5 Ways to Reduce the Risk For Achilles Tears
It seems like an epidemic in the NFL this year. In the last few weeks teams have lost crucial players such as Aaron Rodgers after being on the field just 4 plays and Tre’Davious White who came back late last season from an ACL tear just to go out after only 4 games this year. Post-surgical repair, these athletes will be sidelined on average for another 9-12 months before being able to return to sport. This injury is not exclusive to Professional athletes however.
This article will help to explain how these tears can happen and how you can reduce your risk.
The Achilles tendon is a strong fibrous connective tissue that connects the calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) to your heel bone (calcaneus). Those calf muscles contract causing a pull onto the tendon which creates plantar flexion, or the motion of the ankle pointing the foot downward. Plantar flexion is used when performing exercises such as heel raises but also used while walking, hiking, running, jumping, and performing any other rapid, explosive movements.
The Achilles tendon is actually the longest and largest tendon in the human body and is exposed to great stress. Tears most often occur from a sudden fast motion, sudden stop, or a fall that stretches the ankle beyond its limits. Think of the tendon as a thick rubber band that snaps when pulled beyond its limits. These tears are most common in people in their 30s and 40s and much more common in men than women. “Weekend warriors'' often experience this injury due to pushing their bodies to limits beyond what the body is trained to perform. People dealing with inflammation of the tendon (tendinitis) or breakdown of the tendon (tendinopathy) through overuse without appropriate recovery methods can significantly increase the risk of tears. Certain medications and antibiotics as well as steroid injections around the Achilles tendon can also weaken the tendon and increase tear risk.
5 Ways to Reduce Your Risk:
Improve ankle dorsiflexion (bending the ankle upward). This motion is what directly stretches the calf muscles and Achilles tendon. Due to tightness in those muscles or restrictions in the ankle joint itself, many people are unable to perform this motion more than a few degrees past neutral. Any external force that pushes the ankle past its comfortable dorsiflexion range such as from a fall or even hiking up a sharp incline can add significant stress to the Achilles tendon that could cause a tear.
Reduce tightness of the calf muscles and Achilles tendon through calf stretches.
Diet and supplementation can also help to protect tendons’ elasticity through improving collagen production. Collagen supplements as well as getting plenty of calcium and Vitamins C and D can all help with this.
Improve strength of the calf muscles and Achilles tendon through both weight training and plyometric exercises.
Weighted calf raises are a simple but effective way to build calf muscle.
Plyometric activities such as jumping and agility ladders are effective ways to improve tendon elasticity for explosive movements.
Proper warm up. Achilles tendon tears are common when the muscles are “cold” due to being stiff with reduced blood flow to the area. If your physical activity is going to require sudden movements, jumping, or any impact to the legs, then a simple routine prior to starting your workout is a must.
Proper recovery. After your hike, workout, or have a gym session that involves the calves, you need a good recovery program. Some light prolonged stretching followed by use of a massage gun or foam roller is a great way to improve recovery and reduce the risk of tendon break down.
These 5 things to consider can help to reduce your risk of injury, but if you are already dealing with lingering pain in the calf or Achilles without relief, consider seeing a physical therapist. They can help assess the tissue and provide treatment that will help to encourage healing and reduce your risk of worsening injury.