Early Rehabilitation for Achilles Tendon Injury
Early Rehabilitation Principles
Strengthening the foot core
Avoiding Achilles Tendon stretch: a slightly tight tendon at the end of week 8-10 is much better than over lengthened tendon that doesn’t generate sufficient energy and can possibly put the patient at risk of re-rupture
Single leg plantar flexion: Gait re-education; looking through all the Lower limb joints and correcting any faulty pattern such as knee hyperextension and reduced Gluteal activation.
Plantar flexion Strengthening: by isometric and sustained heel raises starting on both legs then slowly progressing on a single leg. Holding on one leg and lowering down on the other. Once the patient is able to perform heel raises on one leg throughout the ROM in a controlled manner you can start working on the endurance by doing four sets of six up to 24 repetitions or up to twenty repetitions in a minute. Progress into eccentric loading by doing heel raises off the edge of a box. This can help to build up the tension and the strength In the tendon.
