Achilles Tendon Specialist
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Darin Alan Bocian, DPM, FACFAS
Podiatrist located in Tucson, AZ
Your Achilles tendon, which runs from your heel bone to your calf muscles, is the largest tendon in your body. It’s a common site of injuries, and you use it basically every time you walk or move your foot. If you’re experiencing pain in your Achilles tendon, have board-certified Darin A. Bocian, DPM, take a look. Book an Achilles tendon exam at Dr. Bocian’s Tucson, Arizona, practice online or over the phone.
Achilles Tendon
Why are Achilles Tendon issues so common?
Your Achilles Tendon allows you to point your foot downward, rise on your toes, and push off your feet. You rely on it whenever you walk or move your foot, and it acts as a shock absorber when you jump or run, including when you play sports like soccer, basketball, or tennis. These sports require you to quickly change direction, slow down, or speed up.
Though your Achilles Tendon is highly durable, it gets a lot of use, and that means a high potential for injury. Achilles tendon issues often happen when you go beyond your physical limits.
Achilles tendinitis, one of the most common problems with the Achilles tendon, is chronic inflammation that results from overuse.
Factors that increase your risk of Achilles tendon issues include:
- Suddenly increasing your activity level
- Not stretching and warming up properly before playing sports
- Running on an uneven surface
- Having a heel spur, or bony bump in your heel
- Having naturally flat feet
Achilles tendon injuries, including tears and ruptures, can also happen abruptly if the tendon can’t handle the sudden pressure placed on it. Many people experience injuries when they land awkwardly after a jump.
What are the symptoms of an Achilles Tendon injury?
Achilles tendon injuries commonly cause pain or stiffness in your calf. You usually feel the pain or stiffness after you’ve been resting, including when you first wake up. Often, the discomfort gets worse when you exercise, or simply as you go about your day performing your usual activities.
Other symptoms of an Achilles tendon injury include:
- Lingering heel pain
- Tenderness and inflammation
- Difficulty bearing weight
If you heard or felt a pop in your calf when you experienced your injury, you may have ruptured your Achilles tendon. If you feel any lasting pain or discomfort in your calf or heel, be sure to schedule an appointment for Dr. Bocian to take a look, make a diagnosis, and determine a course of treatment.
How to treat: High Intensity Laser Treatment
Our proprietary High Intensity Laser Treatment (HILT) offers an advanced, noninvasive regenerative therapy specifically designed for patients suffering from Chronic Non-Insertional Achilles Tendinitis who have not found relief with traditional conservative care and wish to avoid surgery.
HILT utilizes high- intensity, short- duration bursts of energy to create photoacoustic pressure waves that simulate soft tissue remodeling, healing, and repair. By employing short- duration pulses with low duty cycles, it effectively generates these acoustic waves to promote long- term tissue regeneration.
Key benefits of the treatment include:
- Nonsurgical Alternative: Return to pain- free activities without surgery, immobilization, or downtime.
- Convenient Sessions: The treatment consists of a series of 20-30 minute sessions, and patients can remain active throughout the course.
- Long- Term Results: Patients typically continue to see improvement for 6- 12 months following their final session, with positive long-term outcomes.
