Achilles Tendonitis

Toetal Podiatry

Podiatry & Foot and Ankle Surgery located in Financial District, New York, NY

Achilles tendonitis is a painful condition affecting the large tendon that runs down the back of your lower leg and ankle. If you're experiencing pain in your ankle, Yekaterina Grauer, DPM, and Vera Malezhik, DPM, of Toetal Podiatry can help. At their location in the Financial District of Manhattan, New York City, these experienced podiatrists provide both conservative treatments and expert, minimally invasive surgical options for Achilles tendonitis. Call Toetal Podiatry today to schedule a consultation or book an appointment using the online form.

Achilles Tendonitis Q&A

What is Achilles tendonitis?

Your Achilles tendon is the connective tissue you can see and feel on the back of your ankle. If the tendon gets irritated, inflammation can set in, causing Achilles tendonitis.

The tendon's fibers can also tear, and adhesions (scar tissue) form where the Achilles tendon meets the paratenon sleeve that surrounds it. Tendonitis tears are often microscopic but build up over long periods.

What causes Achilles tendonitis?

Some of the more common causes of Achilles tendonitis are:

  • Sports injuries
  • Overuse
  • Unsuitable or unsupportive footwear
  • Traumatic injuries
  • Increasing body weight
  • Having short tendons
  • Flat feet
  • Growth spurts in younger people
  • A loss of elasticity as you age

These are all triggers for damage and inflammation in your Achilles tendon. Your provider at Toetal Podiatry uses in-office imaging technologies, including X-ray and ultrasound, to diagnose your Achilles tendonitis.

What are the treatments for Achilles tendonitis?

If your Achilles tendon is sore or you're having problems bearing weight, rest your leg and keep it raised to improve blood flow. Massaging your ankle and taking pain-relieving anti-inflammatory medication can help, too.

You need to keep your weight off the ankle and stretch the tendon very gently to stop it from stiffening up. If self-care measures don't work within a few days, the Toetal Podiatry team can help.

The team uses a variety of supportive devices to keep weight off the ankle and optimize recovery. Among the durable customized medical equipment they use to treat Achilles tendonitis are:

  • Braces
  • Stretching splints
  • Crutches
  • Custom orthotics
  • Heel cups or lifts
  • Arch supports
  • Controlled ankle movement (CAM) walker boots

Physical therapies are also essential for proper healing. The Toetal Podiatry team uses an early rehabilitation approach featuring active therapies such as stretching and strengthening exercises and passive treatments like therapeutic ultrasound, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and laser therapy.

Steroid injections can reduce inflammation if your symptoms aren't improving. Biologic therapies like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell injections can also help by promoting healing in your Achilles tendon.

Would I need surgery for Achilles tendonitis?

Most patients recover from Achilles tendonitis without needing surgery. However, if your Achilles tendon is too badly damaged to heal properly, the Toetal Podiatry practitioners are experts in using minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery.

This approach has numerous benefits compared with open surgery, causing less tissue damage and pain and promoting faster healing.

During surgery, the Toetal Podiatry team can stitch the tendon or remove a badly damaged area and stitch the healthy ends together. Alternatively, you might need a graft, where the team takes a section of tendon from elsewhere in your body and uses it to repair the Achilles tendon.

For the prompt and expert resolution of your Achilles tendonitis, call Toetal Podiatry today or book an appointment online.