Achilles Injuries

Dear MendMeShop,

About 9 months ago I bought your ultra sound. I was experiencing so much pain and had gone through so many different treatments that I was desperate. I found your Web site just by googling. I knew I was taking a risk to buy such an expensive product. I called your company, spoke with a representative, and bought the device. Ever since I have used and it and have continued to buy the gel. I was getting physical therapy, and I learned everything I needed to know and could do my exercises at home, but I did not have access to the ultra sound. I was able to stop paying for p.t. because I bought the device from your company. Thank you for making this product available! I'm writing you because I have had an EXCELLENT experience with your company--not only with the product, but with the CUSTOMER SERVICE. Your representatives are amazing. I feel like they really care and I don't feel like I'm being rushed when speaking to them. They listen. They are respectful and kind. When you are in so much pain it is so comforting to get answers and have support, and that's what your company does. Every phone call I have made to you I have hung up feeling happy and with my questions answered. I refer my friends and family to your company all the time. I wish more CEOs would run business like you. It is clear that you really care about the PEOPLE you serve. I am taking the time to write you to tell you that your customers notice. Kind regards, Jessica

Rating: Five Star Rating

Jessica Baris

Shin Splints

Anterolateral Shin Splint, Posteromedial Shin Splint

A shin splint is a painful condition that occurs from damage to muscles along the shin, and the pain can occur anywhere from just below the knee to above the ankle.

The typical cause is continued, repeated stress to the lower leg, and is common in runners.

Shin splints may be caused by:

An inexperienced runner just beginning to run (too much too fast).
Running on side slopes (ie. banked tracks).
Tight Calf Muscles, exerting extra force on shin muscles.
A sudden change from soft to hard running surfaces.
Poor or worn out footwear.
Excessive uphill running.
Poor running mechanics. This could include:
- Heavy forward lean
- Excessive weight on the ball of the foot
- Running with toes pointed outward
- Landing too far back on the heels causing the foot to flap down
- and overpronation.

Of all of the possible causes, pronation (foot roll) is the most likely to be overlooked.

Anterolateral Shin Splints

Anterolateral shin splints affect muscles in the front and outside parts of the shin, and is the result of a natural imbalance in the size of opposing muscles.

Shin muscles pull the foot up, whereas the large and powerful calf muscle pulls the foot down everytime the heel strikes the ground when running. These calf muscles can exert a lot of force, enough force that can actually injure the shin muscles.

Anterolateral shin splints will cause pain in the front and outside of the shin. Initial pain is felt when the heel strikes the ground though eventually the pain just stays constant.

To allow this type of shin splint to heal, the person must stop running and do other kinds of exercise recommended by their doctor or physical therapist. Such exercises usually involve stretching the calf muscle, as tight calf muscles put a lot of pressure on the shin muscle and tendons.

A constant regimen of ultrasound is commonly recommended to help massage the affected muscles and tendons, allowing them to heal more quickly and reduce inflammation and pain in the area. Treatment of the calf muscle with ultrasound will also help increase the flexibility of this muscle, thus indirectly reducing the average level of strain on the shin muscle and tendon group.

Posteromedial shin splints

Posteromedial shin splints affect muscles in the back and inner part of the lower leg. These muscle groups are responsible for lifting the heel to support the runners weight on the ball portion of the foot when running.

This type of shin splint is often caused by running on a banked track or non-level running surface or wearing improper shoes that do not protect the foot from rolling (pronation).

Pain begins on the inside of the lower leg (usually within 7 inches above the ankles), but will worsen and continue to rise up the leg.

Initially, only tendons of the muscles will become inflamed, but if running continues, the muscles themselves could become affected. At the worst, the tendon could become detached from the bone - a painful occurrence that causes bleeding and excessive inflammation.

To allow a posteromedial shin splint to heal, the runner must temporarily stop running and do other kinds of exercise recommended by their doctor or physical therapist.

Special shoes may be prescribed during the healing phase, and it may be advisable to look into potential problems with pronation of the feet. This can often be solved by researching and using shoes that better prevent pronation and/or the avoidance of running on side slopes.

How to Treat Your Tendon Injury

It is important to treat tendon injuries as soon as possible, as any activity or strain you put on your tendon can re-injure it further.

Scar tissue builds on the tendon as the tears heal. The build up causes pain and inflexibility in the tendon making it less flexible and more prone to further injury.

The trick with any tendon injury is getting it to heal with minimal scar tissue formation and with as much realignment of the tendon fibres as possible - something ultrasound therapy is great at! Even with optimum healing, there is always less elasticity in a previously injured tendon. This can cause the tendon to hurt during exercise and most everyday activities. However, if you heal your injured tendon efficiently and quickly, your chance of re-injury later on is much lower.

Although it is recommended that you rest your injured tendons following injury it can be difficult to do if it is essential to use for daily activities. Fortunately, there are healing tool that can help treat your tendon and speed up the healing process so you can get back to a life without pain and risk of further injury.

Cold compression therapy, therapeutic ultrasound and BFST^® will reduce pain, swelling and tissue damage, treat scar tissue, and promote blood flow to heal your tendon and attached muscle faster and more completely than any other methods available.

