Achilles Bursitis

Achilles Bursitis

A bursa is a sac of synovial fluid, rich in protein and collagen, that lies between a tendon and a bone to help the tendon glide smoothly over the bone. There are 2 bursae that surround the Achilles tendon to protect it from friction. The retrocalcaneal bursa lies between the tendon and the back, or posterior surface, of the heel bone (calcaneus). This is a "true" bursa that is present from birth. It acts as a cushion between these two structures to protect the tendon from friction against the heel bone.

The larger subcutaneous calcaneal bursa lies overtop of the tendon at the lower part of the heel where the tendon joins to the heel bone. This bursa develops as you age, an "adventitious" bursa, to protect the tendon from friction at the back of the heel.

Bursitis occurs when a bursa is irritated from frequent pressure and it becomes inflamed. When one or both of these bursa become inflamed it is generally referred to as Achilles bursitis because of the bursa's proximity to the Achilles tendon. In some cases, an inflamed bursa can become infected with bacteria (referred to as septic bursitis) and it is necessary to see a doctor to get rid of the infection.

Due to the proximity to the area on the Achilles tendon, Achilles bursitis is often mistaken for tendinitis. Achilles bursitis is a common overuse injury in runners, ice skaters and other athletes.

Symptoms of Achilles Bursitis

When you suffer from Achilles bursitis it will be most noticeable when you begin an activity after rest:

• Pain at the back of the heel, especially with jumping, hopping, tip-toeing, walking or running uphill or on soft surfaces. If tendonitis is also present, the pain can radiate away from the bursa.
• Direct pressure on the bursa will exacerbate the pain and should be avoided if possible.
• Tenderness and swelling which might make it difficult to wear certain shoes on the feet.
• As the bursa becomes more inflamed you will experience swelling and warmth. In severe cases, the bursa will appear as a bump, called a "pump bump", and is usually red, and extremely tender. Swelling can cause difficulties moving as the range of motion in the ankle can be affected.
• Limping due to the pain may occur
• If you press on both sides of the inflamed heel, there may be a firm spongy feeling.
• Weakness in the tendons and muscles surrounding the bursa can develop as the pain worsens and the inflammation in the area spreads.
• Possibly a fever if you are suffering from septic bursitis (You will need to see a doctor for medication to get rid of the infection).
• For individuals who wear high-heeled shoes frequently, they may also feel an increase in pain when they are wearing flat shoes. When wearing high-heels, the calf muscles and Achilles tendon remain in a shortened position. When flat shoes are worn it causes the calf muscles and Achilles tendon to stretch more than usual causing the tendon to tighten around the heel bone causing irritation.

Bursitis Treatments

Relieving the symptoms of bursitis initially focuses on taking the pressure off the bursa. This can be done with proper cushioning, inserts, or footwear but may require surgery if it is a bone formation problem (i.e. Haglund's Deformity). If your bursitis is caused by an infection (septic bursitis), the doctor will probably drain the bursa sac with a needle and perscribe antibiotics to treat the infection.

For non-infectious bursitis, the preliminary treatment starts with conservative treatment options. Surgery to remove the inflamed bursa is normally not required for bursitis, however if you fail to see improvement with the conservative treatments, your physician may recommend surgery to remove the bursa completely. Although this removes the problem of an inflamed bursa, you are left with less cushioning in your joint which can lead to other conditions such as fraying of the tendons, muscles or ligaments in the treated area. Eventually, fraying can lead to increasing weakness and rupture in severe cases. click here to view more information about surgical recovery.

Some conservative treatment examples include:

• Rest - This is important for initial recovery for both Midpoint and Insertional Achilles Tendonitis; rest and elevation will help reduce pain, swelling and inflammation in the early stages of injury. This can be difficult when you have to carry on with daily activities, but resting and elevating your foot whenever you can is recommended. During your recovery you will probably have to modify or avoid the activities that put stress on your Achilles tendon until your pain and inflammation settles. Too much rest can also be harmful to achilles injuries because ankle joint immobility can actually cause stiffening in the joint. This is why rest should be used when reducing initial pain and swelling, but should not be considered for more long-term conservative treatment.

