Injury in Achilles Tendon

The Achilles tendon is the lower part of calf muscles, and it is located above the heel. It is the part of calf muscles that is joined to the heel bone. Injury to this part of the muscles is common among athletes, and is also known as tendonitis. The most recent athlete sufferer from an injury to Achilles tendon is a Croatian high jump athlete Blanka Vasic. She is an Olympic silver medallist and has won world high jump championship twice. She had to pull out from the London Olympics due to this injury.

Injury in Achilles tendon can be caused by:

• Training for sports – When you train for any sport, there is always a possibility that your tendons would be strained. With a suddenly increased pressure due to any type of training, particularly those which require you to jump high such as track running, hill sprinting, and the like, this injury is likely. This is because due to such intense pressure, the muscles that attach your heel bone to lower calf endure the maximum strain.
• Old age – Young people are able to regenerate their damaged muscles much quicker than old people. Although, if you are sensible in your training, it can help you strengthen your ligaments, tendons and muscles in old age.
• Tight calf muscles – If your calf muscles are tight, it could be one of the reasons behind overuse of tendons leading to injury. Your foot is unable to work out its lever functionality, and more force than normal is required to be endured by the tendon. Such a condition can be more troublesome than one caused by intense sports training, as it can lead to injuries to the knee, hip and shin.

This might at first appear odd, given the fact that the Achilles are a good distance from these areas, but developing strength and control in this area (core stability) can boost control at the knee and ankle joints.

Training errors should be avoided. The volume, intensity and frequency of training should be monitored carefully, and gradually progressed, particularly when introducing new modes of training to the programme. Abrupt changes in training load are the primary cause of Achilles tendinopathy.

Take early precaution to prevent injury

Very often sports people wait until their sports footwear (trainers/boots/spike) are well beyond the state at which they provide adequate protection and support before replacing them. Then, after an injury has occurred, they are advised by a physiotherapist and/or coach to buy a new pair. Trust me, it is cheaper to buy sports footwear regularly and stay healthy, than to pay for physiotherapy treatment (and buy the necessary footwear).

Read more articles on Exercise and Fitness