Has anyone had an injection in the tendon?? Did it work?
Has anyone had an injection in the tendon?? Did it work?
Do NOT do it until you have exhausted all other choices including rest.
I agree with the statement above. An injection should absolutely be the last resort (or at least the last one before surgery). I had an injection of cortisone diluted in water in the achillies sheath (not the achillies itself) this fall and it didn't work. Frequently, when the achillies becomes inflamed it sticks to the sheath, which prevents it from sliding properly. A number of runners have had success with the techinque, but no luck for me. I don't know anything about your situation, but I think rest is probably the way to go. I ended up taking close to a month off, wearing a walking boot during the day and a splint at night for the first two weeks. Did some excercises too. Then made a really slow comeback (about 15 miles the first week back).
Hope this is of some help and good luck.
have you ever watched varisty blues? i know that the injection was done to the knee, but it still doesn't matter. it has the same effect to any body part. all it does is give a temporary solution which may end in something less temporary. get my drift.
My achilles has been bothering me for about a week now. It started to hurt about 3 months ago and I took it easy for a while and it got better, but this time it's not getting much better. It's not horrible, but I can't do anything but slow easy mileage. Anyone have any suggestions for preventing something like this and for healing this? Thanks a lot
Many years ago, I had a cortisone injection in my very inflamed achilles tendon and I ended up rupturing the tendon. I was repaired by a wonderful surgeon (not the guy who shot me) and I forever thank him for getting me back to running again.
I do not recommend injections directly in the tendon. It might help but the risk it too great. It cost me well over a year including being in a full leg cast for two months after the surgery. It basically ended my running career (although I have run for many years since then for fun). Don't do it!
Tis Tis Tis....i dont know much about Cortizone but i do know this: THere is a huge misconception between Cortizone (i am ure that it takes inflamation away as done Alive and Advil) and Zylocane(sp?) which is a PAIN KILLER...it just kills pain does nothing else....thats all i know...and that may have been "used" in the movie Varsity Blues....please can we have a doctor or somebody how knows something about this give his/her two cents please!
i am a 3:57 miler and my achilles is all jacked up right now. i need help! i have scar tissue all over the thing, but i dont want to get cut on until after the trials. i am really thinking about getting it injected just so that i can keep training. does anyone know of STRONG anti-inflamitories that i can check into?
Bute..they give it to horsey's......get a small dose!
accupuncture...
Achilles problems :
1) get your calves massaged up 100 % smooth again - especially the soleus muscle. Takes 10-15 treatments. This is the cause of the problem and without solving the cause you it won\'t help to take away the sympthoms. Then, change shoes. If you for example pronate and have neutral shoes, chances are you will get achilles problems on the inside of your achilles sooner or later. And if you get it fixed by surgery, you will most likely run into the same problems once again if you do not change shoes.
2)start strengthening the calves by doing plyos and leg raises. 3x40 reps is enough. Change angles.
3) get an incline stretching board and start stretching the achilles after the exercises twice daily. 45 sec on each leg x 3.
4) if you know a really, really good sportsdoctor ask him if he can use Procaine (which is normally only used for local pain relief but it also has an anti-inflammatory effect), saline and water with oxygen mixed together. This is almost as potent as cortizone but does absolutely no damage. Very few know how to use this mix (some European doc\'s and probaly some good American also) but it works great - no side effects. Do this two-three times. Rest one day after each treatment.
5) when you have tried all the options above - your leg muscle is massaged up, you are stronger and more flexible and you have tried (or cannot find someone who can do) the Procaine mix. go for the cortizone. But DO NOT put it direcly into the tendon !! Only slightly on the side - small doses only. Rest for at least two days total (almost no walking either). Repeat up to three times. Remember that the new cortizone is not as damaging as the old (that has ruined so many athletes) But three times is the absolute most you should do at one place.