• Avoid Activities that Caused Your Injury - While resting your injury it's also important to avoid all activities that may have caused your tissue damage (especially any repetitive movement). Continuing on with regular activities can increase the severity of your injury, turning a mild to moderate case of tendon damage into a downward spiral of worsening damage that may eventually severely impact your life. Also, trying to 'work around' your injury will eventually give rise to over-compensation injuries in other areas of your body.
• Use a Cold Compress or Ice Pack - Cold is very effective at reducing pain and inflammation - use at the onset of the injury and during flareups.
• Use Circulation Boost (TShellz Wrap^®) - after swelling and inflammation has been reduced. You can use your own blood flow to maximize your rehabilitation, maintain healthy blood flow to your achilles and heel, decrease recovery time, and boost the bodys healing rate. Promoting blood flow to your achilles will help to minimize the growth of scar tissue, increase flexibility and help prevent atrophy.
• Rehabilitative Stretching under supervision of a PT or doctor. The intent of this is to provide you with increased range of motion, pain relief and strengthening of the surrounding tissue of the joint. Doctors or surgeons typically won't perform a surgery until they feel that their patient has put effort into treating their injury with conservative treatment methods. This may include up to 4 to 6 months of visits to a PT clinic. If you haven't experienced any improvement in your condition during that time then surgery may be considered. Agressive PT approaches may focus on forced or manual manipulation of the achilles - this means your physical therapists will be trying to move your achilles past the point of comfort as they strive to increase range of motion and prevent further atrophy. This can be painful and end up making your injury worse if not done correctly. (reference: 1)
• Stretching - Stretching your joint in PT and at home will help you to regain your range of motion much faster than not stretching at all. Stretching in many ways is key maintaining good Range of Motion (ROM) in your joint, and stretching can be made much easier with use of a TShellz Wrap^® before to warm up soft tissue, and a Cold Compress or Ice Pack treatment after to prevent any return of swelling and inflammation.

The most important factor in healing bursitis is resting your ankle. This can be difficult when you have to carry on with daily activities, but resting and elevating your foot whenever you can is recommended. During your recovery you will probably have to modify or avoid the activities that stress your bursa until your pain and inflammation settle.

Treatments should involve decreasing swelling, relieving pain and stress on the ankle, correcting any biomechanical dysfunction (over-pronation or flat feet) and then restoring strength and movement in your ankle. If you are performing an activity that could cause further trauma to the bursa, it is recommended that you protect the area with padding and/or proper footwear to prevent further irritation or damage.

Cold Compression

For years, doctors, trainers, and other medical professionals have recommended RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) to treat the pain and swelling of fresh injuries, chronic pain, and after any re-injury.

Cold Compression works by stopping and slowing nerve and tissue function in the injured area and reducing swelling that can block blood vessels. This is important because once blood vessels are blocked or damaged, they can no longer carry oxygenated blood through the tissue and tissue begins to break-down. Without cold compression, damage continues as tissues break-down - they cannot get the oxygen they need to survive. By limiting the amount of damage done to your Achilles Tendon, you also limit the amount of healing that needs to occur.

Cooling the bursa as needed throughout the day, for approximately 15 - 20 minutes at a time, is recommended. Applying cold is the first step in treating your bursitis.

The TShellz Wrap^®

Once the inflammation of your bursitis has been reduced with an ice pack or cold compress, it is time to help the body boost its healing process through use of the Achilles TShellz Wrap.

Unfortunately, when you are suffering from bursitis in your retrocalcaneal bursa and/or subcutaneous calcaneal bursa it is painful to walk and move your foot normally. When you limit movement in your foot the blood flow is reduced, starving your tissue of the necessary oxygen and nutrients. The trick is to find a way to increase blood flow without causing pain and/or further inflaming the bursae. This is where the TShellz Wrap^® comes in, helping improve the elasticity of the achilles tendon as well as surrounding soft tissue. Further to this, your injury area will receive a magnified increase in blood flow which will flush toxins that always build up around a soft tissue injury and introduce more nutrients (its in the blood!) to damaged tissues so they can heal at an accelerated rate. We guarantee that this will get your bursae and/or Achilles tendon back to normal fast.

TShellz^® Circulatory Boost Wraps are intendeed to compliment your body's natural healing process by promoting the flow of blood to your foot while you give it the rest it needs.

