Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant and most recently Christian Benteke; what do they all have in common? They’ve all suffered Achilles tendon tears – serious injuries that have sidelined them for their respective sports. Your Achilles tendon is one of the longer tendons in your body, stretching from the bones of your heel to your calf muscles. You can feel it-- a springy band of tissue at the back of your ankle and above your heel. It allows you to extend your foot and point your toes to the floor.
Achilles tendon tears can strike all kinds of
athletes or even the average person not playing a sport. A tear can happen when
you’re walking down the street and suddenly you trip in a hole; however, in
most cases, Achilles tendon tears occur while engaging in sports and activities
that require you to sprint and jump or make sudden movements such as
those in basketball, tennis, running, volleyball and soccer.
Tips to Prevent
Achilles tendon injuries:
·
If you are
planning to intensify your exercise routine, do it gradually over time instead
of all at once.
·
Before
working out or playing any sports, make sure you loosen and stretch your
muscles.
·
Try to
alternate between high-impact and low-impact training and workout activities.
·
Drink water
to ensure that your muscles are properly hydrated.
·
Make sure
that the shoes you’re wearing are the right size and provide the right support
for the activity you’re engaging in.
·
If you are
feeling any pain, stop exercising.
Playing high-intensity sports is exciting and fun, but
remember to take careful precautions to protect your Achilles tendon. Injuries
can be extremely painful and often require a long recovery, which means being
out of the game for a while! And that’s the last thing any of us want. 
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