Achilles Tendon Pain and Plantar Fasciitis - PRP Treatment London
Every step reminds you something is wrong. The first steps in the morning are agony. Walking any distance becomes a calculation of pain versus necessity.
Achilles tendinopathy and plantar fasciitis are among the most frustrating injuries. They affect something as basic as walking. They heal slowly. They often return. And they can persist for months or years despite treatment.
PRP offers an option when rest and physiotherapy have plateaued.
Understanding These Conditions
Achilles tendinopathy affects the thick tendon connecting calf muscles to heel bone. Overuse, age-related degeneration, or sudden increase in activity causes the tendon to become painful and sometimes thickened.
Pain typically occurs at the back of the heel or in the tendon itself. It often worsens with activity and improves with rest initially, but eventually even rest stops helping.
Plantar fasciitis affects the thick band of tissue running along the sole of your foot. Classic symptoms include stabbing heel pain worst with first steps in the morning, improving with movement but worsening again after prolonged activity.
Both conditions involve tissue that heals slowly due to poor blood supply. This is why they often become chronic.
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Why These Injuries Become Chronic
Tendons and fascia have limited blood supply compared to muscles. Fewer healing resources reach damaged tissue. The healing response that works quickly elsewhere stalls here.
Meanwhile, you cannot completely rest your feet. Every step to the bathroom, every walk to the kitchen loads the damaged tissue. Complete rest means complete immobility, which is impractical.
This combination of slow healing and ongoing stress creates chronic injury. The tissue never quite heals before the next insult.
Traditional treatment involves rest (as much as possible), stretching and strengthening exercises, orthotics and supportive footwear, anti-inflammatory medication, and steroid injections.
These help many people. But when they do not, you are left with chronic pain and limited options.
How PRP Helps Foot and Ankle Tendons
PRP delivers concentrated healing factors directly to damaged tissue. For tendons and fascia with poor blood supply, this can restart stalled healing.
Growth factors in PRP stimulate collagen production for tissue repair, promote blood vessel formation improving local circulation, reduce inflammation, and recruit stem cells to the injury site.
Research supports PRP for Achilles tendinopathy and plantar fasciitis, particularly for cases not responding to conservative treatment.
Results are not overnight. Healing still takes time. But PRP can initiate healing that was not happening before.
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What Treatment Involves
Your appointment begins with assessment. We examine your foot and ankle, discuss your symptoms and history, and review any imaging you have. Ultrasound in clinic can assess tendon or fascia condition.
If PRP is appropriate, blood is drawn and processed. The injection is performed under ultrasound guidance for precise placement within the damaged tissue.
Local anaesthetic ensures comfort. You can walk immediately but should limit activity for a few days.
Improvement typically begins within four to six weeks. Most patients receive one to three injections depending on response.
Physiotherapy alongside PRP optimises outcomes. We can recommend appropriate rehabilitation.
Comparing Treatment Options
Steroid injections reduce inflammation quickly and can provide significant relief. However, repeated use may weaken tendons and increase rupture risk. Steroids do not promote healing; they suppress symptoms.
Shockwave therapy can help some chronic cases by stimulating healing response.
Surgery is reserved for cases failing all conservative treatment. Recovery is prolonged.
PRP promotes actual tissue healing without the tissue-weakening effects of steroids. It represents a middle ground between conservative treatment and surgery.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long before I can run again? Variable depending on injury severity and your response. Typically, gradual return to activity begins at six to eight weeks. Full return may take three to six months.
Is the injection painful? Brief discomfort despite numbing. Most patients tolerate it well. Post-injection soreness for a few days is common.
What if PRP does not work? Some patients do not respond adequately. Further options including surgery can be discussed if conservative treatment fails.
Can PRP help an Achilles rupture? Partial tears may benefit. Complete ruptures typically require surgical repair. PRP can support healing post-surgery.
Should I rest completely after PRP? Relative rest for a few days, then gradual activity as tolerated. Complete immobility is not necessary or helpful.
Stop letting foot pain control your life.
