From the pre-historic mythology of Greek war hero Achilles till now, his tendon injury makes humans suffer every year, specifically in Spring. The infamous hero Achilles got defeated by the enemies when his heel was struck, not the indestructible physique, the only exception. Unlike this mythical hero, we also fight against injury when pursuing better physical health comes into question. The Achilles tendon injury prevails over springtime because people start exercising again suddenly without any proper preparation who were inactive previously for its pleasant weather. So, to prevent you from falling victim to the Achilles tendon injury or rupture while returning to activity, you are invited to know more about this and how to heal it.

What is Achilles Tendon

So, what is the Achilles tendon? It is the largest tendon of your body and the most potent stretched-to-calf muscle from the heel bone. At the back of the ankle and above heel sits this flexible tissue that allows the foot flex to put on shoes, run, dance, point toes and rise on tiptoes.

How Does the Injury Take Place?

The question that comes next is how this injury takes place? Or who is at high risk? It is said that people associated with quick speed up or slow down activities like running, dancing, gymnastics, or any other sports like football or volleyball, etc., are the ones who are at high risk. This sudden acceleration or slowing down creates repetitive stress, causing the Achilles tendon to rupture or tear. Although this can happen to anyone, the Achilles tendon strain is most common among athletes above the age group of 30 years. Other than that, wearing heels frequently or ill-fitted shoes can cause torn Achilles tendons. 

After knowing the factors, the simple concern is how to prevent this tendon injury from happening at all. To prevent Achilles� tendon strain, one must slowly start getting into exercising plans and begin by doing some warm-up exercises or stretching so that our muscles can get a hint of what comes next and will absorb the strain or force�strengthening the muscle of the calf, limiting running on surfaces that are hard, wearing well-fitted shoes, avoiding uneven surfaces for exercising, etc. 

Knowing if the Achilles tendon is torn is the most irritating factor that needs to be answered. Because of the torn Achilles tendon, immediate pain is experienced along the calf till the heels. The calf gets weakened. The pain increases with time if you are active after the strain is caused. The calf receives stiff and bruising, even swells if it ruptures severely, even a snapping or popping sound can be heard, sometimes signifying more significant injury.

Healing Process:

Lastly, after knowing the facts, what is Achilles� injury, how it occurs, how to prevent them, and how the tear is understood, the healing procedure of the Achilles tendon tear must be revealed. For mild to severe Achilles tendon tear, the treatments are the same. The degree of injury doesn't matter. What matters in the tendons will need an ample amount of time to rejuvenate itself. Icing the spot of damage is one of the immediate measures you can take. Sometimes plasters or crutches might be required, depending on the severity of the rupture. Resting, going through physical therapies, taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, eccentric strength training are some healing processes people endure. Elastic taping on ankles is beneficial in recovering from Achilles tendon injury as it prevents over-stretching of the tendon. This taping process is most common among athletes.  

A physical therapist can prescribe a customized regimen of treatments. One must show dedication to the program for achieving an efficient recovery fast. That is how the flexibility will return with the gradual diminishing of pain. One can start training slowly once the pain is gone for a week, but one must rest between training days. Between four to twelve months, the function of the Achilles tendons returns to its fullest. 

You must see the doctor immediately if you believe in having an Achilles tendon injury and get diagnosed with the damage and a rehabilitation program that fits your needs.