Increased Blood Circulation = Increased Healing Capability

TShellz Wraps^® contain a unique Carbon Fiber Energy Pad which is flexible and will shape to conform to your body. This Energy Pad emits a uniform wave of perfectly safe energy over its entire surface. This energy is absorbed by soft tissue in the treatment area, opening blood vessels, resulting in an increase in blood flow. Increased blood circulation is what your body needs to accelerate the healing of soft tissue and this is why we recommend the TShellz Wrap^®.

The Achilles TShellz Wrap^® is an FDA Registered Medical Device and is suitable for use in therapeutic clinics and FROM HOME. It is completely safe for people and patients to use for themselves.

The technology found in a TShellz Wrap^® has been used for decades in the worlds of professional and amateur sports - a contributing factor as to why athletes seem to recover from injuries so quickly.

Have you ever wondered by an athlete can return to activity after 3 to 6 weeks following a foot injury - while your average person takes much longer to return back to normal? The secret isn't really that much of a secret - it involves consistent treatments (meaning multiple times a day) using a treatment like the TShellz Wrap^® to stimulate blood flow to the injured tissues. Most athletes have the luxury of using in-house facilities many times per day.

How many us can afford the time and money to visit a clinic multiple times a day? Very few indeed. This is how you can gain some of the advantages that athletes enjoy in their injury recovery - by using a device like the TShellz Wrap^® two or three times a day on a consistent basis.

Consistent Treatments = Consistent And Long Term Improvement

What Else Makes the Achilles TShellz Wrap^® So Special?

We believe the TShellz Wrap^® to be one of the most effective home treatments to increase localized blood flow to soft tissue in and around the treatment area.

We can promise that you will receive a product that is designed to be safe and does what it is supposed to do... reduce pain (as stated in "Therapeutic Heat and Cold", 4th edition. - Ed. Justus F. Lehmann, M.D., Williams, and Wilkin) temporarily increase length & flexibility of soft tissue (as stated in "Therapeutic Heat and Cold", 4th edition. - Ed. Justus F. Lehmann, M.D., Williams, and Wilkin) and aid your body in recovering from tendon, muscle and other soft tissue injuries via enhanced blood flow.

The unit plugs into a standard wall outlet to get its power. The nice thing about the power supply is that the same unit can be used in North America and overseas as well. It has the capability to operate between 110v and 230v.

The TShellz Wrap^® has a special signal controller that can be set for 3 different power levels of application (3=High, 2=Medium, 1=Low). The cord is long enough that you can sit or lie comfortably and watch TV, read or surf the net while you're using it.

Treatments are max 30 minutes in duration and the device can be worn over clothing. This allows you to use the device at work, at home, or really anywhere you have access to an electrical outlet.

Conservative Treatment Tools Our Clients Have Used to Help Limit Achilles Damage & Boost The Body's Soft Tissue Repair Process at Home:

• A Cold Compress or Ice Pack to reduce inflammation wherever there is pain and/or swelling (as soon as possible).
• An Achilles TShellz Wrap to increase blood-flow to the targeted treatment area (a Localized Enhanced Circulatory Response^® Treatment).
• MendMeShop Arnica Pain Cream for temporary relief of pain due to sore muscles and joints.
• Perhaps a High Quality Knee Pillow for comfort while sleeping, sitting and raising the foot.
• An Exercise & Stretching Plan to prevent muscle atrophy and shortened tendons in the leg. A proper plan will increase elasticity and strengthen the muscles and tendons in the ankle, calf, knee, and upper leg.

Conservative treatment tools just like these have been used successfully by thousands of soft tissue injury sufferers - just like you.

Help Your Body Heal Fast By Enhancing Blood Flow in the Treatment Area

We believe the use of TShellz Wraps^® for boosting blood flow to soft tissue in the area of application is one of the most under-utilized home treatment options available on the market today. We have client after client that have tried many options out there and have been amazed at how effective and fast the TShellz Wrap treatment has helped in their recovery.

