Your Achilles tendon is the largest, strongest tendon in your body. When you run, it withstands forces of more than two times your body weight, and the strain it experiences during other sports and activities can lead to serious Achilles heel injuries. While they’re most common in athletes, these injuries can also happen to those who casually run or play sports on a non-professional level, and they take months to heal. If you’re an active athlete, keep in mind the causes, symptoms, treatments, and prevention tips for the two most common Achilles injuries: tendonitis and ruptures.

Causes & Prevention

Though the Achilles tendon is strong, it’s still susceptible to injury. The Achilles tendon is made of strands of collagen fibers, and once they’re injured, they tend to grow back in messy tangles instead of straight, strong fibers. Excessive stress to the tendon, weak calf muscles, and lack of motion in your ankle can cause tendonitis or a rupture to occur.

Stretching your calf muscles before any activity may help prevent Achilles heel injuries. Wear supportive shoes, and warm up before activity. If you’re an athlete, gradually increase your training intensity when starting a new season. Mixing low- and high-impact activities may also help prevent these issues.

Symptoms

Tendonitis presents as a stiffness or ache that worsens during uphill running or full-out sprinting. If you continue exercising on it, it will get worse, aggravating the surrounding tissues. A rupture will usually feel like you’ve been shot or hit hard in the back of your leg, sometimes with an audible pop, followed by intense pain. You may be able to limp on it, but you won’t have any force to push off, and the pain doesn’t fade away.

Treatments

There are various treatments for the different Achilles heel injuries, but you should be aware that it may never return to full function. While stretches, braces, and physical therapy may help, surgery is the most effective method at healing the injury and preventing recurrent issues, but even then, some athletes don’t return to play after an Achilles injury. When they do, their performance is never the same. Your best bet for regaining the most function after an Achilles tendon injury is to see a specialist who’s familiar with them.

In Sugar Land, TX, Dr. Eric Tepper, DPM, is a board-certified podiatrist who provides high-quality medical foot care. From Achilles heel injuries to chronic foot pain, Dr. Tepper has been practicing medicine since 1983 and is trusted by Fort Bend County residents to take care of their feet. Whatever foot ailment you’re struggling with, whether it’s a skin condition or diabetes-related concerns, he and his team will find the solution that’s best for you, providing effective treatment for significant relief. Trust your foot and ankle concerns to the podiatrist that several professional athletes have chosen as their foot doctor. Learn more about their treatments for sports injuries online, or call (281) 980-3668 to schedule your appointment today.