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| HOW IS ACHILLES TENDON INJURY TREATED? |
| Put ice packs on the Achilles tendon for 20-30 minutes every 3-4 hours for the first 2-3 days, or until the pain goes away |
| Raise your lower leg on a pillow when you are lying down |
| Take anti-inflammatory medication as prescribed by your health care provider |
| If your health care provider prescribes a heel lift insert for your shoe, wear it at least until your tendon heals, and possibly longer (the lift prevents extra stretching of your Achilles tendon) |
| While you are recovering from your injury, change your sport or activity to one that does not make your condition worse (for example, you may need to swim instead of run) |
| Do any exercises that your health care provider gives you to stretch and strengthen your Achilles tendon |
| If you over-pronate, your health care provider may prescribe custom made shoe inserts (called orthotics) to help keep your foot stable |
| In severe cases of Achilles tendonitis, your foot may be put in a cast for several weeks |
| A tear of the Achilles tendon may require surgical repair, OR your foot may have to be put in a cast for 6-10 weeks |
| WHEN CAN I RETURN TO MY SPORT OR ACTIVITY? |
| The goal of rehabilitation is to return you to your sport or activity as soon as is safely possible. If you return too soon, you may worsen your injury, which could lead to permanent damage. Everyone recovers from injury at a different rate. Return to your activity is determined by how soon your Achilles tendon recovers, not by how many days or weeks it has been since your injury occurred. In general, the longer you have symptoms before you start treatment, the longer it will take to get better. You may safely return to your sport or activity when, starting from the top of the list and progressing to the end, each of the following is true: |
| - You have full range of motion in the injured compared to the uninjured leg |
| - You have full strength of the injured leg as compared to the uninjured leg |
| - You can jog straight ahead without pain or limping |
| - You can sprint straight ahead without pain or limping |
| - You can do 45 degree cuts, first at half speed, then at full speed |
| - You can do 20 yard "figure eights", first at half speed, then at full speed |
| - You can do 90 degree cuts, first at half speed, then at full speed |
| - You can do 10 yard "figure eights", first at half speed, then at full speed |
| - You can jump on both legs without pain, and you can jump on the injured leg without pain |
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