*With regular use of the Achilles TShellz Wrap:

• Your pain will be reduced*.
• Due to increased blood flow, soft tissue in the treatment area will be expected to recover at an accelerated rate with reduced potential for re-injury.
• Tissue in the treated area should experience a larger range of motion and increased extensibility of collagen tissue* due to the heat effect on soft tissue. This should translate into a reduced rate of re-injury occurrence as soft tissue is known to lengthen and become more flexible when exposed to warm temperature. (*Chapter 9 of "Therapeutic Heat and Cold", 4th edition. - Ed. Justus F. Lehmann, M.D., Williams, and Wilkin)

*Know that every personal soft tissue injury is unique and the TShellz Wrap may not work for everyone. This is why we offer a 60-day money back return on all our TShellz Wrap devices.

4 Key Points To Keep in Mind When Treating Tendonitis & Other Connective Tissue Injuries in the Foot

1: Make Sure That Complete Healing is Your #1 Goal

We all know that if our tendon injury was healed, the pain would go away but what about the opposite situation? If the pain is gone, does that mean the injury is better? Unfortunately, this is not always true.

Too many people only focus on suppressing pain symptoms while providing less attention to the true healing aspects of the body. Experiencing less pain, while obviously a good short-term goal, never equates to underlying healing. Scar tissue can remain for months after one gets to a point of being relatively pain-free. However, as long the weak and inflexible scar tissue remains, you are susceptible to re-injury or re-aggravation. Certain motions or movements can cause weaker tissue to easily tear - resulting in some reversal of the recovery up until that point.

This is why we recommend for people to continue with their doctor or therapist recommended exercises and to continue with mild treatments of the TShellz Wrap^® for a period of time - to better ensure complete healing.

Ongoing treatments to enhance circulation are intended to soothe, relax and promote healing of damaged soft tissue in the application area. T•Shellz treatment also results in the ability of soft tissue to extend further due to the effect of heat on soft tissue. The more extensible your tissues are, the less likely they are to strain or sprain.

Muscle & tendon injuries are a race against time. The faster and stronger you heal tissue in your foot, the less chance there is for re-injury or other problems later on.

MendMeShop Achilles TShellz Wrap^®

This wrap is designed to:

• increase extensibility & flexibility of lower calf & achilles tendon during treatment & for a short while after
• increase blood flow in the application area

For consistently active people with chronic achilles injury history, (ie. skiers, runners) we recommend an Achilles TShellz Wrap treatment prior to activity for re-injury risk reduction.

View The Achilles TShellz Wrap^® in our Online Store

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2: Resting Your Feet Will Help, But Only Temporarily

People tell us all the time, "I was told that if I rest for a few weeks, the pain will disappear for good." The truth is, pain is often a culmination of numerous factors, which often include repetitive stress, high load issues due to excess weight, and/or overcompensation issues resulting from other muscle and soft tissue ailments (ie. short leg syndrome). It may take weeks or months for these pain triggers to surface, but when they do, merely resting will not solve the underlying issues. You need to utilize options that actually treat the source of the pain and help reverse the damage that has been done.

Resting has a role to play, but it is only one small factor in a recovery plan.

3: Determine if There is A Deeper Underlying Cause To Your Foot Tendonitis & Fix It. Otherwise, It May Come Back

In order to get lasting relief, you need to identify all the factors that are contributing to your tendonitis pain. An example of some factors that may or may not be relevant are:

• muscle imbalances
• overuse in running/hiking
• short leg syndrome
• obesity
• flat footedness
• trauma

... and many more.The list is certainly significant and it can be frustrating for people who may have no idea where to begin. This is one of many reasons why you should always get to a physician and, even a specialist to identify the source of your problem.

4: Know that Pain isn't the Only Proof You're Still Injured

Would you know you injured yourself if there was no pain? Probably not! Pain and swelling perform a useful role in letting you know that you did, in fact, injure yourself. Pain and swelling are what get you to seek out medical attention in the hopes of finding a way to reduce the pain and heal your injury.

Be careful with pain-killers that mask the pain as overuse can give you a false sense that your injury is gone. Strive to reduce the inflammation and maintain or improve flexibility in the foot while avoiding re-injury to see a reduction in pain.

We all know that if the injury was healed, the pain would go away but what about the opposite situation? If the pain is gone, does that mean the injury is better? Unfortunately, this is not always true.

On-going TShellz Wrap^® treatments at home, every day, are intended soothe, relax and promote blood flow to soft tissue. Consistent TShellz^® Circulatory Boost Wrap treatments before activity or work will help warm up the area, increasing soft tissue elasticity & flexibility; this in turn will also reduce the risk of re-injury.

