Achilles tendon pain – Achilles tendinopathy, is a common issue, often caused by overuse, injury, or inflammation of the tendon that connects the calf muscles to the heel. This condition can be particularly disruptive, affecting mobility and causing discomfort during physical activities. In Tokyo, acupuncture has emerged as an effective treatment for Achilles tendon pain, offering a holistic and natural approach to healing. With its ability to improve circulation, reduce inflammation, and promote tissue repair, acupuncture has become a popular choice for those seeking relief from tendon pain.
What is Achilles tendon pain?
Achilles tendinopathy is an injury to the band of tissue (tendon) that connects the muscles in your lower leg to your heel bone. The Achilles tendon helps you to move your foot – when you walk, run, climb, or jump. It’s a common injury, especially if you’re very active.
Achilles tendinopathy is sometimes called Achilles tendinopathy. But doctors don’t usually use this term anymore. Tendinopathy means your tendon is inflamed. But because there isn’t always inflammation when your tendon is injured, this term isn’t strictly accurate.
Achilles tendinopathy symptoms
Achilles tendinopathy can cause several symptoms, including:
- Pain in your heel – this may be an ache or a sharp pain, which feels worse when you’ve been active or put pressure on it
- Stiffness in your tendon – this is often worse first thing in the morning or if you’ve been resting for a while
- Swelling at the back of your ankle
- Tenderness when you touch your tendon
- A grating noise or creaking feeling (crepitus) when you move your ankle
If you feel a sudden sharp pain in your heel or calf, this could mean you’ve torn your tendon. This is called an Achilles tendon rupture. You may hear a snap and have trouble bearing any weight on your leg. If this happens, seek urgent medical advice.
Self-help for Achilles tendinopathy
You can try lots of things to ease the symptoms of Achilles tendinopathy without needing to see a health professional. These self-help measures include the following.
- Rest your tendon by reducing (or stopping) the activity that triggered your symptoms.
- Apply cold packs or ice wrapped in a towel to ease your pain and reduce any swelling. You can do this for 20 to 30 minutes every two to three hours. But don’t apply ice directly to your skin because ice may damage your skin.
- Take over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol to help ease the pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen may also help to ease the pain at first. But you shouldn’t take NSAIDs for very long. Always read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicines.
Try to carry on putting weight on your leg if you’re able to. It may also help to do some gentle calf stretches if you can. You may be able to do some exercises that don’t put too much stress on your Achilles tendon – for example, swimming.
You can gradually restart your normal activities once the pain starts to ease. But avoid uphill and downhill running until the pain has completely gone, and stick to softer running surfaces. You should also make sure you warm up well and do plenty of calf stretches and massage.
You might find heel lifts helpful. These are insoles that you fit into each of your shoes. They can reduce the stress on your Achilles tendon and ease your symptoms.
For more tips on avoiding further injury, see our section on prevention of Achilles tendinopathy.
Diagnosis of Achilles tendinopathy
Your GP or physiotherapist will ask you about your symptoms and examine your leg, heel and ankle. They may ask you to do a series of movements or exercises so they can see how well you can move your leg. They may squeeze your calf muscle to check the movement of your foot.
They may also:
- Ask you about your medical history to check for other related causes or conditions
- Check if any medicines you’re taking may have increased your risk of Achilles tendinopathy
For more information, see our section on causes of Achilles tendinopathy.
Achilles tendinopathy can usually be diagnosed from your symptoms. So you won’t usually need any further tests or scans. But sometimes your GP or physiotherapist may suggest a referral for an MRI or ultrasound if:
- Your symptoms are severe
- They suspect a rupture
- You’re not responding to treatment
Causes of Achilles tendinopathy
Achilles tendinopathy is usually caused by overuse – which is repeated stress on your Achilles tendon over time. This can cause changes to the structure of your tendon. Tiny tears in your tendon may make your tendon painful and irritated.
