WHO?
Running sports
Jumping sports
Professional athletes
Weekend warriors
WHAT?
The Achilles tendon, is a thick band of tissue that joins the gastrocnemius and soleus (calf muscles) to the calcaneus (heel bone). An Achilles tendon injury is usually caused by tendonitis, an over use injury of the Achilles tendon where repetitive running and jumping is involved.
WHEN?
When the Achilles tendon is repetitively stressed, micro tears can appear within the tendon. Over time, these tears weaken the tendon and can lead to a larger tear or complete rupture.
HOW?
When an Achilles tendon injury occurs it usually causes pain and inflammation of the tendon and surrounding areas. The back of the calf may appear red and warm to touch and depending on the severity of the injury, difficulty weight bearing on the injured limb may be experienced.
MANAGEMENT?
Your Jindalee Physiotherapist will assess the severity of tendon damage and use this information to guide your treatment. If severe, surgery may be required to reattach the tendon.
Your treatment may include:
NSAIDs
Immobilisation or relative rest
Avoiding aggravating activity
Icing
Taping
Stretching
Strengthening