Cold Compression Freezie Wraps^®

Doctors recommend using cold compression as soon as possible following a tendon injury and re-injury to reduce pain and swelling and minimize tissue damage that occurs with soft tissue injuries like tendon tears.

The Freezie Wraps^® allow you to treat your tendon in an effective and convenient way. The wrap is adjustable which allows you to control the compression to a level that is comfortable for you and the gel packs are chilled in the fridge not the freezer. This eliminates the risk of cryoburn, or 'cold burns', on your skin that can be cause by ice and strandard freezer gel packs. You can also wear the Freezie Wrap^® for longer treatments so you can enjoy even more relief from your pain!

Cold Compression Therapy works by interrupting and slowing nerve and cell function in the injured area and reducing swelling that can block blood vessels. This is important because once blood vessels are blocked or damaged, they can no longer carry oxygenated blood through the tendon and tissue cells begin to break-down. Without cold compression therapy cellular break-down and tissue damage continues as the cells do not get the oxygen they need to survive. By limiting the amount of damage done to your tendon, you also limit the amount of healing that needs to occur. This is a very important step to heal your tendon faster and with less pain!

The deep cooling effect provided by Freezie Wraps^® gives you the fast, effective relief your sore tendon has been looking for!

Click Here to learn more about Freezie Wrap^® ColdCure Technology^®

Ultrasound Therapy

Ultrasound Therapy increases tissue elasticity while promoting the flow of blood (filled with vital oxygen and nutrients) to your injured tendon. This cleans the injured area by getting rid of damaged tissue and reducing the inflammation on the tendon while opening up the blood vessels to begin healing.

During the healing process, scar tissue builds on the tendon and can attach the inner layers of the tendon to the surrounding sleath that it glides through, limiting the flexibility and movement of the tendon. Fortunately, you can treat your tendon with therapeutic ultrasound to soften scar tissue and improve the gliding motion and flexibility of your tendon.

MendMeShop Therapeutic Ultrasound treats tendon injuries and reduces inflammation and scar tissue

Not only does ultrasound aid in the duration of healing, but it helps to prevent long term complications. Pain, lack of mobility, tendinosis, or a complete tendon rupture are some of the more common long term complications that can occur when tendon injuries and tendinitis go untreated. By treating your tendon with ultrasound, scar tissue becomes softer and the tissue becomes stronger reducing the risk of chronic problems in the future.

For those who suffer from long term injuries, ultrasound can help. Ultrasound therapy can help to break up scar and fibrous tissue that has built up over time on the tendon and restore flexibility in your joint.

MendMeShop^® Ultrasound System with phonophoresis is safe, convenient, and easy and generally requires between 5 - 15 minutes per treatment. It is based on a form of deep tissue therapy, which is generated through high frequency sound waves (that we can not hear). These waves send vibrations deep into your body and slightly increase the temperature of your soft tissue cells. The waves are delivered through a hand held transducer and conductive gel that are used together in a slow, circular motion on your skin over the injured area.

MendMeShop Lavender Infusion Gel enhances your ultrasound therapy to give your tendon the ultimate in scar tissue treatment and improved healing power.

Ultrasound can also be used to administer therapeutic medicines into the body. This is a process known as phonophoresis. Ultrasound with phonophoresis is rapidly becoming more popular than ultrasound therapy alone.

Using MendMeShop^® Lavender Infusion Ultrasound Gel during your therapy gives you 2 therapies in 1. You get the benefit of the regenerating sound waves from the ultrasound device itself AND the added bonus of the therapeutic ingredients inside the gel being delivered into the tissue where it is most effective. 1 FREE bottle of MendMeShop^® Lavender Infusion Ultrasound Gel comes with every MendMeShop^® Ultrasound System and it contains the therapeutic essential oils of natural Bulgarian lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, and menthol.

Once the inflammation of your tendon injury has been reduced, nourishing and strengthening the tendon tissue and surrounding area is recommended. Using Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy^™ will speed your recovery and heal your tendon more completely preparing it for strengthening exercises. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist to find out which exercises are appropriate for your situation.

Click Here to learn more about Ultrasound Therapy

Inferno Wrap providing superior blood flow stimulation.

Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy^™

After the inflammation and swelling is gone you can begin to treat your tendon with Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy^™, or BFST^®. BFST^® increases the amount of blood that flows naturally to your tendon to nourish and speed healing.

Tendons naturally receive a limited blood supply and this significantly reduces its natural ability to heal themselves. And when you stop moving because you are hurt, your tendons get even less blood flow.

By treating your injury with BFST^® you can increase your body's blood supply and increase your body's natural healing power, in a convenient, painless treatment that just feels good!

In addition, the fresh blood flow whisks away dead cells and toxins that have built up from the injury leaving the area clean and able to heal faster. Our Inferno Wraps^® provide effective, non-invasive, non-addictive pain relief and healing with no side effects.

Click Here to learn more about how BFST^® works

With these 3 easy therapies you will notice incredible improvement in the health and flexibility tendon and reduced daily pain. The more diligent you are with your treatment and rehabilitation, the faster you will see successful results!

Please be aware that this information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider before starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Dear MendMeShop,

This is a wonderful treatment that eliminates the pain for you, and with continuous treatment you receive long term benefits. The portable ultrasound is just great, especially for bursitis!!!!