Any sports or activities that put stress on your Achilles tendon can lead to Achilles tendinopathy. This includes:
- Running, including in football
- Jumping, as in dancing, gymnastics and tennis
- Cycling, if your saddle is too low
You may also be more likely to damage your Achilles tendon if you:
- Use badly designed equipment or wear the wrong footwear
- Have a poor technique or haven’t trained properly for the activity you’re doing
- Suddenly increase how much exercise you do or increase the intensity of your exercise
- Train on hard or sloping surfaces
For advice on how to reduce your risk, see our section on prevention of Achilles tendinopathy.
Other things that can make you more likely to develop Achilles tendinopathy include:
- getting older – your Achilles tendon becomes less flexible and less able to cope with stress
- having a family history of the condition
- if you’ve injured your tendon or the muscles around it in the past
- having certain long-term health conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, high cholesterol or thyroid problems
- being very overweight or obese
- doing too much or too little exercise
- taking certain medicines such as corticosteroids, statins or antibiotics belonging to the quinolone group
Prevention of Achilles tendinopathy
- There are several things you can do to help prevent Achilles tendinopathy. Make sure you wear appropriate and well-fitting shoes for running and other activities you do.
- Whether you’re active through work or sports, make sure you use the right equipment and techniques.
- Gradually build up new activities slowly. You should increase the intensity and duration of your activities slowly over time.
- Warm up well before you start exercising and stretch your calf muscle afterwards.
- If you have underlying health problems that put you more at risk, make sure they’re being treated properly.
Aim to maintain a healthy weight because being overweight can increase your risk of Achilles tendinopathy.
Wearing orthotics (special inserts) in each shoe may help if there’s a problem with the shape of your foot or how you walk.
Acupuncture for Achilles Tendon Pain in Tokyo
Acupuncture for Achilles pain can help to both provide immediate relief and promote long-term healing of your tendons. It’s one of the most popular acupuncture demands at our clinic – and it can benefit everyone from regular walkers to professional athletes.
Acupuncture has helped to treat the Achilles tendon for hundreds of years. While in some cases, extended rest and ice treatment may help to promote healing, regular acupuncture can help speed up recovery. It can also help to strengthen the body against any potential injuries in the future – providing a long-term solution, not just a quick pain fix.
Additionally, acupuncture will directly remedy the cause of pain in your Achilles – not just suppress it (as you may do by taking painkillers). This is what’s referred to as a long-term ‘healing response’.
Every body and every case of tendinopathy is slightly different. That’s why it’s important to approach a professional acupuncturist regarding different treatments. It may be, for example, that you personally benefit more from electrostimulation treatments, or needling, to help relieve tension in your affected areas.
Whether you work on your feet or exercise daily, acupuncture will help to tackle Achilles pain at the source, and to help prevent similar injuries. It’s a fantastic opportunity for you to regain flexibility and function – at a careful, efficient speed.
How can acupuncture help remedy Achilles pain?
The acupuncture process revolves around the flow of blood and oxygen to the tissues spread across the body’s nervous system for optimal function. Within traditional Chinese medicine, Achilles tendinopathy is referred to as blood stagnation – and direct acupressure can help to dilate blood vessels in the swollen area. Crucially, acupuncture helps to keep blood flowing freely across the whole of your body. Consider the tendinopathy in your Achilles to be a little like a blockage in need of release!
Let’s consider a few specific ways in which acupuncture for Achilles pain can help to relieve discomfort.
Acupuncture can reduce swelling and inflammation
In most cases, Achilles tendinopathy is diagnosed through severe swelling and/or redness around the affected area. Whether you have simply strained or have completely torn your tendon, acupuncture needles can help to dilate blood from the swollen area, thus releasing pressure. In some cases, an additional course of electrostimulation may be recommended where blood flow is particularly poor.
Acupuncture can help to repair your tendons
Studies show that direct acupuncture of the Achilles tendon can even help synthesize collagen. This means regular treatment may help to rearrange collagen fibers in the affected area, encouraging your injury to heal quicker and stronger.