(6. you could also try the DMSO cream - some people have good experience with it on tendon problems)
There is also a system called GRAS-TECH that is used for achilles/tendon problems. Knife-like metal equipment is used to massage (very painful) out the inflamed areas. Extremely effective (have tried it myself) if you find someone who can do it.
Plus, Acupuncture works great for many on achilles problems. Studies have shown that it can increase the blood flow in the legs with up to 40 % - thus restoring muscle function in the leg. Ask to have the needles both on the side of the achilles, in the leg muscle plus in trigger points (on side of the knee and in the ear)
Good luck,
Marius
Marius, can you tell me if you use massage & what do you think of it? Do you pay out of pocket or does your sponsers pay for you? Is the treatment lasting? Who do you use?
Hey before you decide to be a smart ass, why don't you learn to type first. "Please can we have a doctor or somebody how knows..." how about
"Please can we have a doctor or somebody WHO knows"
Gosh I love people who try to act smart. And by the way they did use a "cortizone" shot in the movie, and yes those types of shots are harmful if they are abuses. I study sports medicine thank you.
How long has it been "jacked"? If you are a 3:57 miler, this can't be the first time that you have had trouble with it. Anti inflamatories can help as well as other things that you should do every week. You should put heat or cold on them. Each runner responds differently, so do one that works for you. You may not be retaining fluids well. Often times the problem is between the tendon and the sheath where the fluid acts like a lubricant. Try to drink enough to make your urine clear. Alcohol, coffee, and some other beverages can cause you to lose the fluids that should be protecting your tendons.
If you go to drugs to solve the problem, watch the white blood cell count. Some drugs will drasticlly reduce the white cell count and you will get sick easily. Get it tested every 10 days.
You should pay attention to the cause of the problem;how you strike the ground, # of miles, and your body weight, amoung others. Try to cut your miles and cut your weight.
Good luck.
There are not many 3:57 guys in this country.
This must be a repeat injury. Maybe you should consider some different advice since what you are doing isn't working.
I am currently working with both an ortopod MD and PT for an achilles tendon micro-rupture (probably a real bad strain). Do not under any circumstances inject. The New England Journal of Medicine came out with new results last month stating that surgery/injection is not the way to go, rehab is. Injection may cause more problems than it corrects.
I am finding excellent results with:
iontophroesis (cortisone patches which are put on the tendon, and then by way of stim, pushed into the tendon). It is non-invasive and has worked well.
ultrasound following manual treatment by the PT
The PT manually mobilizes the tendon to work at releasing it and stretching it.
cross friction massage (doesn't feel good when doing, but really helps).
progressive calf raises with weights
heel lifts with weights
walking on toes
incline board stretching
waffle-board stretching
glut-medius work (theraband on ankles, going side to side)
ice
Every orth. surgeon that I have spoken with indictes that it may take 3-6 months to get the achilles back to normal. It is one of those injuries which just can't be rushed.
Good luck.
don't you do it! I ran a 1500 race with medication and during the race I could tell something was wrong but it didn't hurt. afterwards I had to take two months off because of the damage I did. either get surgery if you're injury is that severe, or rest, get hill supports and cut way back on runs tha consist off many up hill runs, thats what my physical theripist told me.
jp
As far as cortisone in the achilles area, my recommendation is to never do it. Not even as a last resort before surgery.
Before considering surgery you need to take at least 6 weeks off with no running.
With any achilles injury or any tendon injury for that matter, you need to allow the tendon to become painfree first. Then you need to rehab the tendon with stretching and strengthening.
There have been some medical studies published out of Scandinavia that show that after as little as 2 weeks achilles tendonopathy is no longer an inflammatory process. There is degeneration in the tendon itself, lending credence to the theory of strengthening the tendon with eccentric exercises.
You have to rest that achilles injuries first to get them better
BF
Doc/Coach,
Can you tell me more about the cortizone patches? If you could please email me at
I would really appreciate it. Thanks!