Self-Assessment · Atlanta, GA

Does this sound like your Achilles pain?

Achilles pain can come from several different sources. Use this checklist to see whether your symptoms are consistent with Achilles tendinopathy — one of the most common and most treatable causes.

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Patient Experience

An Achilles Patient's Own Account

The patient below was treated with TenJet for chronic Achilles tendon pain and describes what recovery actually looked like afterward.

TenJet - Achilles Tendon Pain Case Experience and Patient Testimonial

Video courtesy of HydroCision, Inc., the maker of TenJet®. Individual results vary; this patient's experience is not a guarantee of outcome. Talk with a specialist about whether the procedure is appropriate for you.

Self-Assessment

Do these symptoms sound familiar?

If several of these sound familiar, Achilles tendinopathy is worth discussing with a specialist.

Pain or stiffness at the back of the heel, especially first thing in the morning

Pain that improves with light activity, then worsens after exercise

A thickened or tender area 2-6 cm above where the tendon meets the heel bone

Gradual onset over weeks or months, not a sudden injury

Symptoms worse after running, jumping, or increasing activity level

The Procedure

If your symptoms match, here's a treatment option worth knowing

Confirmed Achilles tendinopathy doesn't automatically mean surgery. TenJet, a device made by HydroCision, Inc., is used by our network physicians to treat degenerated Achilles tendon tissue through a small incision, without general anesthesia.

Real-time ultrasound keeps the procedure precise

A saline stream breaks down damaged tissue only

Suction removes debris as it's created

In-office setting, roughly 15 minutes

Reimbursed by Medicare and most private plans

TenJet® in Action

Official demonstration video from HydroCision, the maker of TenJet, plus a look at how tendinitis differs from the deeper tissue degeneration TenJet is designed to treat.

TenJet for Achilles Tendinopathy — Procedure Technique

Healthy tendon fiber structure diagram — Healthy Tendon

Tendinitis inflamed tendon diagram — Tendinitis

Tendinosis degenerated tendon fiber diagram — Tendinosis (Chronic Degeneration)

Diagrams and video courtesy of HydroCision, Inc.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Achilles tendinopathy usually hurt?

Either in the mid-portion of the tendon or at its insertion on the heel bone. The location matters, because insertional problems behave and respond somewhat differently.

Is the Achilles risky to treat?

It is a high-load tendon, which is why physicians are deliberate about how much is treated in one session. One published case stopped short specifically to avoid excessive access incisions.

Will I be in a walking boot?

Commonly, for around two weeks. In a published Achilles case the patient was instructed to wear a boot until the two-week follow-up visit.

How complete is the healing?

Six-month follow-up imaging in that case demonstrated complete healing of the tendon with no residual calcifications, though outcomes vary between patients.

This information is general and is not medical advice. Whether any procedure is appropriate for you can only be determined by a physician who has examined you and reviewed your imaging.