Acupuncture can help to promote cell growth
It’s also been proven that, alongside promoting collagen production, direct acupuncture for Achilles pain can help to encourage cell growth in a torn or injured area. This, again, ensures that tendinopathy repairs faster than through simple rest alone.
It’s this cell growth, too, that will help your tendons to grow back stronger and more flexible after a complete course of acupuncture.
When should I book acupuncture for Achilles pain?
It’s important to book an acupuncture session for Achilles pain as soon as you notice common symptoms start to develop. If setting off running, jumping, or just standing up causes you pain, you will likely benefit from a consultation.
Our clinic will help you find a course of treatment that suits your physical needs – and which considers the initial cause of your injury. You’ll have the opportunity to discuss any concerns or expectations you may have from your first assessment – don’t leave things until the last possible moment!
Specific Acupuncture Points for Achilles Tendinopathy
In the case of Achilles Tendinopathy, acupuncture can target points that correlate to the pain area and the underlying muscles contributing to the condition. Some of the key acupuncture points that may be used include:
- Kidney 3 (KI3): Located between the inner anklebone and the Achilles tendon, this point is often used to strengthen the kidney system, which in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is associated with the bones and tendons.
- Bladder 60 (BL60): Situated in the depression between the outer anklebone and the Achilles tendon, this point can help alleviate pain and inflammation in the Achilles tendon.
- Gallbladder 34 (GB34): Known as the influential point of the tendons, GB34 is located on the outer side of the lower leg and can be used to treat tendon issues, including Achilles Tendinopathy.
- Spleen 6 (SP6): This point, found on the inner side of the lower leg, can be used to address underlying imbalances that may contribute to Achilles Tendinopathy.
- Kidney 9 (KI9): Located in the lower leg above SP6. This point offers direct access to the soleus muscle that is deep to the gastrocnemius muscle.
- Bladder 57 (BL57): Located in the calf muscle, this point is often used to relieve calf muscle tension and can be beneficial in treating Achilles Tendinopathy.
- Bladder 58 (BL58): Situated near BL57, this point can also be used to address tension and pain in the calf muscles, contributing to the treatment of Achilles Tendinopathy.
- Local Ashi Points: These are tender points near the affected area that may not correspond to specific traditional acupoints but can be highly effective in treating localized pain.
Holistic Healing Approach
Acupuncture not only treats the symptoms of Achilles Tendinopathy but also addresses the root cause, providing more holistic healing. By targeting specific points related to the Achilles tendon and the muscles and meridians involved, acupuncture can:
- Reduce Pain and Inflammation: By stimulating the body’s natural anti-inflammatory response, acupuncture can alleviate pain and swelling in the affected area.
- Improve Blood Circulation: Enhanced blood flow to the Achilles tendon can promote faster healing and recovery.
- Restore Balance: In TCM, Achilles tendinopathy may be seen as an imbalance in the body’s energy flow. Acupuncture can help restore this balance, supporting overall well-being.
- Prevent Recurrence: By addressing underlying imbalances and contributing factors, acupuncture can also help prevent future occurrences of Achilles Tendinopathy.
Traditional acupuncture provides a scientifically grounded and holistic approach to treating Achilles Tendinopathy. By targeting specific acupuncture points related to the condition, it offers a complementary treatment option that can provide significant relief, promote healing, and contribute to long-term wellness.
In conclusion, Achilles tendon pain can significantly impact your daily life and physical activities, but acupuncture offers a promising, natural solution for relief and recovery. With its ability to address inflammation, promote healing, and restore balance, acupuncture is a valuable treatment option for those suffering from tendon discomfort. If you’re experiencing Achilles tendon pain and seeking effective relief in Tokyo, we invite you to visit Fuji Wellness. Our skilled practitioners specialize in acupuncture treatments tailored to your specific needs, helping you get back on your feet and live pain-free. Book an appointment with us today and take the first step towards recovery!
Fuji Wellness
- Address: 132-0031 Matsushima 1-chome, 21-14, Tokyo, Japan
- Contact: Click here
- Email: sunnyphamsensei@gmail.com
