ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE- Ayurvedic Treatment, Diet, Exercises, Yoga & Pranayama 

The Achilles tendon is a tough band of fibrous tissue that connects the calf muscles to the heel bone. Achilles tendon rupture is the partial or complete disruption of the Achilles tendon. It is included under musculoskeletal diseases. In musculoskeletal diseases, ailments are associated with bone, muscle, nerves, tendons and ligaments.

• SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• CAUSES OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• DIAGNOSIS OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• TREATMENTS FOR ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• PROGNOSIS OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• COMPLICATIONS OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE    AND AYURVEDA
• NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• AYURVEDIC LOCAL TREATMENT FOR ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• AYURVEDIC SODHANA TREATMENT FOR ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• HOME REMEDIES FOR ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• YOGA FOR ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  
• RESEARCH PAPERS OF AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

• Sudden sharp pain near the heel
•  Swelling near the heel
•  Pain aggravated during walking
• Tenderness at the site of rupture
• Forward bending of the foot is impossible

                                  Figure 1: Achilles tendon rupture

CAUSES OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

• Mechanical causes
• Falling from a height
• Injuries

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

The repetitive action of the calf muscle tendon results in tears and injuries, whichleads to localised inflammation. The tendon becomes thickened and loses elasticity leads to stiffness. Sudden stress due to mechanical injuries causes rupture of the tendon. Stimulation of specialized pain-sensitive nerve fibres (nociceptors) that innervate the bone tissue and tendon leads to pain in the heel.

DIAGNOSIS OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

1. EXAMINATIONS

• Inspection – in and around the heels
• Palpation
• Movements – Flexion, Extension of ankle joint

• INVESTIGATIONS

• X – rays
• MRI
• CT Scan
• Laboratory tests – to find out the underlying pathology

TREATMENTS FOR ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

• Medications – Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, Analgesics
• Surgical interventions
• Treatment of underlying pathology
• Physiotherapy and rehabilitation

PROGNOSIS OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

• Prognosis is based on the degree of the injury, site of tendon rupture and condition of the patient

COMPLICATIONS OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

• Inability to walk
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Permanent nerve damage.

ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE   AND AYURVEDA

• In Ayurveda,Achilles tendon rupture falls under Vata vyadhi or a Vata dosha imbalance disorder. Particularly it is considered as snayugata vata.
• In Achilles tendon rupture, snayuccheda occurs.
• Vata vyadhi can be correlated to neurological or neuromuscular disorders. The causes and pathogenesis of diseases caused by vitiation of Vata dosha, in general, are the exclusive cause and pathogenesis ofpain, numbness, weakness.
• Vata dosha and mamsa dhatu are involved.

NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

• Trauma
• Injuries

Predisposing factors are;

• Excess consumption of ununctuous, acrid,  cold food
• Excessive physical exercise.
• Suppression of natural urges.

PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

• Sudden sharp pain near the heels

SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

• Vata, pitta and kapha dosha move through all channels of circulation. Due to the subtle nature of vata it impels the remaining two doshas.
• The aggravated vata having provoked these two doshas, exacerbated and fills up the empty channels and moves greatly inside them or by getting enveloped by the other doshas.
• The traumatic injury to the Achilles tendon leads to snayuccheda (rupture of the tendon).
• The aggravated vata resides in the snayu (tendon) of the heel and produces different kinds of aches and pains.

LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

• Toda – aching pain
• Ruk – Pain on the heels
• Sopha – oedema
• Sada – weakness

AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

• Pain associated with traumatic injuries is difficult to cure – krichra sadhya

CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

Ayurvedic local treatment for Achilles tendon rupture  

• Pain-relieving lepa application
• Seka – pouring of oil (munivenna)
• Bandhana (bandaging) – with murivenna

AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

• Dasamoolarishtam
• Maharasnadi kashayam
• Dhanwantharam ghritam
• Rasna panchakam kashayam
• Rasnasaptakam kashayam
• Rasaraj ras
• Laksha guggulu
• Trayodasanga guggulu
• Mahayogaraja guggulu

 AYURVEDIC SODHANA TREATMENT FOR ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

• NASYA- Ksheerabala

COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

Internal administration

• Balarishtam
• Rasnerandadi kashayam
• Rasna panchakam kashayam
• Rasna saptakam kashayam
• Rasaraj ras
• Gandha Tailam Capsule
• Laksha guggulu
• Trayodasanga guggulu
• Mahayogaraja guggulu
• Dhanwantharam ghrita

External application

• Snehadhara – with murivenna

HOME REMEDIES FOR ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

• Proper rest
• Drinking plenty of fluids

DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

• Avoid food items that produce vata dosha imbalance like cold and dry food, hard to digest. Because vata imbalance aggravates the symptoms.
• Consume easily digestible food items, cow’s milk
• Avoid exercises, walking, jumping etc which further aggravate the conditions.
• Oil application on the affected part is advised. This alleviates vata dosha.
• Take proper rest.

YOGA FOR ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

• Nadi Shuddi Pranayam    – calms the mind and gets relief from aches and pains

The patient needs to be seated in a meditative posture with the head and spine erect, with the body relaxed. The patient has to close his one nostril (e.g. left nostril if using the right hand and vice versa) with the thumb and exhale completely through the other nostril. Again, he will have to breathe in deeply through the other nostril while the opposite nostril is still closed with the thumb.

                          

• Savasana – relaxes body and mind

RESEARCH PAPERS OF AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE  

1. Clinical efficacy of murivenna oil parisheka in the management of soft tissue injury w.s.r. to achillis tendinopathy-a case study

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318969389_CLINICAL_EFFICACY_OF_MURIVENNA_OIL_PARISHEKA_IN_THE_MANAGEMENT_OF_SOFT_TISSUE_INJURY_WSR_TO_ACHILLIS_TENDINOPATHY-A_CASE_STUDY