Achilles Tendon Specialist
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Innjea Park, DPM
Podiatrist located in Staten Island, NY & Murray Hill, Midtown East, New York, NY
Achilles tendonitis occurs after you strain your Achilles tendon. The inflammation from this strain can cause severe pain, and it’s not something that you should ignore. If Achilles tendonitis isn’t treated, an Achilles tendon rupture could occur, possibly making it impossible to walk. Innjea Park, DPM, helps New York patients in the Murray Hill, Midtown East, Financial District, and Staten Island areas get pain relief, so book your visit online or call the office now.
Achilles Tendon
What is Achilles tendonitis?
The Achilles tendon connects your leg and foot. If this tendon gets strained, you'll develop Achilles tendonitis. This condition causes pain, sometimes to the point of making it difficult to walk at all. If you don’t get treatment, your Achilles tendon could tear apart (rupture), making the situation even worse.
Am I at risk for Achilles tendonitis?
Risk factors for Achilles tendonitis include:
Age
Your Achilles tendon grows weaker as you age, so you're more prone to Achilles tendonitis as you grow older.
Exercise
Over-exercise or a sudden increase in exercise intensity can increase your chances of Achilles tendonitis.
Obesity
The more excess weight that you're carrying, the higher the risk of straining your Achilles tendon.
Sometimes, Achilles tendonitis occurs in patients who aren't in any of the above risk groups. No matter why it happens, the important thing is to get help before it worsens.
What is the treatment for Achilles tendonitis?
After doing a diagnostic ultrasound and MRI, Dr. Park starts with a conservative approach. This can include:
Therapeutic ultrasound
Therapeutic ultrasound reduces swelling and inflammation, encouraging natural healing. This procedure can be done during your first visit with Dr. Park.
Anti-inflammatory gel or medication
Anti-inflammatory gel or oral medication reduces inflammation and swelling, and it may help relieve your pain. At the Grand Central location, It is often combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment and laser therapy.
Heel lift
A heel lift can take the pressure off your Achilles tendon to give you pain relief.
Custom orthotics
Custom orthotics are made just for your foot. You place them in your shoe to reduce stress on your Achilles tendon.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)
At the Grand Central location, Dr. Park extracts PRP from your own blood. He extracts the most powerful healing and growth factors from your blood using a specialized machine and then injects the PRP around your Achilles tendon to help it heal naturally.
Laser therapy
Low-level laser therapy at the Grand Central location boosts your body's natural ability to heal itself. Laser therapy can help you regenerate the damaged Achilles tendon without surgery in many cases.
If your pain doesn’t respond to other types of therapy, or a tear or degenerative change is present, surgery may be the best way to repair the damage. Dr. Park has advanced training in this type of surgery.
Dr. Park prescribes both individual and combination therapies based on your specific needs.
If your Achilles tendon is being a real pain in the heel, get help now. Use online booking or call the office to schedule your visit with Dr. Park now.
