at some point in their life. The common overuse injury causes heel pain and swelling that can make it hard to maintain an active lifestyle.
Finding a treatment that can heal this chronic condition is top priority for active individuals.
Our experienced and innovative podiatrist, Dr. Richard Hochman, in Coral Gables, Florida, provides advanced treatments for foot and ankle conditions, helping patients get relief from their pain and back on their feet.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is an advanced treatment we offer for chronic conditions that don’t improve with traditional treatments.
Can PRP therapy help heal your chronic Achilles tendonitis for good? We want to explain how PRP works and how it might benefit your injury.
PRP is a biologic treatment that uses platelets collected from a sample of your blood to support the body’s healing process. Platelets are tiny cells that circulate in your blood, swarming together when you have a cut or wound to stop bleeding.
While platelets are best known for blood clotting, they also initiate healing. The tiny blood cells release growth factors and proteins that recruit cells, create blood vessels, and influence the inflammatory process to close the wound.
PRP contains a high concentration of platelets, usually 5 times more than the amount that normally circulates in the blood.
When injected into the body, PRP creates an environment that supports, and potentially accelerates, the healing process. It also stimulates the production of collagen, a protein that may help restore the structure of connective tissue like the Achilles tendon.
We use PRP injections to treat chronic Achilles tendonitis, as well as bone injuries, ankle ligament injuries, and arthritis.
The Achilles tendon is the largest and strongest tendon in your body, connecting the calf muscle to the heel bone. It helps push your foot forward when walking, running, or jumping.
Chronic Achilles tendonitis is an overuse injury common in athletes. The injury may develop following an acute injury or over time from wear-and-tear. Most treatments for chronic Achilles tendonitis manage symptoms and include anti-inflammatory medications and physical therapy.
PRP injections may help heal the damaged tendon, providing more long-term results. Studies show that PRP injections for chronic Achilles tendonitis reduces short- and long-term pain and may repair some of the damage.
But it’s not clear if PRP can heal the chronic condition for good.
PRP therapy is safe and may support the healing of your chronic condition, but it’s not a first-line treatment for chronic Achilles tendonitis and not the right treatment for everyone. PRP requires blood draws and injections, so it’s a little more invasive than medication and physical therapy.
We also offer shockwave therapy for chronic conditions like Achilles tendonitis. The noninvasive treatment uses high-intensity sound waves to stimulate healing and reduce pain and is an effective alternative to PRP injections.
If medical interventions fail to improve your condition, we may suggest PRP or shockwave therapy.
If Achilles tendonitis is affecting your quality of life and you’re looking for a long-term solution, we can help. Call our office today at 239-256-1450 or request an appointment online to schedule a consultation with our podiatrist.
