2024 East Alabama Wedding

When it comes to bone
and joint problems,
The Orthopaedic Clinic
has got you covered. Our
doctors have specialized
fellowship training in all
of the major areas of
orthopedic surgery; hand
and wrist, foot and ankle,
sports medicine, back and
neck and joint replacement.
They bring their skill,
expertise and experience
from some of the most
prestigious institutions
across the country to East
Alabama to provide
excellent orthopedic care
to our region.
Although the Achilles tendon
can withstand great stresses
from running and jumping, it is
also prone to tendinitis, a condition associated
with overuse and degeneration.
Simply defined, tendinitis is
inflammation of a tendon. Inflammation
is the body’s natural response to
injury or disease, and often causes
swelling, pain, or irritation. Achilles
tendinitis is a common condition that
causes pain along the back of the leg
near the heel.
Achilles tendinitis is typically not
related to a specific injury. The problem
results from repetitive stress to
the tendon. This often happens
when we push our bodies to do too
much, too soon, but other factors
can make it more likely to develop
tendinitis, including:
• Sudden increase in the amount or
intensity of exercise activity
• Tight calf muscles
• Bone spurs on the heel
Common symptoms of Achilles
tendinitis include:
• Pain and stiffness along the Achilles
tendon in the morning
• Thickening of the tendon
• Pain along the tendon or back of
the heel that worsens with activity
• Bone spurs
If you have experienced a sudden
“pop” in the back of your calf or heel,
you may have torn your Achilles tendon.
See an Orthopaedic Clinic Doctor
immediately if you think you may
have torn your tendon.
When you visit The Orthopaedic
Clinic, one of our doctors will examine
your foot and ankle. They may
order imaging tests to make sure
your symptoms are caused by
Achilles tendinitis.
In most cases, nonsurgical treatment
options will provide pain relief,
although it may take months for
symptoms to completely subside.
Even with early treatment, the pain
may last longer than three months.
The first step in reducing pain is to decrease
or even stop the activities that
make the pain worse. Placing ice on
the most painful area of the Achilles
tendon is helpful. Drugs such as
ibuprofen and naproxen reduce pain
and swelling. They do not, however,
reduce the thickening of the degenerated
tendon. Stretching and exercise
can help to strengthen the calf muscles
and reduce stress on the Achilles
tendon. Physical therapy is very helpful
in treating Achilles tendinitis. Cortisone,
a type of steroid, is a powerful
anti-inflammatory medication. Cortisone
injections into the Achilles tendon
are rarely recommended
because they can cause the tendon
to rupture (tear). Pain from Achilles
tendinitis is often helped by certain
shoes, heel lifts and orthotic devices.
Surgery should be considered to relieve
Achilles tendinitis only if the pain
does not improve after a long course
of nonsurgical treatment. The specific
type of surgery depends on the location
of the tendinitis and the amount
of damage to the tendon. Depending
on the extent of damage to the tendon,
some patients may not be able
to return to competitive sports or running.
Most patients have good results
from surgery. The main factor in surgical
recovery is the amount of damage
to the tendon. Many patients require
12 months of rehabilitation before
they are pain-free.
Our surgeons at The Orthopaedic
Clinic have years of experience in
treating Achilles tendinitis both
surgically and non-surgically. n
Adam C. Dooley, MD Frazier K. Jones, MD Ryan C. Palmer, MD Todd Michael Sheils, MD Trent Wilson, MD
If you are experiencing these symptoms, let us
help get you back on your feet.
Call (334) 749-8303 to schedule an appointment.
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