- Achilles tendinitis
Infobox_Disease
Name = PAGENAME
Caption =
DiseasesDB = 31726
ICD10 = ICD10|M|76|6|m|70
ICD9 = ICD9|726.71
ICDO =
OMIM =
MedlinePlus =
eMedicineSubj = sports
eMedicineTopic = 2
MeshID =Achilles tendinitis is
tendinitis of theAchilles tendon , generally precipitated by overuse of the affected limb and is more common among athletes training under less than ideal conditions. It should not be confused withxanthoma of thetendon , which is the accumulation ofcholesterol in patients withfamilial hypercholesterolemia .Pathophysiology
The Achilles tendon does not have good blood supply or cell activity, so this injury can be slow to heal. The tendon receives nutrients from the tendon sheath or paratendon. When an injury occurs to the tendon, cells from surrounding structures migrate into the tendon to assist in repair. Some of these cells come from blood vessels that enter the tendon to provide direct blood flow to increase healing. With the blood vessels come nerve fibers. Researchers believe these nerve fibers to be the cause of the pain.
Treatment
Treatment is possible with
ice ,cold compression therapy , wearing heel pads to reduce the strain on the tendon, and an exercise routine designed to strengthen the tendon. Seeing a professional for treatment as soon as possible is important, because this injury can lead to anAchilles tendon rupture with continued overuse. Treatment may includeCold compression therapy ,non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug s, such as ibuprofen, ultrasound therapy,manual therapy techniques, a rehabilitation program, and in rare cases, application of a plaster cast.Steroid injection is sometimes used, but must be done after careful, expert consideration because it can increase the risk of tendon rupture. Severe cases may require surgery from an orthopedic surgeon or podiatric surgeon.High load eccentric contractions have recently been shown to be very effective at decreasing the pain and strengthening the tendon. [cite journal |author=Alfredson H, Pietilä T, Jonsson P, Lorentzon R |title=Heavy-load eccentric calf muscle training for the treatment of chronic Achilles tendinosis |journal=Am J Sports Med |volume=26 |issue=3 |pages=360–6 |year=1998 |pmid=9617396 |doi= |url=http://ajs.sagepub.com/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=9617396] [cite journal |author=Satyendra L, Byl N |title=Effectiveness of physical therapy for Achilles tendinopathy: An evidence based review of eccentric exercises |journal=Isokinetics and Exercise Science |volume=14 |issue=1 |pages=71 |year=2006 |issn=0959-3020 |pmid= |doi= |url=http://iospress.metapress.com/content/7jqf4knlmfl9cfyq/fulltext.pdf ]
Prevention
Prevention includes following appropriate exercise habits and wearing low-heeled shoes. A
physical therapist orathletic trainer can prescribe safe exercise methods.References
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