5 Tips to Help You Avoid Achilles Tendon Injuries

Your Achilles tendon goes down the back of your ankle. It connects your calf muscles to your heel bone, and when it is strained or torn, everyday activities like walking and jogging can be excruciatingly painful. Then there's the fact that there's no such thing as a good idea.

Because the tendon is a thick cord of connective tissue, it takes longer to repair after strain. So it's much easier to prevent an Achilles tendon injury than manage it. Use these five tips to avoid Achilles tendon pain or injuries.

1. Stretch and strengthen

Stretch your calf periodically by drawing your toes toward your shin or by standing with your heels dangling off the edge of a stair. Hold for 15–30 seconds at a time. Foam rolling your calf can also help to release the muscles and minimize unnecessary strain on your Achilles tendons.

Calf strengthening exercises, such as seated or standing calf raises, can help your muscles and tendons absorb more force, hence reducing the risk of injury. Talk to our doctors about the best exercises for you.

2. Increase workouts slowly

Increase the number of miles you run or the intensity of your exercises too rapidly, and you risk injuring your Achilles tendons. Increase the intensity, duration, or distance of your workouts gradually, by about 10% per week. Doing too much too quickly leads to pain and harm.

Always warm up before workouts with a 5-10 minute jog, brisk stroll, or a sequence of jumping jacks and lunges. This increases circulation to your Achilles tendons and calf muscles, allowing them to withstand the workload ahead of them. And don’t forget to warm up before any sports activity if you want to avoid injuries.

3. Wear the right footwear

Choose running or athletic shoes with ample padding in the heels. Also, have your gait examined at a local running store. Getting the correct footwear will allow you to exercise and move around in shoes that provide adequate support for your feet, reducing your risk of strain. When your shoes begin to wear out, replace them to maintain proper support.

And, if you do run, choose your surface carefully. Choose a trail or track instead of cement. Running on cement increases your chances of straining your Achilles tendons.

4. Mix up your workouts

Running, dancing, and kickboxing can all put a strain on your joints and tendons, particularly your Achilles tendons. Make a few of your weekly workouts low-impact to give your body a vacation. Swim, use the elliptical trainer, or rowing machine to get a workout without injuring your Achilles tendons.

5. Rest at the first sign of pain

If you experience a minor aching, stiffness, or throbbing in the back of your heel and ankle, take a few days off from jogging or other high-impact activities until the pain subsides. Pushing through the pain may further irritate the tendon and increase your chances of developing long-term tendinitis, which will be much harder to recover from.

Conclusion

After all these rules committed you managed to get an Achilles tendon injury? Don’t panic! It may be a small tear or just a simple strain. In this case, you should take your phone and call your doctor. If you don’t have one, you may try to find them by googling “Achilles tendon doctor near me”. Be sure to check their qualifications, patient reviews, and statistics (if possible). You may call your friends to ask if they know any good doctors, who can help you check your Achilles tendon injury and prescribe proper medicines and a recovery plan.