Are you feeling pain at the back of your heel that makes walking difficult? It can be due to Achilles tendinitis. Achilles tendinitis is the most common cause of heel pain caused by the overuse of the Achilles tendon.
ANF Therapy®️ is the newest treatment to manage achilles tendinopathy. If you’re looking for an effective, non-pharmacological, and non-invasive solution to alleviate your pain, you’ve come to the right place. ANF Therapy®️ offers a groundbreaking approach to treating Achilles tendinitis with the help of frequency medicine. It uses small wearable devices that target and strengthen neurological frequencies to activate your body’s natural healing process.
What is Achilles tendinitis?
Achilles tendinitis is inflammation of the Achilles tendon, which is situated at the back of your heel and connects your calf muscles to your heel bone. The Achilles tendon, also known as the triceps supra, is considered the largest tendon in your body. It plays a vital role in walking and running.
It is often caused by overuse and repetitive stress on the tendon, particularly when the body is not given adequate time to rest and recover. It most commonly involves athletes.
Types of Achilles tendinitis:
There are two types of Achilles tendinitis, depending on the affected area. These include:
Insertional Achilles tendinitis:
It affects the lower part of your heel where the Achilles tendon is inserted into your heel bone. It most commonly develops in athletes who are long-distance runners. However, it can also develop in non-active people.
Non-insertional Achilles tendinitis:
It typically affects consistently active individuals. This condition occurs when the fibres in the middle portion of the tendon become inflamed and begin to break down, leading to pain and discomfort.
How common is Achilles tendinitis?
The most common problem usually develops in athletes and people who lead active lifestyles. About 24% of the athletes develop Achilles tendinitis during their lifetime.
Causes of Achilles tendinitis:
Various factors can cause inflammation of your tendon. These factors can be intrinsic or extrinsic:
Intrinsic factors:
These factors inside your body include:
- Age
- Sex
- Muscle weakness
- Gastrocnemius dysfunction
- Metabolic dysfunction
- Torsion of Achilles tendon
- Dysmetria (lack of coordination)
- Anatomy of your foot
Extrinsic factors:
These factors include:
- Mechanical work overload
- Obesity
- Steroid-induced
- Improper footwears
- Training on a hard surface
- Direct trauma to your heel
Who is at more risk for Achilles tendinitis?
Achilles tendinitis is the most common sports injury. Some factors increase the risk of Achilles tendinitis.
- Age
- Athletes
- Dancers
- History of arthritis
- Flat arches
- Overpronation at your ankle joint
- Weak
- Calf muscles
Symptoms of Achilles tendinitis:
Achilles tendinitis affects the back of your heel, where your calf muscle connects to your heel bone. The most common symptoms of Achilles’ tendinitis are:
- Pain in the back of your heel
- Ankle pain
- Swelling and tenderness around your tendon
- Muscle weakness
- Pain during running or walking activities
- Thickening of the tendon
- Formation of bone spurs
- Limited range of motion at your ankle joint
- Difficulty in standing on your toes
Management of Achilles tendinitis with ANF Therapy®️:
Your ANF Therapists will ask you about your symptoms and recent activities. Moreover, they will do your examination to look for the signs of Achilles tendinitis.
History:
In history, they will ask you about your symptoms and questions regarding your disease. These questions include:
- How much pain do you have?
- What are your recent activities?
- Do you have any history of medical illness, for example, gout, rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis
- Occupational history
- Do you have any past surgical history?
- Do you have any history of trauma to your ankle?
Physical examination:
During physical examination, your ANF Therapist will inspect and palpate your ankle.
Inspection:
During inspection, they will observe the swelling and redness in your tendon and look for signs of atrophy in your calf muscles.
Palpation:
During palpation, they will check the warmth and tenderness in your tendon to assess inflammation.
Other physical tests:
Your ANF Therapist will perform some physical examination tests to make your diagnosis. These include:
Thompson test:
This test is performed to rule out an Achilles tendon rupture. Your ANF Therapist will ask you to lie in a prone position, hang your foot, and squeeze your calf muscles. Abnormal plantar flexion indicates the signs of rupture.
Single heel raising test:
In this test, your ANF Therapist will ask you to stand on your affected leg and rise onto your toes. Pain during this activity indicates tendinitis.
Neurological examination:
During a neurological examination, your ANF Therapists will assess for any motor or sensory loss in your leg, which includes evaluating muscle strength, reflexes, and sensation. Additionally, they will examine your calf muscles for signs of muscle wasting, which could indicate nerve damage or a neurological condition affecting muscle function and tone.