MendMeShop Arnica Infusion Pain Relief Cream

Pain Keeping You Awake?
Pain Keeping You In Bed?
Pain Got You On Edge?
Temporary Relief from Serious Pain For People Who Are Serious About It!

View MendMeShop's Arnica Infusion Cream in our Online Store

MendMeShop Achilles TShellz Wrap^®

Suffering from Achilles Tendonitis? This wrap is designed to treat lower calf and achilles location specifically.

For consistently active people with chronic achilles injury history, (ie. skiers, runners) we recommend an Achilles TShellz Wrap treatment prior to activity for re-injury risk reduction.

View The Achilles TShellz Wrap^® in our Online Store

MendMeShop's Knee Pillow

This is by far the best knee pillow we have ever tried

• Perfect Size & Shape
• Not too Soft or Hard
• Removable, Washable Cover
• Multiple uses: soft enough to comfortably prop up the foot from the lower leg

View The Knee Pillow in our Online Store

We Can Get You Started For Less Than The Cost Of A Few Physical Therapy Treatments

Think about it – you can now have the ability to treat your pain from the comfort of your own home while saving money in the process.

Best of all, you are fully protected when making a purchase from us as we offer a no-hassle 60 day, full money back guarantee.

The Next Step Is Up To You!

Living with pain is never easy as it affects your entire lifestyle. Nothing is more important than making the proper decision when it comes to treating your muscle injury. Most methods only mask the problems or provide temporary relief; they do not treat the pain at its source.

AidMyPlantar stands out in this regard as our goal is to help you heal for the longer-term.

The bottom line is, you are welcome to try our products for a full 2 months. If you do not receive the benefits that others have experienced after using the product as directed, simply call us to initiate a return and we will issue a prompt & full refund. There will be no hassle and no hard feelings.

The fastest option you have to get our product into your hands as soon as possible is by placing your order online - at this very moment..

Place your order on-line through our ultra-secure website by clicking the image below.

Call us Toll Free 1-866-237-9608 to place an order with one of our knowledgeable Product Advisors. They have the ability to answer all your questions...ensuring you only receive the products you need.

North America Toll Free 1-866-237-9608
Outside North America +1-705-532-1671

If you choose to order through our online shop, know that we keep no credit card data on file. Once the transaction is completed, the credit information disappears from our internal systems.

As you can see, ordering from us is a very easy and safe process, no matter if choosing to order on-line or over the phone.

Are you still unsure about placing an order? let me address some questions that we are often asked about...

What is the success rate of the TShellz Wraps^®? Do they really work?

We try and keep in touch with a large percentage of our customers, and we encourage them to do the same. In doing so, we have received a lot of feedback as we have been in the business since 2008.

We can say that the return rate on our products is only around 5 to 10% any given month. That is exceptional by anyone's standards. Therefore, we can safely indicate that the overwhelming majority of people who purchase from us do achieve benefits with our products.

How much time do I need to dedicate for treatments? Are the products easy to use?

The TShellz Wraps^® are very easy devices to use. After one or two uses, you will engage in the treatments with ease. Very detailed instructions are included and you are always welcome to contact us by phone or email if the need for help arises.

In regards to the TShellz Wrap^®, it is ideal to use the device two or three times a day on average. Each treatment session is a maximum of 20 minutes in duration and the device will turn off automatically at that time. Typically, people use the TShellz Wrap^® before bed, upon awakening (or not long after) and one other time during the day when the opportunity presents itself. For people in an office setting, many will use the device at work (as it can be worn over clothing). For others, they will use the device an our or two after work.

A Cold Compress or Ice Pack is primarily used following activity that stresses the injured tissues (following work, after a sports activity, or just suffering a general re-injury). This is done to reduce inflammation and to minimize tissue damage. Treatments are 15 to 20 minutes in duration.

How long has MendMeShop been in business

We established our firm in December of 2005. Our track record in this field continues to grow and we plan on being around for many decades to come.

What is your return policy? Is it the standard 30 days?

We go above and beyond what other companies offer.

We offer a full 60 day money back guarantee with no restocking fees.

AidMyPlantar advisors do not work on commission, so be assured you will only receive fair and objective information.