Achille s injuries
The Achilles tendon is the large tendon at the back of the ankle. It connects the Gastrocnemius and Soleus to the calcaneus ( the heel bone) and provides the power in the push off phase of the gait cycle.
The Achilles tendon has a poor blood supply which is why it is slow to heal. It important to recognize this injuryand to act quickly to minimize recovery time.
The achilles tendon can become inflamed through overuse as well as a number of contributory factors.
•Achilles tendoinitis can be acute or chronic:
Acute achilles tendinitis may happen as a result of overuse (training too much), or training too much too soon, especially on hard surfaces or up hills as many amateur runners do,
Overuse: Too much too soon is the basic cause of overuse injuries, however other factors can make an overuse injury more likely, wrong footwear, poor bio-mechanics, poor training techniques.
• Running up hills will mean the achilles tendon has to stretch more than normal on every stride. For short runs this is not a problme but for long runs the tendon will fatigue sooner than normal and it will be more prone to injury.
Many amateur athletes get injured in the gym, treadmills with an incline level are to blame for this
• Over pronation or feet which roll in can place an increased strain on the achilles tendon. As the foot rolls in (flattens) the lower leg rotates inwards also which twists the achilles tendon place twisting stresses as well as stresses along its length.
• Wearing high heels consistantly and then expecting to run 5 miles in flat running shoes puts abnormal strain on the achilles tendon making it stretch further than it is comfortable.
What can be done
Go to a Sport therapist, he will:
• Identify the causes and prescribe orthotics or a change in training methods.
• Will advice Rest and apply cold therapy or ice (not directly onto the skin).
• He may advice to wear a heel pad to raise the heel and take some of the strain off the achilles tendon. This should be a temporary measure while the achilles tendon is healing.
He may refer you to a Doctor who will prescribe anti-inflammatory medication if necessary or refer you for a MRI Scan or Ultrasound.
In very extreme cases a Steroid injection maybe the right solution, this is not the prefer method of any therapist as Steroid injection like cortisone may cause some long term damage, some specialists believe this can increase the risk of a total rupture.
A sport therapist may also:
• Tape the back of the leg to support the tendon ( A sport therapist will apply a specialized taping technique for Achille's injuries)
• Apply sports massage techniques combined with Neuro-muscular techniques.
• Prescribe a rehabilitation programme or refer to a Physiotherapist.
What can you ( the athlete ) do as self treatment:
• If you look after this injury early enough you should make a good recovery. It is important you rehabilitate the tendon properly after it has recovered or the injury will return. If you ignore the early warning signs and do not look after this injury then it may become chronic which is very difficult to treat.
Apply R.I.C.E modalities
Self massage the calf and Achille's tendon area.
Roll a tennis ball on the sole of the foot to release any fascia tightness.