Application of ANF Devices:
ANF Therapy®️ is an innovative approach to treating heel pain. It utilises small, wearable ANF Devices that are applied to the affected areas of your body. These devices include anti-inflammatory devices to combat active and chronic inflammation and alleviate pain. Additionally, antioxidant devices are also placed along with anti-inflammatory devices to help remove free radicals from the body and reduce oxidative stress. Together, these devices work synergistically to promote healing and restore comfort by enhancing the body’s natural ability to reduce inflammation and oxidative damage.
Expected outcome:
According to Dr. Mikel H-G Hoff, the founder of ANF Therapy®️, most patients feel an improvement in heel pain after a few minutes of applying ANF Devices. ANF Therapy®️ aims to reduce pain by 50% after the first session. However, response to ANF Therapy®️ may differ in different individuals, depending on the severity of the disease.
Follow-up:
Regular follow-ups are essential in treating heel pain and assessing your progress. Your ANF Therapist will guide you on the number of follow-up sessions and treatment duration. You will need to change ANF Devices after 72 hours. Your therapist will create a personalised treatment plan for you and educate you about these changes.
Start your journey with ANF Therapy®️:
ANF Therapy®️ offers an innovative tool for managing heel pain. By utilising wearable ANF Devices that emit neurological frequencies, ANF Therapy®️ aims to modulate inflammatory responses, promote healing, strengthen your calf muscle and tendon and support overall well-being related to health. This non-pharmacological therapy provides a safe and effective approach that improves disease outcomes by targeting the root cause. If you’re suffering from heel pain, consult an ANF Practitioner or find an ANF Therapist to start your treatment with ANF Therapy®️ today!
If you’re a healthcare practitioner aiming to enhance your clinical skills with frequency medicine, learn more about the ANF Therapy®️ and ANF Clinical education program by visiting www.anfacademy.com.
What is the RICE protocol:
Rice protocol is the best way to manage or alleviate your pain at home. This method includes:
Rest:
Take rest and stop doing activities that cause pain in your heel and ankle, allowing your tendon to heal.
Icing:
Ice has anti-inflammatory properties. Putting ice for 20 minutes helps you to alleviate your pain.
Compression:
Compress your tendon with the help of a wrap bandage to help reduce swelling and pain.
Elevation:
Elevate your affected leg, which helps reduce pain and inflammation.
How to prevent Achilles tendinitis?
You can prevent yourself from having Achilles tendon by following:
- Warmup yourself before any physical activity
- Use sportive shoes
- Avoid walking or running on hard surfaces
- Avoid walking barefoot
- Perform strengthening exercises to strengthen your calf muscles
Complications of Achilles tendinitis:
Achilles tendinitis can cause severe complications if it is ignored or left untreated. Over time, the ongoing stress and inflammation can cause the tendon fibres to weaken, leading to a breakdown of the tendon tissue. This gradual deterioration may result in a partial or complete Achilles tendon rupture. Additionally, chronic Achilles tendonitis can lead to persistent pain, limited mobility, and a decreased ability to engage in physical activities, significantly impacting one’s quality of life.
FAQs:
What is the difference between Achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis (Achilles tendonitis vs plantar fasciitis)?
In Achilles tendonitis, you will feel pain in the back of your heel due to overuse of your Achilles tendon. In contrast, plantar fasciitis pain is felt in the bottom of your foot (plantar side), which is caused by plantar fascia inflammation.
Is walking good for Achilles tendinitis?
Walking can be helpful for Achilles tendinitis if it doesn’t cause pain. However, if walking is painful, it’s best to avoid it to prevent further aggravation and allow your tendon to heal. You can also try ANF Therapy®️ to alleviate pain and inflammation.
What should be avoided in Achilles tendinitis?
If you have Achilles tendinitis, avoid running or jumping, as these activities can worsen the pain and delay healing. You can use ANF Therapy®️ to treat Achilles tendonitis naturally.
What is the new treatment for Achilles tendinitis?
ANF Therapy®️ is a new approach for treating Achilles tendinitis. It uses ANF Devices applied to the affected areas to help alleviate pain and reduce symptoms by targeting inflammation and promoting the body’s natural healing process. If you are looking for a non-pharmacological and non-invasive treatment for your healing pain, ANF Therapy®️ can be the solution for you.
