What is the Achilles tendon?
The Achilles tendon is one of the largest and strongest tendons in the human body. It is a tough band of fibrous tissue that connects the calcaneus (heel bone) to the muscles at the back of the calf using the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. Leg muscles are known as the strongest muscles in the body because there are able to pull against the force of gravity in order to keep the body upright and in balance. The Achilles tendon is an important tendon in terms of mobility because it keeps the elastic energy required for running, jumping and walking. When an athlete tightens their calf muscles, it pulls the Achilles tendon which in turn pushes the foot down. Within the body each Achilles tendon is conditional
…show more content…
This type of injury is commonly known to occur in males more than females and it’s more certain to take place on the left side more than the right. An athlete may push off with an affected leg which is similar to what happened to Kobe Bryant or they may be a sudden forced eccentric contraction of the tendon which causes the rupture. The eccentric contraction basically means that the tendon gets lengthened at the same time it is being shortened. There are specific sports which have a more repetitive, strenuous eccentric affect such as jumping which is quite common in basketball players.
One interesting factor is that when an athlete suffers from an Achilles tendon, they may not realise the seriousness of the injury, hence often they can mistake thinking that they have strained or pulled a muscle and that after a while the injury will heal and they are able to continue on playing sport as usual. Generally in most situations where an athlete suffers from an Achilles tendon, they often involved in sports that deal with a lot of running or standing on toes which in turn can cause intense force on the tendon therefore leading to a rupture. An Achilles tendon rupture is generally described as a sudden break with instant pain that is felt in the foot or heel region of the leg. As the injury occurs the pain may spread along the back of the leg and its generally
A tendon is a tough group of fibrous connective tissue that can with stand a lot of tension. Tendons are similar to ligaments; however, they connect muscles to bones. It is the tendon which pulls on the bone when a muscle contracts.
Abby describes when athletes typically tear their ACL they are rolling around screaming, unable to walk off. This was not the case for her, however something was wrong so she went to an orthopedic doctor. Due to her stability the doctor did not order an MRI and assumed it was a strained PCL.
Common type of sprains would be in the ankle and in the wrist. The ankle is one of the most common injuries in professional and recreational sports and activities. Most ankle sprains happen when the foot abruptly turns inward or outward as an athlete runs, turns, falls, or lands after a jump. One or more of the lateral ligaments can be injured if this occurs. Wrists are often sprained after a fall in which the athlete lands on an outstretched hand.
With patellar dislocation, there are many ways for this injury to occur. One of the most common ways is through contact sports such as football, soccer and lacrosse where there is more of a higher risk to have a patellar injury (Dath, 2006, p. 6). In 2004, Dr. Fiftain recorded that the most prominent sports to manifest anterior knee pain are soccer players, weight lifters, runners, and shooters. From my experience, this pain arises from improper form, sharp movements to the left or right, and prolonged stress on the knee.
The inflammation of Achilles’ tendon is referred to Achilles Tendonitis. It causes pain at the back of your leg near the area of the heel. Once the tendon of your heel become swollen and painful, there is a big risk that you have Achilles Tendonitis.
Achilles tendinitis is inflammation of the tough, cord-like band that attaches the lower muscles of your leg to your heel (Achilles tendon). It is usually caused by overusing the tendon and joint involved.
Each participant was diagnosed with chronic unilateral mid-line achilles tendiopathy using valid and reliable tests (palpation, Arc sign, and Royal London Test) by the lead investigator of the study. Excluded from the study were athletes, individuals diagnosed with paratendinopathy of the achilles, and individuals with metabolic disorders.
Achilles tendinitis is when the Achilles tendon becomes inflmed. This is the tend that runs from the calf to the back of your heal. You'll find that this tendon is painful and stiff, especially when you are active or when you get up in the morning. This injury occurs when the tendon is put under repetitive stress and often occurs when you add too much distance to your runs too fast. Calf muscles that are tight also contribute to this problem. Do calf stretches, rest the tendon and ice it regularly to reduce pain in the area.
Tendonitis is a disease of the tendon being inflamed, commonly from overuse of the tendon, however, the pain can be from an infection or rheumatic disease. It could lead to rupturing the tendon and causing severe damage that will result in surgical repair.
The quads include the rectus femoris, and the vastus lateralis, intermedius, and medialis. This muscle group shares a common tendon at insertion. The patellar tendon inserts at the tibial tuberosity, and within this tendon lies the patella. The patella is anterior to the femur-tibia articulation, and this sesmoid bone increases the leverage of the quads by acting as a pulley. The major contributor to the stability of the knee joint is the strength of the quads. The only muscle that assists in extension is the tensor fascia lata.
The surgical management of acute Achilles tendon rupture includes percutaneous repair or open repair and is typically the preference of the orthopedic surgeon and the patient (Longo, Petrillo, Maffulli, & Denaro, 2013). Surgical repair of the Achilles tendon permits the surgeon to physically reduce the distance between the ruptured tendon ends, which allows for decreased scar tissue formation and increased tendon healing (Cooper, 2015). For the past two decades, surgical repair has been mainly reserved for athletes, patients who are younger in age, and patients who delayed seeking treatment for a previous rupture (Longo, Petrillo, Maffulli, & Denaro, 2013). It is recommended that physicians be judicious with surgical treatment in patients with diabetes, neuropathy, and peripheral vascular disease
This is injury is not as common when compared to a lateral ankle sprain. An individual will experience this injury if they pronate, externally rotate, or abduct their ankle beyond the normal limits. This can happen in competitive sports or just walking in everyday life. Pain, swelling, and restricted range of motion will be present in any type of ankle injury. Bruising and trouble walking will be evident in more severe cases. Also the individual might hear a pop when the injury first happened. In any case where a someone suspects a sprain a healthcare professional should be involved for further investigation to make sure it gets treated properly and no further damage is caused. “a severely injured ankle may not heal well and could lose its range of motion and stability3”. It’s important to take care or the injury as soon as possible and get back to normal
Typically involves wearing a cast or walking boot with wedges on the affected leg to elevate your heel, which allows the torn tendon to heal.
There are twenty-three different sports injuries. the first one on the list would be an achilles tendon injury. The achilles is the biggest tendon in your body, it is very common for this tendon to get injured. The tendon gets injured in the following sports such as basketball, baseball, softball, football, soccer, tennis, volleyball, running, dancing, and gymnastics.
The ankle joint is the most commonly injured part of the lower leg. It happens from an unusual twisting action