Achilles tendonitis Is Common to Both Professional As well As Amateur Athletes

If you are familiar with Greek mythology, you will recall that Achilles was only vulnerable at his heel. The ancient Greeks knew very well that this weakness all too often can afflict us mortals as well. The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscles to the heel bone. It is the largest tendon in the body. Incredibly, it can withstand forces of more than thousand pounds. Nonetheless, it is unusually prone to becoming ruptured.

Achilles tendonitis is common to both professional as well as amateur athletes and is common overuse injury as well as inflammation of the tendon. It may be triggered by rapidly increasing running mileage of speed that includes hill running as well as climbing of stairs in a personal training routine, beginning too early after a layoff, trauma which is a result of sudden and/or hard contraction of the calf muscles, and also overuse that is caused by a natural lack of flexibility in the muscles of the calf.

Symptoms and Healing

The symptoms of Achilles tendonitis can be seen in mild pain after exercising or running and which becomes worse or when there is a pronounced sense of sluggishness in the legs. It can also take the form of diffuse or localized pain that can often be severe or there may be tenderness in the morning just above the Achilles tendon or stiffness may occur that slowly fades when the tendon gets warmed up after use, and there is also some swelling.

Achilles tendonitis may seem quite similar to a partial tendon tear and also heel bursitis; so anyone suffering these symptoms should get an orthopedic surgeon to properly diagnose the condition.

The treatment of Achilles tendonitis depends on the severity of the injury but one would normally need a lot of rest that may entail totally withdrawing from running or exercise for a week or so, or taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication or even may require using orthoses that are devices to help support muscles and which help in relieving stress on the tendon.

Surgery is usually the measure of last resort to treat Achilles tendonitis. It may become necessary in the event friction between the tendon and its covering sheath thickens as well as makes the sheath fibrous. In order to prevent onset of Achilles tendonitis, one should take a few precautionary measures such as carefully selecting running shoes, properly warming up with walking and stretching before moving into running, stretching as well as strengthening the calf muscles and also refraining from strenuous activities such as sprinting, hill running and the like.

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