Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome Treaments

Cold Therapy

When treating Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome, rest the area as much as possible, apply ice for 10-20 minutes at a time for at least 3 times a day. Do this to the injured area for the first day to 3 days. If you have a cold pack for the ankle and bottom of the foot, you will quickly find that frequent cold treatments for these areas are much less troublesome, and you can do this while getting on with your day. Utilizing pack wrap is helpful in securing the packs to these areas. Note that the importance of the cold treatment is very high, though when surveyed, most TTS sufferers never take advantage of this easy treatment step. Moist heat may be used after acute swelling of the ankle and foot has improved and rest prevents further progression of the injury. Ice will reduce initial inflammation and swelling and the moist heat circulates blood through the area to speed the healing process. This can be further helped by the use of ultrasound applications over the affected area, as it reduces swelling quickly and increases blood flow to the area.

Ultrasound Therapy

The long term use of therapeutic ultrasound is common with this injury, as the application of ultrasound will:

• Counteract atrophy in muscles and tendons.
• Increase the elasticity of all tendons that pass through the tarsal tunnel.
• Soften inelastic scar tissue from injured tendons / muscle fiber to the point where it is eventually re-absorbed by the body.
• Decrease inflammation of tendons, and the flexor retinaculum (a fibrous sheath passing through the tarsal tunnel). All tendons in the tarsal tunnel are sheathed, and once tendons become inflamed, the sheath swells and can also become inflamed, and at the worst, infected. If you suspect you have any type of infection in the area, please consult a physician immediately as this can be very damaging if left untreated.

• Changes in footwear and orthotic arch supports, along with calf and foot stretching exercises have also been known to provide relief for individuals with chronic TTS.

A Final Word About Therapeutic Ultrasound - it is important to know that therapeutic ultrasound will alleviate TTS symptoms, but to truly treat TTS properly and prevent reoccurrence, an extended treatment term is required - 2 months is not unusual. Treatment length will vary depending on the severity, and there are some cases of TTS that are just too chronic, in which case there are very few treatment options other than invasive surgery. If this is the case for your TTS condition, please make sure you are fully informed about the risks and rewards of TTS corrective surgery.

Radiant Energy Therapy

An Infrared Personal Therapy system is one of the most helpful tools for a TTS. Through the absorption of infrared thermal energy, tissues are safely and gently heated - increasing blood flow within the treated area. Your body's natural response to this increased temperature is to try to maintain a condition of homeostasis - a balanced environment or state of equilibrium throughout the body. To do this, your body responds with a rapid increase in blood flow to the area (this is known as vasodilation), increasing the supply of nutrients to injured cells and flushing out toxins (including lactic acid, commonly found in trigger points) to promote healing. Our Thermotex Foot Pain Relief Device provides effective, non-invasive, non-addictive pain relief with no side effects.

Thermotex™ are both US Food and Drug Administration registered device and also licensed as a Medical Device by Health Canada.