Okay … I am having this done tomorrow,

It is the result of two jogging (I can’t even call it running) incidents that have damaged my achilles.  It hasn’t ruptured … but it is a mass of edemas, calcification and scar tissue….  the last time I damged it was March this year , and I just stopped limping about 2 weeks ago ….

Currently it is about 3 time thicker than it should be …

The aim is to try and sort out some of the damage … as I am not keen on the surgically rupturing option….

I have a high pain threshold – but this is scaring me shitless … anyone had it done?

watching this and hoping for an update…i have a similar chronic injury and im awaiting seeing the physio at my GP who has proposed this as a potential course of action…

It was the “don’t drive for 24 hrs afterwards , and BTW it makes it more likely to rupture” that got me …

Who is the coolest person in the hospital?

The ultrasound guy 😂

yip, been there done that got the t shirt, 6 month physio, 3 injections with no relief or improvement in symptoms i then went on to have a decompression of my Achilles which means cutting the length of it (100 mm) cleaning it out cutting the tendon in two part which believe it or not is to speed up recovery time,  i remember the surgeon saying 15 minutes exactly, since i wanted to be awake through out the op. 4 weeks back to work 8 weeks off the bike 12 weeks i was back playing hockey at the time.

i recommend the surgery as a fix, it work for me

My consultant told me that steroid injections reduce the chance of any subsequent surgery being successful, so are not advised if you think you’ll end up under the knife. Admittedly this was a shoulder tendon issue and not achilles….

Re shoulder & steroids – well, had a frozen shoulder done about two years ago after two steroid injections, and that worked fine.  I now have the other shoulder frozen … and that has been injected with steroid 3 weeks ago, with f*** all difference what so ever …

I don’t think the steroid makes the slightest bit of difference … but I guess I have to go through the process so BUPA can eventually say operate ….

The surgery scares me truly shitless ….

But after 7 months of limping,and 4 months before that, quite frankly I will take any options …

I had an ultrasound guided injection of cortisone into my back a few years back as I had a bulged disc which had inflamed the nerve. Was giving me loads of grief.

I was dreading the injection but in the end it was ok. Had local anaesthetic injections first then didn’t really feel anything. Just a brief weird feeling of sickness and it was done. Tbh I drove home as I felt ok, but had made arrangements for a taxi home in case. In my case it calmed the swelling down and it’s been much better since. I still have to manage my back sensibly with stretching before exercise etc  but it’s ok.

Update :-

All done … they no longer inject achilles with steroid as it weakens the tendon too much.  So ultrasound was done …. then saline / anesthetic used to stip away some of the inflammed tissue  ( or used to make sure it buggers off).  The tendon was then Dry Needled to perforate the tendon and allow new cell to grow/ stimulate growth.

Prognosis – It won’t ever be a good as new ( but I am over 50) …. but it should be okay.  Don’t run unless it is really soft ground, cycling / swimming in great.  DO NOT stand up on the pedals of the bike ….

Yoga is also a good idea etc etc.

3 days of doing not a lot and avoiding stairs (shame my office is on the 2nd floor) 10 days taking it gently … try cycling in 10 days time …

Bit late to this conversation but, FWIW, I had this done back in Jan. I’d had several years of running induced pain and an inflamed calcaneous (with knobbles on it). Since the injection I’ve been totally pain free and its been nothing short of magnificent.

There is an issue around driving because of the local anaesthetic. As it was, I turned up to mine on my motorbike (in full leathers) and had to assure the Dr that I would call someone for a lift home.

I walked out expecting to be dragging my foot behind me but couldn’t feel any difference, so I got on the bike and rode home. Perhaps my boots helped.

I’ve not tried running because I’m afraid of starting it all over, though it was probably marathons that did for me. That said, it was one of the reasons for switching more to cycling and, at the moment at least, I’m doing so much of that there isn’t time for running.

HTH

I had this into my thumb for misdiagnosed arthritis (complete cock up of a diagnosis/treatment).

Doctor was so useless with trying to guide the needle in with the ultrasound I ended up just telling him to put the ultrasound down and I would tell him when the needle was wiggled in between the joint.

Re shoulder & steroids – well, had a frozen shoulder done about two years ago after two steroid injections, and that worked fine.  I now have the other shoulder frozen … and that has been injected with steroid 3 weeks ago, with f*** all difference what so ever

I had hydrodilation on my frozen shoulder, worked almost instantly. The other shoulder issues not so quickly!

As OP found, latest research has found injections do more long term harm than good.

Unfortunately that knowledge may not have filtered down through all the medical profession given the amount of people who still jump at the chance of having an injection

The impact on my life was that great that I would have tried anything …. i have suffered for years of calification on my achilles … and shuffled around like an old man for about 4 years.  That then became plantar fascitis … I have learned to feel walking and mobility is precious.

Thankfully, ankle dude knew what he was doing … and said he never intended to give me a steriod injection ( I had also said I didn’t want it at this stage)….

I will be interested to see if they can now do it on my current shoulder … but that is mainly caused by impingement, from by riding the bike too much.

3 hours after the injection and random stabbing everything is fine … I too expected to come out in a wheelchair or dragging my foot ….chances if it rupturing are higher for the next few days .

But it’s kind of pain free at the moment.  I might not think that at 3 am tonight ….

Ive had the injections for ahoulder impingement and also injections in a rather sensitive place. The shoulder ones didnt really work, so the specialist injected anaesthetic to see how I was. Felt great until it wore off so I was booked in for the drill. That did take 18 months to fully heal and be pain free. A few years later its still better than the other.