Treating Achilles Tendonitis with Active Release Technique
What is Achilles Tendonitis?
Achilles tendonitis is a form of tendonitis affecting the Achilles tendon and is another condition which active release technique (ART) can treat. This tendon is located on the back of the lower leg, above the heel. It connects the calf muscles to the heel, and is used in running, jumping, and walking.
Tendonitis (in general) is a condition whereby a tendon becomes inflamed. Frequency and severity of tendonitis is highly variable, and depends on the type, frequency and intensity of use or exercise that resulted in the inflammation. Most sports present a predictable range of tendonitis injuries. Swimming, for instance, is often associated with tendonitis in the shoulders. Achilles tendonitis is particularly common among athletes that do a large number of lunges and jumps.
Tendonitis symptoms tend to manifest as such:
- Aches and pains
- -Stiffness around the affected area
- -Burning sensation around a joint and/or tendon
- Swelling (sometimes quite visible, and often worse after activity)
- Sensation of local heat
- Redness
- Visible or palpable knots around a joint
The pain associated with tendonitis tends to become worse during and after an activity. In the hours and days following use of the affected tendon, the tendon and joint area tend to stiffen as muscles tighten. Stress can often be a contributing factor to tendonitis.
It is important to note that tendonitis is an acute condition. Chronic symptoms over a long period of time are likely indicators of tendonosis, a related chronic condition.
There are two distinct types of Achilles tendonitis: noninserational and insertional :
Noninsertional Achilles tendonitis occurs when the fibers in the middle-most area of the tendon begin to degenerate due to tiny tears in the fibers. This causes swelling and thickening of the fibers. This sort of tendonitis is usually found in younger and relatively active patients.
Insertional Achilles tendonitis, on the other hand, involves the lower area of the heel, where the tendon attaches to the bone. This form of Achilles tendonitis is commonly found alongside bone spurs.
What Causes Achilles Tendonitis?
Achilles tendonitis generally results from repetitive stress to the tendon. Some of the most common activities that cause the condition include:
● Suddenly increasing the amount or intensity of an exercise regimen
● Putting extra stress on the tendon due to tight calf muscles
● Bone spur growth on the heel rubbing against the tendon
Treatment of Achilles Tendonitis
The first line of defense when the injury becomes evident is to treat with ice or cold compresses, using heel pads, and reduction of stress on the tendon. A light amount of compression throughout the day (and a very light amount of compression at night) can help relieve pain. Use of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen would be advisable.
If the condition does not improve quickly, it is very important to seek professional treatment. If the injury worsens, it may result in an Achilles tendon rupture, which is far more painful and debilitating.
Treatment options generally focus on manual therapy techniques combined with rest and sometimes continued use of compression.
How Active Release Technique Therapy is Beneficial to Achilles Tendonitis?
Active Release Therapy (ART) – a manual rehabilitation technique utilized by chiropractors – can be extremely beneficial for this injury. The Achilles tendon generally suffers from very poor blood supply, which greatly increases healing time and makes it more susceptible to injury. ART therapy can help by mitigating the adhesions in the area in a safe manner (some physical therapy and therapeutic massage techniques can actually worsen the condition). When a trained practitioner applies ART, significant reductions in pain and recovery time can be made.
What is Active Release Technique Therapy?
One increasingly common treatment for Achilles tendonitis in Seattle is known as Active Release Technique therapy (or ART). Active Release Technique is a groundbreaking, patented and proven therapy system that is used to alleviate pain and treat issues with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves. ART is utilized to treat conditions related to adhesions and/or scar tissue in overused muscles. Adhesions may form via blunt acute trauma to soft tissue (like a sharp blow, or a muscle pull or strain), or repetitive use combined with poor posture, overcompensation, or long term exposure to many shocks. Adhesions that build up on muscles cause the muscle to shorten and weaken. This negatively affects muscle motion and the joints, and can also lead to nerve compression. Muscles affected by adhesion suffer from poor blood supply, tightness, and the production of scar tissues. These effects result in poor mobility, decreased athletic performance, pain, and the risk of further injury if the tissue continues to be utilized in rigorous or repetitive activity.
ART seeks to restore the smooth movement of affected tissues, and to release entrapped nerves and blood vessels. To do this, your chiropractor will use their hands to first make a survey of the texture, tightness, and mobility of soft tissues that are affected. The chiropractor will use this exploratory procedure to determine whether the injury is a tear, scar, adhesion, or inflammation (or some combination thereof). The chiropractor will then determine if the nerves, tendon, ligament, or muscles are affected. Then, the treatment provider will use careful, sustained hand pressure to remove or fragment fibrous adhesions in the tissues. Stretching motions in the direction of the venous and lymphatic flow will be used most of the time. The chiropractor will ask the patient to move their body in certain ways that allow the layers of soft tissue to slide over each other while the injured area is worked by the chiropractor using the thumb, palm, or finger. During this process, the chiropractor is attempting to break up adhesions, move a layer of muscle relative to another, or to remove a nerve from connective tissue or a muscle layer. The specific pattern of the treatment is highly dependent on the specific physiology of the patient, as well as the extent of the injury.
ART has proven itself to be to be one of the most effective and efficient means to address soft-tissue and repetitive motion injuries. It has been adopted by a wide number of chiropractic and physical therapy professionals. Numerous professional athletes, and even more amateur sports enthusiasts that have found themselves with unfortunate injuries as the result of practicing the sports they love can attest to its effectiveness. ART is one of the best front-line solutions that athletes can seek to address soft-tissue injuries.
Is the Active Release Technique Method Trustworthy?
Simply stated: absolutely. Healthcare professionals and Seattle chiropractors that offer active release techniques must complete rigorous study of over 500 distinct techniques. ART is an accreditation earned through continuing education courses for professionals already well-versed in physiology and anatomy (for example: chiropractors, medical doctors, doctors of osteopathic medicine, and to a lesser degree, physical therapists, massage therapists, and certified athletic trainers). The institutions that offer certification in ART are regulated by the New York Chiropractic College – a widely respected academic and research institution. In order to offer ART to patients, its practitioners are required to attend workshops and pass a rigorously graded practical exam (one only passes with a score of 90% or greater). Once the practitioner has attained their certification, they are required to keep it current. Practitioners are required to attend one or more ART seminars annually, and must pass further exams to maintain their accreditation.
What are the advantages of Active Release Technique (ART)?
Unlike conventional sorts of therapy, ART doesn’t require any sort of prolonged downtime periods before noticeable improvements in the condition are achieved. In some cases, it is even possible to provide athletes with treatment immediately prior to competition in high-intensity, demanding events. To some extent, a light to moderate workout following treatment can help accelerate and improve treatment outcomes in a number of cases.
ART is also a cost effective manner to address repetitive stress injuries before they get out of control. It is estimated that repetitive stress injury costs in the US alone run north of $110 billion per year. To avoid more drastic pain, inconvenience, and costs in the future, any suspected repetitive stress injuries such as Achilles tendonitis should be addressed by active release technique therapy as soon as possible.
Kinetic Sports Rehab is passionate about it’s patients and treatment methods and especially the use of active release technique in the treatment of several performance and accident based injuries. To schedule an active release appointment Click here and a Kinetic Sports Rehab representative will get back with you shortly! Don’t forget to join our Facebook fanpage or subscribe to our blog for the latest on KSR’s alternatives to standard physical therapy treatment in Seattle and be sure to comment below if you’d like as well.
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