Achilles Tendinopathy

(Tendonitis)

Threshold

There is insufficient evidence to determine the most appropriate treatment for acute or chronic Achilles tendonitis. Possible conservative treatments are:

• Analgesics
• Short term NSAIDs
• Ice
• Increased warm up/stretching exercises
• Physiotherapy
• Heel Lifts (orthotic devices)

Note: Steroid injections are considered harmful due to risk of rupture

Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB) will only commission referral to secondary care for non-insertional achilles tendonopathy if symptoms are severe or causing significant problems and conservative management treatments have not worked for 12 months.

Referrals to secondary care for patients with insertional achilles tendinopathy are not subject to this restriction

Cases for Individual Funding Consideration (Patients who do not meet the policy criteria)

On a case to case basis, patients might be eligible for this intervention, in consideration of their exceptionality. The requesting clinician must provide information to support the case for being considered an exception, by submitting an individual funding request.

Note: This policy is assigned static and applies indefinitely, unless or until new evidence available is likely to have a material effect on the policy