Does massage help you if you have achilles tendinopathy

Achilles tendinopathy affects 150,000 pepole in the UK every year (Davies, 2019).

Tendinopathy, also known as tendinitis or tendonitis, is a type of tendon disorder that results in pain, swelling, and impaired function. The pain is typically worse with movement.  Given the achilles tendon connects the calf muscles to the foot at the heel – so impared function impacts your ability to walk and exercise.

Scientists at the University of Iceland and University of Copehagen recruited 60 patients with Achilles Tendinopathy and assigned them to three groups:

  1. Eccentric exercise protocol (rehabilitation exercises)
  2. Pressure massage
  3. Eccentic exercise protocol and pressure massage

The scientists monitored all three groups progress.  In the second group the participants received pressure massage from a therapist twice a week for 6 weeks and once a week for the next 6 weeks.

Symptoms in all groups improved, but the pressure massage group improved significantly more that the eccentric exercise protocol group after four weeks, suggesting that althought both exercise and massage improved outcomes, the pressure massage group acheived faster results.

So if you have any issues with your achilles tendon why not book a massage?

Reference:

Stefansson SH, Brandsson S, Langberg H, Arnason A. Using Pressure Massage for Achilles Tendinopathy: A Single-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing a Novel Treatment Versus an Eccentric Exercise Protocol. Orthop J Sports Med. 2019;7(3)

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