The Achilles tendon is a common point of vulnerability for athletes in particular, whether professional, collegiate, or the weekend recreational dilettante. When it is strained, there is no thought of continuing activity until it rests. If the tendon tears, walking off the field is an exercise of excruciating pain. The large tendon on the back of your ankle, just above the heel connecting the heel with your calf muscle is the Achilles tendon. Flexing, stretching, jarring starts and stops all run it through its paces, usually with no repercussions. However, when tendonitis strikes, or the connecting tears, serious repairs are absolutely necessary.
A torn Achilles tendon most likely requires surgery to repair a tear or reattach the tendon. The area needs to be immobilized during recovery and physical therapy following regained mobility. Total recovery, if it occurs, depends on many factors; the procedure and therapy. The tendency of most athletes is to get back into the game as soon as possible. When a mending Achilles tendon is taxed before total healing, the chances of re-injury are high. The more often the tendon is ripped or strained, the less recovery one will realize.
The key to permanent recovery from an Achilles injury is to let it heal, thoroughly.
Today, thanks to stem cell procedures, there is a way to quicken the healing process and heal stronger when recovering from Achilles injuries. Stem cells are self-renewing cells extracted from the patient:
Your own cells contribute to your own recovery, which makes perfect sense.
A qualified physician or specialist simply harvests stem cells from bone marrow extracted from the hip area, and depending on the injury, may combine it with platelet rich plasma, also from the patient himself. When combined, these fresh, concentrated cells are injected into the injured area and assimilate naturally to start regenerating damaged tissue.
Additional treatment options include amniotic derived stem cell therapy for achilles tendonitis or adipose derived. All have been shown to work very well.
Typically, the procedure for stem cell treatment of Achilles tendon tears and injuries required one to three injections and probably will include physical therapy. However, because the cells are natural healers and self renew, tears mend stronger and faster than without stem cell treatment. There is a little chance of cell rejection, because the cells belong to the patient. Disease transmission is highly unusual; the stem cells come from his own immune system. Research is ongoing, but the results have been consistent.
Of course, prevention is the best remedy for Achilles tendonitis or tendon tears, but injuries are unpredictable and active people are enthusiastic. Consult with a trainer or coach to learn the measures of preconditioning prior to working out. In addition, don’t forget a healthy regimen after exercising, warming down is just as important as warming up. Ironically, when you treat your body well, it returns the favor. It is good to know that even when an injury like Achilles tendonitis or an Achilles tear occurs, you can use your own healthy and rich stem cells to help heal strong.
If you have an acute or chronic achilles pain issue bringing you down, let R3 Stem Cell help you. We have nationwide Centers of Excellence that can help you achieve relief with stem cell therapy for achilles tendonitis and tears!