What is Achilles tendonitis?
It is a common, painful disorder caused by inflammation of the Achilles tendon, which attaches the muscles from the back of the lower leg to the heel as shown here:
Tendonitis is common among runners, ballet dancers and many other athletes. However, it can also cause considerable disability in sedentary and elderly people. The cause of the condition is not only due to injury though. Sometimes the pain just suddenly appears for no reason.
The red area in the illustration shows where pain and tenderness of the tendon usually occurs.
"Scientific" opinion suggests that Achilles tendinitis is caused by overuse as are other tendon injuries such as tennis elbow and plantar fasciitis ("painful heel"). However, it is unlikely that physical stress is the only cause of the condition. Because pain is a major symptom, one could reasonably expect to find inflammation at the painful area(s). However, according to Swedish researchers, Astrom et al, who biopsied the Achilles tendons of 163 tendonitis patients and examined them under the microscope, there was no sign of inflammation.
All they discovered were degenerative changes in the tendon such as abnormal fibre structure and marked growth in small blood vessels. Strangely, there was also "a lack of inflammatory cells and a poor healing response".
These are not signs one would expect, so what caused them?
To me, there appears to have been a breakdown between the brain and various peripheral cellular receptors which have lost connection. Therefore, by applying ligand-rich wheatgrass extract over affected areas, re-connection can often be restored in several minutes.
How can we prevent and cure these conditions?
Having seen many of these conditions recover by application of wheatgrass extract over painful areas, once or twice weekly is ample. Recovery can also be assisted by applying the extract over injured areas before and after physical activity. A simple but effective procedure.
Read here for how wheatgrass extract likely heals.