Before you start trying to treat yourself for Achilles tendonitis, you should consult your doctor. She will make the correct diagnosis and develop an individualized treatment plan for your specific injury.  Make sure you tell your doctor about any recently increased physical activity involving your lower legs since this is likely the source of the injury. The doctor will also give you an idea of how long you should refrain from activity. If the pain associated with your Achilles tendon is severe or if you experience a sudden disability with the flexion of your foot, then see a doctor immediately. You may actually have a torn or ruptured Achilles tendon, which is a far more serious diagnosis.  More common symptoms of Achilles tendonitis that may warrant a trip to the doctor include mild-to-moderate aches in the back of the leg or above the heel, especially after a sports activity or exercise. You may additionally experience tenderness or stiffness in the area, which is most commonly felt first thing in the morning. One of the first things you can do to help mend your injury is to give the tendon plenty of rest. You don’t have to stay off the foot entirely, but you should avoid running, stair climbing, and other high-impact sources of stress to the tendon.  Depending on the severity of the tendonitis, you may need to rest the tendon anywhere from days to months. Listen to your body and reintroduce high-impact activities slowly. While resting your Achilles tendon, switch to low-impact exercise options such as biking, elliptical exercises, and swimming. Applying ice to the affected area can help reduce swelling, which will also reduce pain. Place an ice pack on your calf at the site of the pain for about fifteen minutes. You can repeat this as needed throughout the day whenever pain is present.  If you anticipate pain after an exercise, you can also ice the injured calf after an exercise as well.  You can ice the area for up to twenty minutes, but you should always stop to let the skin warm up if you start to feel the skin go numb. You can take acetaminophen or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen to reduce pain and swelling associated with Achilles tendonitis. Always carefully follow the directions, and do not take more than directed for each drug.  Try a short course of seven to 10 days. Even when used as directed, most over-the-counter pain relievers are not meant for daily use. Consult your doctor before taking an OTC medicine for your injury for longer than one month.  If your doctor writes you a prescription for a stronger pain reliever, ensure that you always take it as directed. Wrap your foot and lower leg with elastic bandages or compression wraps. Compression helps reduce swelling and movement in the affected tendon. Keeping the injured tendon above the level of your heart will also help to reduce swelling. If you can find a comfortable position to do so, consider sleeping with your foot elevated as well. Smoking slows healing by decreasing blood supply and slowing tissue repair. You can help reduce your amount of down time by avoiding all tobacco products while healing your injury. Athletic shoes that both support your arches and cushion your heels can help reduce pain and promote healing. Additionally shoes that are softer at the back of the heel will reduce unnecessary irritation to the tendon.  In some cases, your doctor or physical therapist may also advise some type of insert of orthotic. These devices go into a shoe to increase support on a specific area of the foot.  Orthotic devices more commonly help insertional Achilles tendonitis (lower in the leg where the tendon inserts into the heel) because the area is more likely to be irritated by certain footwear.  If your pain is severe, your doctor may also recommend a recovery boot in order to keep the foot flexed and strain off the tendon. This is usually a short-term step since prolonged use of a boot can weaken calf muscles. Cortisone is an effective anti-inflammatory medication. Cortisone injections are common for many uses in order to reduce pain and swelling. However, due to the increased risk of damage to the tendon with the injection, your doctor may not recommend this option until you’ve exhausted other possible treatments. If a combination of treatments and physical therapy options do not improve your pain for six months or longer, then your doctor may decide to discuss some surgical options. Some of these options include:  Gastrocnemius recession — This surgery lengthens calf muscles in order to take additional stress off your Achilles tendon. Debridement and repair — This operation removes the damaged portion of the Achilles tendon and is usually only for tendons with less than 50% damage. Debridement with tendon transfer — For tendons with more than 50% damage, tendon from the big toe is transferred to the Achilles tendon when the damaged portion is moved in order to keep the tendon strong enough to function.
زر طبيبك. أرح الوتر. ضع الثلج على ربلتك لتقلل الألم. تناول مسكنات الألم التي لا تتطلب وصفة طبية. استخدم الأربطة الضاغطة. ارفع قدمك عن مستوى الصدر لتقليل التورم. تجنب التدخين ومنتجات التبغ الأخرى. ارتد حذاءً يحمي الوتر. اسأل طبيبك عن الحقن بالكورتيزون. استشر طبيبك بشأن الخيارات الجراحية.