What Is The Achilles?
The achilles is the largest, strongest tendon in the body but even the strongest of us can rupture! Whether you are a seasoned athlete, do sports as a hobby, or no sports at all, it can happen to you. Luckily, there are several ways to prevent an achilles rupture.
Preventing Achilles Rupture
Make sure to stretch regularly this does not need to be a long stretching session, but a little bit everyday can help you a lot. You should also stretch before and after exercising! Lack of stretching can lead to a tight achilles tendon which will be less flexible when you need it to be, such as when running, walking up and down stairs, hiking and playing sports. When the achilles tendon is less willing to be flexible, that is when injuries occur. So make sure to always include stretching into your workout routine apart from some easy stretches in the morning and/or evenings.
Another way to prevent injury is to LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. If you have noticed pain or swelling, that can be your body telling you that it is injured. Tendinitis is a fancy way of saying inflammation of the tendon, and inflammation occurs when your body is trying to heal itself. So there is a high possibility that if you have inflammation, you have already injured your tendon. However, too much of anything can be bad for you and too much inflammation can lead to increased damage to your achilles tendon. If you notice any redness, swelling and pain to your tendon, it is highly recommended that you go to a specialist so they can help reduce the inflammation and prevent further tendon damage. Most tendon ruptures actually occur on a pathologic tendon, a tendon which has already been damaged over time. So it is important to pay attention to the way your body feels and reacts.
