In the last year I have developed serious achilles tendonitis in both legs, but more pronouncedly in my left leg. Swimming has been deemed OK exercise, although pushing off the wall is painful!
But I have not been able to run at all in months. Even walking now hurts. I went to the sports medicine clinic, the doc recommended anti-inflamatories, a program of calf strengthening and stretching exercises, and a series of dextrose injections - both in the nerve to deaden pain and in the tendon tears to promote healing. I am on the waiting list (o wonderful public health!) so won't be able to get the injections for 6 to 12 weeks. So my question is - has anyone heard of this procedure?
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Former Member
is what the dextrose injections are called. They aren't steroids. The thought pattern is that by setting up an irritation the ligament/tendon becomes stronger due to scarring. The injection does contain a local anesthestic but that's only so the doc knows he's placed the injection in the right place.
While you're doing the injections you can't take anti-inflammatories. The whole idea of the injection is to create an inflammatory process.
It's been used for many years (so called "alternative medicine") but is moving more into the main stream.
It can be done more than a steroid injection as little dammage to the tendon/ligament due to tearing.
I tried a series in my tennis elbow. It didn't work. It works for some and not others--but it's worth a try.
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Former Member
is what the dextrose injections are called. They aren't steroids. The thought pattern is that by setting up an irritation the ligament/tendon becomes stronger due to scarring. The injection does contain a local anesthestic but that's only so the doc knows he's placed the injection in the right place.
While you're doing the injections you can't take anti-inflammatories. The whole idea of the injection is to create an inflammatory process.
It's been used for many years (so called "alternative medicine") but is moving more into the main stream.
It can be done more than a steroid injection as little dammage to the tendon/ligament due to tearing.
I tried a series in my tennis elbow. It didn't work. It works for some and not others--but it's worth a try.
