How to keep your Achilles tendons healthy

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The Achilles tendon is named after Achilles, the mighty hero of ancient Greek myths, whose weak point was the heel. This is the strongest tendon in the human body. However, it is more likely than others to be injured.

Achilles tendon injury

Achilles tendon can be damaged by a direct blow. But the danger is also posed by unsuccessful jumps or starts. With too high a load and with insufficient warming up, a sharp contraction of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles leads to microtraumas and subsequently can even cause a rupture of the Achilles tendon.

Sharp jumps and starting without warming up the muscles are most dangerous for the Achilles tendon.

If a sharp persistent pain appears, you need to go to the hospital: the diagnosis is made using MRI and ultrasound. You should not delay with this: it is better to treat the gap in the first days. True, it will not be possible to do without an operation.

The lesser evil is microtrauma of the Achilles tendon. But even they can create a lot of trouble: pain after and during physical activity, limitation of foot mobility and pain at night. Microtrauma, too, should not be ignored so that the problems do not become chronic.

Who is at risk

• The clear are those who suddenly realized that they need to lead an active lifestyle.
• Workaholics are those who sit at the computer from morning to evening on weekdays, and on weekends they compensate for this by walking for many hours.
• Beginner runners are those who run short distances and believe that a warm-up is unnecessary.
• Fanatics are those who, without giving themselves a day of rest, alternate between a gym, a treadmill, a bicycle and a pool.

If you recognize yourself as one of these types, look at your Achilles tendons. The pain does not have to be sharp, more often it is aching or pulling. Check your mobility: is it easy for you to stand on your toes or make circular movements with your feet.

One symptom of Achilles tendon problems is poor foot mobility.

Treatment methods

In the event of a ruptured Achilles tendon, only a doctor can save. But with microtraumas, you are able to help yourself.

• If pain occurs at the beginning of a workout, but disappears after warming up the muscles, it is worth increasing the duration of the warm-up and / or the rest time between workouts.
• If discomfort is felt after training, you need to reduce the load and keep your feet warm. For mild rest problems, wool socks are sufficient for recovery.
• If there is no desire to endure discomfort, anti-inflammatory gels and creams will help: Diclofenac, Ketonal or Dolobene.

Massage is also useful:

Injury prevention

To prevent your Achilles tendons from becoming your Achilles' heel, do not neglect the universal rules:

1. Increase the load gradually. Better a few short walks every day than one long walk once a week.
2. Choose your shoes correctly … Sports and casual shoes should support the foot well.
3. Stretch your feet regularly. During the working day, do not forget to stretch, make circular movements with your feet, get up every half hour to walk a little.
4. Take time to recover. Rest is essential after a hard workout. It is not necessary to completely abstain from exercise: you can simply reduce the load or give preference to cross-training. But it is not worth loading the same fabrics day after day: this is fraught with their destruction.
5. Start and end your workouts correctly. Do not forget about dynamic warm-up before the main load and static stretching after.

Achilles tendon stretch: