Has running recently become harder? Do you feel a limited range of motion when flexing your foot? Can you not do the same activities you used to be able to once do? If you can answer yes to any of these questions you may be dealing with a condition called Achilles tendonitis. Achilles tendonitis can be a scary injury to many athletes and can be damaging to your career and your lifestyle if not treated properly.

The Achilles tendon attaches your calf muscles to your heel bone, or calcaneus. You use this tendon to jump, walk, run, and stand on the balls of your feet. Continuous, intense physical activity, such as running and crossfit, can cause painful inflammation of the Achilles tendon, known as Achilles tendonitis (or tendinitis).

There are two types of Achilles tendonitis:

• Insertional Achilles Tendonitis – Affects lower portion of tendon where it attaches to the heel bone.
• Noninsertional Achilles Tendonitis – Affects fibers in the middle portion of the tendon. These fibers begin to break down with tiny tears and swell.  Typically affects younger age groups.

Achilles Tendonitis can happen due to many factors but some of the main reasons are:

• Exercising without a proper warmup
• Straining the calf muscles during repeated exercise or physical activity
• Playing sports, such as tennis, that require quick stops and changes of direction
• Sudden increase in physical activity without allowing your body to adjust to increased training
• Wearing old or poorly fitting shoes
• Wearing high heels daily or for prolonged durations
• Having bone spurs in the back of your heels
• Older age, as the Achilles tendon weakens with age

These are a list of some of the causes of Achilles tendonitis. If none of these apply to you and you still believe you have Achilles tendonitis go to your physician to get it checked out. Any activity could possibly lead to Achilles tendonitis.

Anyone can develop Achilles tendonitis, but there are factors that can cause someone to be more likely to develop this injury.  Factors that increase the risk of tendonitis include:

• Age – As you get older, your risk of tennis elbow increases. Achilles tendonitis and rupture is most common in people older than 30.
• Your Gender-  Achilles tendonitis occurs most commonly in men.
• Body Type- A naturally flat arch in your foot can put more strain on the Achilles tendon. Obesity and tight calf muscles also can increase tendon strain.
• Athletes – Athletes who regularly put stress on their feet, such as tennis players, have a greater risk of having Achilles tendonitis. Those athletes that tend to be most likely to develop tendonitis include:
  • Crossfitters
  • Tennis players
  • Soccer players
  • Basketball players
• Obesity – More weight on the foot and tendon results in a higher probability of strain and injury.

These are the top five risk factors but there are many other reasons that can cause tendonitis.

As stated before, if you can answer yes to any of these questions – there is a good chance that you have tendonitis. You can not fully diagnose yourself without a doctor so if you believe you may have achilles tendonitis we advise you to go see your primary care physician for a medical diagnosis. However, the following are general indicators that there is an issue with your heel

• Mild ache in the back of the leg or above the heel after running or other sports activity
• Discomfort or swelling in the back of your heel
• Tight calf muscles
• Limited range of motion when flexing your foot
• Skin on your heel overly warm to the touch

Typically the main symptom of Achilles tendonitis is pain and swelling in the back side of your heel when you walk or run. Other symptoms include tight calf muscles and limited range of motion when you flex your foot. This condition can also make the skin on your heel feel overly warm to the touch.

Surgery is usually a last resort depending on the severity of your tendonitis. Usually if the pain does not subside after 6 months of trying other remedies most physicians will recommend surgery. There are many different types of surgery your orthopedic surgeon may use depending on the severity and the type of Achilles tendonitis you have (refer to “what is the Achilles tendon” section).

Here is a list of two popular surgeries that doctors recommend for Achilles tendonitis.

• Arthroscopy – a small incision is made in the heel. An arthroscope – a tube with a small camera and tiny instrument – is then used to fix the Achilles.
  
• Open repair – In this surgery, a surgeon makes an incision to open your leg above the heel bone. Then they sew the two sides of the ruptured tendon back together and close the incision.

An Achilles tendon surgery may seem like an option but it comes at a hefty price. According to a number of studies, surgical treatment for Achilles tendonitis can cost anything between $682 for a day surgery and $1,237 for an overnight stay surgery. Read below to see if you can skip the surgery and use home remedies to fix your injury.

The answer is YES! Most Achilles tendon injuries can be treated nonsurgically by using anti-inflammatory medication, steroid injections, braces, and/or physical therapy. All four of these can be beneficial and can help treat symptoms of your Achilles tendon. While anti-inflammatory medication and steroid injections can be a great option, natural remedies are your best bet so you are not putting chemicals into your body that could worsen your symptoms. Be aware though that it is not recommended that you do cortisone injections (a type of steroid). Cortisone is a drug that helps reduce inflammation, pain, and swelling for many different conditions. Cortisone is not recommended though because specifically the drug could lead to a ruptured Achilles tendon making matters only worse. Read below to learn more about natural remedies.

Achilles tendon surgery can come with a steep price and may not be an option for some people. Instead of invasive surgery here are some natural and at home remedies that may be used. Natural remedies include:

• Brace – Wearing a brace or walking boot to prevent heel movement
• Rest and Ice – Apply ice to the affected area for 15-20-minute periods at least three times a day.
• Acupuncture – A holistic health technique that stems from traditional Chinese medicine. It helps reduce pain by stimulating specific points on the body through the insertion of very thin, practically-painless needles.
• Anti-inflammatory medications – Anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or Advil can be used to reduce inflammation and temporarily relieve pain at the point of injury.
•   Natural supplements – Natural supplements such as Flexicus can be used in place of medication and NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) in order to reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and promote healthy cartilage growth.

Many of the current remedies for treating tendonitis involve synthetic chemicals and strong medications that can affect you in ways you cannot predict and cause unwanted side effects. If you are looking for an all-natural remedy that may save you from surgery look no further, this is where Flexicus comes in! Our all-natural supplement is here to help! Flexicus was specially designed to nourish the joints, support stronger cartilage, help stimulate the lubricating fluid in the joints, and increase total mobility – all with the serious athlete in mind.

Flexicus can help relieve pain, help with inflammation, renew and maintain connective tissue, and will help in rebuilding joints and cartilage. If you choose the option of surgery you would want to use a natural supplement to help with the inflammation and renew the connective tissue. Please be aware though that if you choose to start Flexicus, it is imperative to make sure you monitor your activity and not start heavy activity prematurely. Often times, individuals start to feel relief and believe they are ready to push themselves with strenuous activity and cause greater injury in the process. Make sure in the beginning to keep your activity limited and do not push yourself too hard in order to avoid further injury.

Deciding whether you need surgery is a case by case decision which should be made after hearing all of your options and consulting with your doctor. The need for tendonitis surgery will typically depend on the severity of how hurt the Achilles tendon is, and knowing all of your options (including home remedies) could save you thousands of dollars. Whether or not you are using home remedies to cure your tendonitis or recovering from surgery, one of the best pieces of advice a recovering athlete can have is to take a natural supplement. Flexicus is an all-natural supplement that was specially designed to nourish the joints, support stronger cartilage, help stimulate the lubricating fluid in the joints, and increase total mobility. It is hard to prevent tendonitis, but it is easy to provide yourself with the help you need to fix the issue.

Doctors and physical therapists believe Flexicus can help, scientists believe our ingredients can help, but most importantly our customers know it is helping (and clinical trials of CM8, the key ingredient in Flexicus, have shown that it works!). It’s time to get back to the activities you love without the harmful side effects of other products. By taking an all-natural supplement you can finally feel relief from your injuries and get back in the game!