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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you think you may have Achilles tendinitis, help speed your recovery and prevent further problems by trying these at-home care methods:
- Rest. Avoid activities that increase the pain or swelling. Don't try to work or play through the pain. Rest is essential to tissue healing. But this doesn't mean complete bed rest. You can do other activities and exercises that don't stress the injured tendon, especially low-impact activities, such as bicycling.
- Ice. To decrease pain, muscle spasm and swelling, apply ice to the injured area for up to 20 minutes, several times a day. Ice packs, ice massage or ice water slush baths all can help. For an ice massage, freeze a plastic foam cup full of water so that you can hold the cup while applying the ice directly to the skin.
- Compression. Because swelling can result in loss of motion in an injured joint, compress the area until the swelling has ceased. Wraps or compressive elastic bandages are best.
- Elevation. Raise the affected ankle above the level of your heart to reduce swelling. It's especially important to use this position at night.
Keep moving
Although rest is a key part of treating tendinitis, prolonged inactivity can cause stiffness in your joints. Move the injured ankle through its full range of motion and perform gentle Achilles tendon stretches to maintain joint flexibility.
Anti-inflammatory medications
You can also try nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) or products containing acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) to try to reduce the discomfort associated with tendinitis.
Be sure to talk to your doctor if you feel you need NSAIDs for an extended time because some of these drugs should be used for only short periods — around seven to 10 days — to avoid complications.
If you take NSAIDs frequently or take more than the recommended dose, these medications can cause stomach pain, stomach bleeding and ulcers. Rarely, prolonged use can disrupt normal kidney function. If you have liver problems, talk to your doctor before using products containing acetaminophen.
- Achilles tendonitis. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00147. Accessed March 12, 2010.
- Achilles tendinitis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec21/ch324/ch324m.html. Accessed March 12, 2010.
- Baer G, et al. Tendon injuries of the foot and ankle. In: DeLee J, et al., eds. DeLee and Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/0/view/2079/72.html. Accessed March 15, 2010.
- Simpson MR, et al. Tendinopathies of the foot and ankle. American Family Physician. 2009;80:1107.
- Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 22, 2010.
- Sampson S, et al. Platelet rich plasma injection grafts for musculoskeletal injuries: A review. Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine. 2008;1:165.
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