achilies tendontitis

[keanucatfish]

I am having a steroid injection on Monday for this condition. I have been told i will have to wear a boot for 6 weeks. Has anyone out there had the same procedure? If so how long was your recovery time/ How long were you off work etc? Many thanks

[pudding_bowl]

If you have achilles tendinitis. then the steroid injection is to remove inflammation and the boot is just to raise the heel to offload the tendon so you can't rupture it or worsen it while it's pain free.
Depending on your work - you may be straight into work straight away.
You should have some strengthening and stretching work also following being in the boot.
Are you booked in with a physio?

[keanucatfish]

Thanks for advice. I have not been booked for physio yet, going back to consultant in 6 weeks. The consultant made me very nervous asking me am I sure I want it done as it is risky that the tendon can rupture! I am taking it very easy only walking on it with boot when I need to. I work in a special school and my job can be very physical so working with the boot on is somewhat inpractical.

[quorthon]

your consultant had also to inform u too that steroid injections have a high risk of rupturing collagenous structures, as tendons are!!! So i dont understand why you MAY NOT follow a strengthening-stetching programme...In fact it will be dangerous if u ve taken many times steroid injections in your tendon, to start a rehabilitation programme....If something then goes wrong your physician will blame the physiotherapist,when in the meantime tendon may have weakened because of the injections...We ve seen this "scene" many times in practice
Bear in mind, that tendinopathies are not true INFLAMMATORY procedures, as many people believe...I am saying this to give u an example, why some times the use of steroid or any form of NSAD is futile and pointless!

[pudding_bowl]

quorthon is right that you can't start your rehab straight away, because the risk of rupture is quite high. Hopefully you didn't think I telling you to start doing those things. At 6 weeks your surgeon will decide wether to refer you to physio.
This is just your first injection? if it is then thats good - surgeons tend not to give more than 3 for fear of really breaking down the tendons and causing the to become structurally impaired.
If you aren't able to take it easy at work then you may have to take time off... the risk of rupture can be high in that first 6 weeks (hense why your in the boot)

[quorthon]

generally steroid injections create many adverse effects....i wondering why some MDs still prescribe them so frequently....

[keanucatfish]

thanks for info. I go back in 6 wks and will ask about physio then. In the meantime they are sending me for an mri scan. I was told I wwould only need one jab and ankle may feel normal again. I hope so!

[pudding_bowl]

I hate it when surgeons do it when it's not needed. Like after 3 months of physio and the shoulder is only 10 degrees off normal and they only need say 2 weeks more and they'll be 100%. The doc/surgeon comes in and hits them with a injection and the pt is pain free and puts it all down to the injection... I'm bitter about that one. haha