sorts) and that is the cause of mine. All I can do is stretch before and after and not run on the flat too much. My dh has suffered too in the past and had some ultrasound treatment on his, done by a physio. They do plaster if you snap it but not sure if they would otherwise. Do you ice it or find that heat is best?

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Milliways · 22/05/2005 21:07

My DS had to have a course of physio as his tendon got damaged following 9 weeks in a long leg cast after he broke his leg. His ankle was very sore to touch & walking was painful, but exercises sorted it.

Another friend has his foot in plaster for weeks - but his tendon had snapped

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Loobz · 23/05/2005 08:49

I walk a lot and often over quite rough ground so not sure if this has started it off. Haven't tried heat on it, only ice but the relief is quite temporary, might try heat and see if that makes a difference.
Only advice gp gave me was to rest as much as possible (haha) and to take anti inflammatories (which trigger my asthma)

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ninah · 23/05/2005 08:54

Can confirm the plaster treatment is for those who snap Achilles. Not sure how they treat sore tendon but could not over-emphasize how vital it is to stretch calves out b4 exercise. Another thing I'm sure that weakened mine was wearing high heels for work all day (which shorten your Achilles) and then rushing back putting trainers on and going for a run, thereby - unwittingly - putting enormous pressure on it

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expatinscotland · 23/05/2005 09:10

I had it. Physio and heat/cold therapy helped it out. It REALLY helps to build up the calf muscles around it.

Putting it in plaster is a VERY bad idea - unless it is torn, in which case it needs surgical recontruction. Tendons get poor ciruclation as it is. Immobolising makes that problem even worse.

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Prettybird · 23/05/2005 09:10

I have had acute achilles tendonitis (training for London marathon - continued to run on what I thought was a bruised heel - now know that that sympton is tendonitis rearing its ugly head - or should that be heel? ).

Think they oly plaster for snapped achilles tendons.

Only cure for me was lots of rest (marathon had to go - which was a bummer, as I had already deferred entry from the previous year, which meant I lost the entry) and lots of long, slooow stretches.

The second time it happened (which was not long before my wedding) it wasn't as acute - only because I recognised the symptoms that time and curtailed my run. I also went to see a couple of physios (one at my healthclub and another, free, one via work), who gave the area a lot of deep massage to try to mobilise the scar tissue that had already developed. Apparantly I should have seen a physio the first time, to minimise the "scarring" around the tendons.

So, in the mean time, I would get yourself along to a good physio who specialises in sports injuries. August is far too far away. My friends. who are GPs, would acknowldge that it is the physions who really know what is going on with that type of injury. To quote them "GPs are not very good with soft tissue injuries".

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expatinscotland · 23/05/2005 09:13

I agree, bird! GP's are terrible with soft tissue injuries, which can often be worse than breaks.

I had a pal who snapped a ligament in his knee and was fobbed off by his GP.

My ortho surgeon found mine immediately.

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Loobz · 23/05/2005 10:09

Ninah, I hadn't thought of the heels at work bit. I wear high heels to work then come back and either wear flat boots or trainers to go out walking.
My son (who is footballer) knows a good physio who specialises in sports injuries - will get the number from him later and make appointment.
Thanks for all replies on this - dh and ds finally admitted that they were only trying to wind me up yesterday about having it put in plaster - but they did have me worried.

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ninah · 23/05/2005 10:22

well Loobz do be careful! I snapped mine TWICE! (in plaster for about a year overall, the first time without surgery the second time after op)
At least you have a warning sign before it gets to that! Glad you are seeing a physio - good luck! and remind your dh if you were in plaster he would have to do EVERYTHING ... mine had to carry me to the shower for the first couple of weeks when the plaster was thigh high!

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Loobz · 23/05/2005 10:52

Oh Ninah, that sounds painful!!! I broke my foot last November - not the one that's giving me the problems now - and that was bad enough having a plaster to my knee. Will see if I can get an appointment with the physio that my son sees - according to him he is very good. I don't really fancy waiting until August!