Are you recovering from an achilles injury? In this blog post, CRYSC Head Athletic Trainer Julie Graves has put together a step-by-step guide for an effective and healthy rehabilitation process. From icing, heating, foam-rolling, massaging, stretching, mobility exercises, general strengthening exercises, and dry needling, the guide below will assist you through every part of the healing process. By emphasizing pain-free progressions and a gradual return to play, this is your roadmap to a resilient and sustainable recovery.
UCHealth + CU Sports Medicine and Orthopedics has a variety of different locations to help your child get back to the soccer field at 100%. If this is something you think your child may be dealing with, please reach out to our Head Athletic Trainer, Julie Graves at [email protected], for assistance. Below is the at-home rehab program for achilles injuries.
Goals
1. Once swelling and pain are manageable, you may begin increasing range of motion
2. Once range of motion is equal bilaterally (compared to bilaterally) and there is no pain with daily activities you may begin strengthening exercises
3. Once strength is equal bilaterally and there is no compensation (limping, favoring the good side, etc) you may begin progressing your way back to sport
Rehab
- Ice the area of pain for 20’ for the first 7-10 days or until there is no visible swelling or bruising then start heating.
- Heat the calves/achilles. Epsom salt bath or Electric Heating Pad for 15’
- Foam rolling is KEY to muscle recovery and rejuvenation. I would recommend foam rolling the whole lower body (quads, hamstrings, IT Band, and calves) twice a day to prevent injury and increase performance. Before and after practice or morning and night. A LAX ball, baseball, or softball is better for the calves and hamstrings as it has a smaller surface area.
- It is very important when foam rolling to go very slowly and controlled. This should not be a quick, rushed motion. There are trigger points/knots/pain points in every muscle in our body so when you go over one of these knots/pain points, stop on them for at least 30 seconds to allow it to release. Then slowly roll down the muscle until the next one is found. This can be fairly uncomfortable/painful but it is GOOD pain!
- Massage the area of pain lightly as long as there is no swelling/bruising. This brings blood flow to the area to help with healing.
- Stretch Calves
- Regular calf stretch
- Same stretch but bend the knee
- Mobility
- Exercises:
- Calf Raises 2×20
- Toe Raises (lean up against a wall, keep your heels on the ground, lift up your toes slightly, and hold for 3”) 2×20
- Band Exercises 2×10
- Single Leg Stance on a hard surface 3×30” (seconds)
* Progression: Single Leg Stance on an uneven (pillow/folded up blanket) surface 3×30”
* Progression: Single Leg Stance on a hard surface with eyes closed 3×30”
* Progression: Single Leg Stance on an uneven surface with eyes closed 3×30”
Dry Needling
This technique uses a “dry” needle, one without medication or injection, inserted through the skin into muscle areas. Other terms commonly used to describe dry needling include trigger point dry needling and intramuscular manual therapy. Dry needling is not acupuncture, a practice based on traditional Chinese medicine and performed by acupuncturists. Dry needling is part of modern Western medicine principles and is supported by research. Physical therapists and chiropractors perform dry needling.
Find out more about the CRYSC Sports Medicine Program by visiting our website. If you would like more information on natural solutions and the athlete, please don’t hesitate to reach out to CRYSC’s Head Athletic Trainer, Julie Graves, at [email protected].
