Don't let your Achilles injury stop you...
Achilles Tendon Injuries
What is an Achilles injury?
The Achilles tendon connects your calf muscles to the heel of your foot. It is one of the largest tendons in the body and an important bridge for transferring force produced by these muscles. The most common Achilles tendon injuries are tendinopathy or ruptures.
Achilles Tendinopathy is a common injury in runners and sports that involve running and jumping. Patients typically experience localized point tenderness pain. There may be noticeable thickening of the mid portion of the Achilles.
As with any tendinopathy, there are 3 stages:
1. Reactive tendinopathy: Acutely painful, response to an overloading event
2. Disrepair tendinopathy: The tendon has attempted to hypertrophy but has failed
3. Degenerative tendinopathy: Is characterized by cell apoptosis and extensive matrix disorganization due to constant overloading.
Pain management and strengthening are 2 of the key strategies used for each stage of an Achilles tendinopathy.
An Achilles Rupture occurs when the Achilles tendon experiences a sudden increase in load that overloads the tendon and causes a partial or full thickness tear in the tendon. Rupture typically occurs when there is a forceful eccentric contraction, meaning the muscle is contracted while in a stretched position. Can be due to excessive training or sudden increases, changing of playing surface in sports, changing footwear, short gastrocnemius/soleus complex, weak calf muscles, excessive pronation, genetics.
Patients typically initially feel like they’ve been kicked in the Achilles region. Patients will have a significant limp and may still be able to walk. Ruptures can either be managed surgically or conservatively based on the extent of damage.
How can Physiotherapy help?
Provide education and advice about your condition and promote strategies to reduce your pain and symptoms
Provide an accurate and comprehensive assessment of your condition and address any underlying biomechanical factors contributing to your pain
Provide condition specific treatment including manual therapy, massage and stretches
Create an individualised exercise program to target muscular imbalances in the ankle, knee, and/or hip and improve coordination of calf muscles
Taping to unload the Achilles tendon
If you have any questions regarding your knee pain, please give us a call at (02) 8411 2050. At Thornleigh Performance Physiotherapy, we can give you an accurate diagnosis and treatment, to help you get back in action as soon as possible. We are conveniently located near Beecroft, Cherrybrook, Hornsby, Normanhurst, Pennant Hills, Waitara, Wahroonga, Westleigh, West Pennant Hills, and West Pymble.
References
Chang, H., Burke, A., & Glass, R. (2010). Achilles Tendinopathy. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 303(2), 188.
Lorimer, A., & Hume, V. (2014). Achilles Tendon Injury Risk Factors Associated with Running. Sports Medicine, 44(10), 1459-1472.