Achilles Tendonitis: Episode 48

In this episode: We discuss Achilles Tendonitis

Chip Review: Chio – Sweet Chili & Red Pepper (13:40)

Trivia question of the week: Which 2 US states boarder 8 other states? (13:17)

Follow us on Instagram: 2pts_n_a_bagofchips and/or Twitter @2PTsNaBagOChips to see photos, video and get additional episode specific information throughout the week.

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Achilles tendonitis is the topic today. Before we get to far into that here is a brief overview of the Achilles.

The Achilles is the largest tendon in the body, it is one of the toughest to tear. We did a whole podcast on Achilles Repair. The Achilles is the attachment for the gastrocnemius, a two joint muscle, and the soleus (one joint muscle). These muscles make up the two layers of the calf. The gastrocnemius is the fast twitch muscle and the soleous is the slow twitch. Both muscles are innervated by the tibial nerve.

The group as a whole is responsible for forced plantar flexion, also known as push-off as well as eccentric dorsi-flexion aka landing. You will see Achilles tendonitis fairly often in a few groups of individuals.

Runners are the most commonly affected group. You also see Achilles tendonitis with impact sports such as basketball, tennis, lacrosse, soccer and volleyball. There is a good deal of research that has found that increased BMI also plays a role.

Some differential diagnosis is often appropriate when given a diagnosis of Achilles tendonitis. With younger ages, people who are going through a growth spurt, you will sometimes see Sever’s Disease diagnosed as Achilles tendonitis. Sever’s is similar to Osgood-Schlatter’s disease at the heel instead of the knee. With an older population you can see calcaneal bursitis and rarely a partial Achilles tear or calf strain.

If left untreated a tendonitis can become a tendonosis. A tendonosis is much harder to treat. This is a chronic condition that is no longer in the inflammatory stage. Our recommendation with tendonitis is to treat it early and not to let it get out of hand. Physical therapy is a great tool in managing and treating Achilles tendonitis.

Check out our other podcast with similar topics:

FAI/Hip Labrum: Episode 21

FAI (Femoral Acetabular Impingement) is becoming a common diagnosis. This is a bony change that causes the hip labrum to tear and fray. Both cause pain and loss of sport ability.
We review Kettle Brand Spicy Queso Potato Chips, compliments of Judy Kay.
Trivia question of the week: The Bullfinch Pub in Boston is better known by what name?
Follow us on Instagram: 2pts_n_a_bagofchips and/or Twitter @2PTsNaBagOChips to see photos, video and get additional episode specific information throughout the week.
Thanks for listening!!

Today we are going to be covering hip labrum pain, hip labrum tears, hip labrum reconstruction, femoral acetabular impingement (FAI), which all full under the same heading. Then we are going to be reviewing Kettle Brand Spicy Queso Chips, compliments of Ms. Judy Kay. Thank you Mrs. Kay.

So we are going to start with labrum tears. So the labrum sits around the outside of your hip joint. It helps to deepen the joint; it helps improve stability around there. It is also chock full of pain fibers. It is kind of like a gasket. I learned that from Dr. Parker. You learned gaskets from Dr. Parker?

When you have irritation to that you will feel pinching, you will feel pain. Most of the time pain with either be in the front of your hip or into your groin.

Very common with people who are super flexible or single limb athletes as we call them if you do a lot of j ump, pushing off or landing on one leg. This is a pretty common injury. Although I think it is often, and this is speculation on my part, miss diagnosed. I has become one of those fade diagnosis. Everyone with anterior hip pain, now all of a sudden has FAI.

A lot of that has to do with the fact that there is now a surgery for it. The surgery is relatively routine. That has only been in the last 10 years. I remember treating a your lady 20 years ago. For hip impingement and there was not really any surgery at the time that could be done for it other then a complicated open procedure or a potential joint replacement. Neither one of those was a valiant option at the time. So we treated it conservatively and low and behold it got better.

We definitely see that a fair amount where you have a small tear and not need surgery. Even if you get diagnosed with a labrum tear, see it on imaging. If it is small enough you can treat it by stabilizing the joint. Treating it with physical therapy working on strength, balance, stability and range of motion.