Achilles tendinitis is a painful condition that occurs when the achilles tendon becomes inflamed. This tendon is important for much of the foot's flexion and movement, since it connects many calf muscles to the rest of the foot. It can occur from increasing the speed or distance that is run too rapidly, or from overuse. To prevent getting tendinitis, use the right footwear and warm up and cool down properly when exercising.
Instructions
1. Start slowly. Don't try to rush your way back to normal activities, or you'll just wind up re-injuring the tendon. Tendinitis takes time to heal and trying to push it will only cause more inflammation and set you back. Slowly return to normal activities over the course of several weeks. In the first week, try to limit how active you are as much as possible.
2. Stretch frequently. Stretch out your calf muscles by touching your palms to a wall with your arms extended and your feet flat. Then, slowly bend your elbows and lean into the wall while keeping your legs straight and your feet flat on the ground. Also, rotate your affected ankle with a circular motion to keep it loose. Do this several times a day, especially before and after any physical activity.
3. Ice your ankle. While you are recovering from achilles tendonitis, ice the back of your ankle several times a day.
4. Take anti-inflammatory medications. Ibuprofen is best for this type of pain and will also keep the inflammation under control. Be careful about taking too much (more than the recommended dosage) however, as it can irritate your stomach.
5. Massage the tendon area. Several times a day, especially if you feel it start to tighten up, massage the back of the affected heel to help keep it loose and prevent swelling.
6. Start with walking. During the first week while you are recovering, limit your walking to less than a mile per day. The second week, increase your walking to no more than three miles a day. After you are able to walk a few miles with no pain, gradually begin to jog at a slow pace, gradually increasing the pace until you are able to run at full speed with no pain. At this point, you may engage in other sports that require sudden stopping and starting and changes in direction.
Tags: calf muscles, feet flat, first week, keep loose, more than, normal activities