Tendon Inflammation

He was a decline of approximately the beginning of Misty May-Treanor, Olympic beach volleyball. She was in the preliminary rounds of "Dancing with the Stars" when she ruptured her Achilles tendon in practice. She was successfully operated on her tendon and hopes to be back in competition soon. Many people have asked me: "If such a terrible accident has happened to such a conditioned athlete, how can I prevent this happening to me?

The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the human body. This is a great band of fibrous tissue at the back of ropelike ankle that connects the powerful calf muscles to the heel bone (calcaneus). When the calf muscles contract, the Achilles tendon is tight, pulling on the heel. This allows you to point your foot and stand on tiptoe. It is critical for activities such as walking, running and jumping. An Achilles tendon rupture is a complete tear of the tendon through, which usually occurs about 2 inches above the heel bone.

The Achilles tendon can become weak and thin with age and lack of use. Then it becomes prone to injury or rupture. Certain diseases and medications can also increase the risk of rupture.

Rupture occurs most often in the middle-aged male athlete (the weekend warrior who engages in a pickup game of basketball, for example). The damage often occur during sports leisure requiring bursts of jumping, pivoting, and running. Most often these are racquet sports and basketball, but forcefully push the stop can cause a rupture. Most ruptures are obvious and the person experiences a sudden and severe pain may be felt at the back of the ankle or calf? Often described as "being hit by a rock or shot." The sound of a pop-in speaker or snap may be reported. initial pain, swelling and stiffness may be followed by bruising and weakness. The pain may decrease quickly and smaller tendons may retain the ability to point the toes. Without the Achilles tendon, however, it would be very difficult. Standing on tiptoe and pushing the march will be impossible. A complete tear is more common than a partial tear.

strain or tendon inflammation of the tendon (tendinitis) can occur from tendon injury or overuse and can lead to a rupture. It is likely, although not reported, Misty May-Treanor had a minor chronic tendinitis of her volleyball competitions and then aggravated by the strain of dancing. "Dancing with the Stars" training has been reported to be quite important and taxation, even for athletes who are competing!

How can I avoid this happening to me?

1. Treating symptoms of tendon before they lead to the break!
2. Call your doctor if you have signs of minor tendon problems including pain with activity, swelling and problems with standing on your toes.
3. Remember that the strain or tendon inflammation of the tendon (tendinitis) can occur from tendon injury or overuse and can lead to a rupture.
4. Prevention centers on appropriate daily stretching of Achilles and pre-activity warm-up.
5. Maintain a continuous level of activity in your sport or work up gradually to full participation if you have been on the sport for a period of time.
6. Good overall muscle conditioning helps maintain a healthy tendon.

What should I do if I think my Achilles tendon is injured?

Any acute injury causing pain, swelling and difficulty with weight bearing activities such as standing and walking may indicate you have a tear in your Achilles tendon. Seek prompt medical care from your doctor or emergency room. Do not delay! treatment outcome in early best results. Most people return to normal activity levels, or a surgical or non surgical. Most studies show a better result with surgery. Athletes can expect a quicker return to activity with a lower incidence than Wil injuries.