Achilles and Patellar Tendonitis Treatment Near Sioux City

Achilles tendonitis affects the thick tendon at the back of your ankle, the one that connects your calf to your heel. Patellar tendonitis, often called "jumper's knee," affects the tendon just below your kneecap. Both tendons take a lot of load when you run, jump, skate, climb stairs, or squat. When they're overloaded for long enough, they get irritated and painful.

Common signs include:

• Pain and stiffness first thing in the morning or at the start of activity
• Pain that warms up and fades, then comes back worse afterward
• Tenderness when you press on the tendon
• Achilles: soreness at the back of the heel or a few inches above it, sometimes with thickening
• Patellar: pain just below the kneecap with jumping, squatting, stairs, or sitting with your knees bent

Tendons adapt slowly. A lot of people take a couple of weeks off, go right back to full training, and flare up again. Others play through it until it hurts all the time.

We also find the tendon is often paying for a problem somewhere else. A stiff ankle, tight calves, the way the knee tracks, or weak hips can all put extra stress on the Achilles or patellar tendon. That's why we look at the whole chain, not just the sore spot.

We use an OmniWave focused shockwave device. It delivers acoustic sound waves to the irritated part of the tendon, creating a controlled stimulus that is thought to prompt your body's own repair response, including improved circulation and tissue rebuilding.

It's non-surgical and drug-free, with no injections. It's not a quick fix, and we can't promise a specific outcome, because everyone heals differently. Paired with the right changes in how you move and load the tendon, it gives you a real plan.

Shockwave has been studied for both Achilles and patellar tendon pain.

• For pain where the Achilles attaches to the heel, a randomized trial found low-energy shockwave did better than an eccentric calf-loading program at four months, with results holding at one year [1].
• For pain in the middle of the Achilles, adding shockwave to eccentric loading improved results at four months compared with the exercise alone [2].
• A meta-analysis of Achilles studies reported better pain and function scores with shockwave than with comparison treatments [3]. A systematic review concluded shockwave should be considered for Achilles and patellar tendon pain, particularly when other non-surgical care hasn't worked [4].
• For patellar tendonitis, a randomized trial reported more patients with satisfactory results after shockwave than after conservative care alone, two to three years out [5].
• Research on Achilles pain suggests active treatment tends to beat waiting it out [6], and the physical therapy guideline puts tendon-loading exercise first, noting other treatments may be added to enhance it [7]. That's why exercise is always part of our plans.

1. Movement assessment. We talk about your sport or job, your training, and how the pain behaves. We use Kinetisense 3D motion analysis to measure ankle, knee, and hip range of motion and movement quality, so we have a baseline.
2. OmniWave session. Focused shockwave is applied to the tendon. Most people feel pressure or mild discomfort during treatment, and we adjust the intensity to keep you comfortable.
3. Plan and progress. Most plans involve several sessions spaced about a week apart. We'll guide you on how much activity to keep doing so you stay as active as is safe, and we re-measure to track progress.

Shockwave is generally not recommended during pregnancy, or for people with certain blood clotting conditions or a pacemaker. We'll review your health history before we start.

See a physician right away if you felt a sudden pop or a "kicked in the back of the leg" feeling at the Achilles, if you can't push off or stand on your toes, if your knee gave out or locked, or if there's major swelling, bruising, redness, warmth, or fever. Those can be signs of a tear or another injury that needs medical care first.

FreeMVMT is at 330 Dakota Dunes Blvd Ste 400 in Dakota Dunes, SD. We work with runners, hockey players, court athletes, and people on their feet all day, from Dakota Dunes, Sioux City, IA, South Sioux City, NE, and North Sioux City, SD. As a sponsor of the Sioux City Musketeers and local youth hockey, we know how much athletes want to stay in the game.

Do I need a referral?
No referral is needed for shockwave therapy at FreeMVMT.

Is shockwave covered by insurance?
No. Shockwave therapy is self-pay. We'll go over the cost before you begin.

Is it painful on the Achilles or knee?
Most patients feel pressure or mild discomfort during treatment. We adjust the intensity based on your comfort.

Do I have to stop training?
Not always. Part of your plan is figuring out how much activity your tendon can handle while it recovers. We'll decide that together after your assessment.

Book an assessment or call 605-217-2100.

1. Rompe JD, Furia J, Maffulli N. (2008). Eccentric loading compared with shock wave treatment for chronic insertional Achilles tendinopathy. A randomized, controlled trial. J Bone Joint Surg Am 90(1):52-61. PubMed 18171957 · doi:10.2106/JBJS.F.01494
2. Rompe JD, Furia J, Maffulli N. (2009). Eccentric loading versus eccentric loading plus shock-wave treatment for midportion Achilles tendinopathy: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Sports Med 37(3):463-470. PubMed 19088057 · doi:10.1177/0363546508326983
3. Fan Y, Feng Z, Cao J, Fu W. (2020). Efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave therapy for Achilles tendinopathy: a meta-analysis. Orthop J Sports Med 8(2):2325967120903430. PubMed 33283015 · doi:10.1177/2325967120903430
4. Mani-Babu S, Morrissey D, Waugh C, Screen H, Barton C. (2015). The effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave therapy in lower limb tendinopathy: a systematic review. Am J Sports Med 43(3):752-761. PubMed 24817008 · doi:10.1177/0363546514531911
5. Wang CJ, Ko JY, Chan YS, Weng LH, Hsu SL. (2007). Extracorporeal shockwave for chronic patellar tendinopathy. Am J Sports Med 35(6):972-978. PubMed 17307892 · doi:10.1177/0363546506298109
6. van der Vlist AC, Winters M, Weir A, et al. (2021). Which treatment is most effective for patients with Achilles tendinopathy? A living systematic review with network meta-analysis of 29 randomised controlled trials. Br J Sports Med 55(5):249-256. PubMed 32522732 · doi:10.1136/bjsports-2019-101872
7. Chimenti RL, Neville C, Houck J, et al. (2024). Achilles Pain, Stiffness, and Muscle Power Deficits: Midportion Achilles Tendinopathy Revision – 2024. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 54(12):CPG1-CPG32. PubMed 39611662 · doi:10.2519/jospt.2024.0302