Achilles Tendinitis

After the age of 40, collagen cross-linking in tendon tissue increases and water content decreases, reducing elasticity. As the density of blood vessels supplying the tendon also decreases, the recovery speed slows down; therefore, repetitive irritation that was not a problem in youth can trigger inflammation and degenerative changes. In particular, women face a higher risk of tendon damage due to reduced collagen synthesis caused by a decrease in estrogen levels around the time of menopause. In Korean medicine, Achilles tendonitis in middle-aged and older individuals is viewed as a problem arising from the natural decline of kidney energy, which leads to less nutrition being supplied to muscles and bones. When the strength of the kidneys in firmly supporting bones and the liver in firmly supporting muscles and tendons weakens together, tendons and ligaments dry out and become easily damaged. Furthermore, if the internal functions responsible for digestion and absorption (spleen and stomach) decline, muscle recovery also slows down. At Dongjedang, treatment focuses on restoring muscles and tendons weakened by aging by reinforcing kidney, liver, and digestive functions simultaneously with oral herbal medicine, and by directly stimulating regenerative activity in tendon tissues using pharmacopuncture and warm stimuli.