Most people do not give any thought to what would happen if they ruptured an Achilles tendon. That is, until they are in the middle of a game of racquetball and suddenly feel like they were hit in the back of the ankle with their opponent’s racket. Others report a feeling like they were shot in the ankle. If this happens to you, you will then have to make your way to a podiatry office. Visiting a foot surgery practitioner may also be necessary too in order help you to recover from this injury.

Your Achilles tendon is the tendon that attaches your two calf muscles to the back of your heel. This tendon is responsible for allowing your toes to point to the floor. It also does most of the propulsion when you walk or run. The reason that your Achilles tendon is so susceptible to injury is a combination of two different factors. The first issue is that the natural blood supply in this area is known to be very poor. When you combine the poor blood circulation with the tremendous amount of force that is put on this tendon, you have a recipe for disaster.

The best way to avoid problems with your Achilles tendon is to focus on prevention. This starts with a good stretching routine. Like many other physical issues, this becomes much more important as you age. When you were 20 you could probably get by with about 15 seconds of light stretching, but that is not good enough when you hit the age of 30.

Contrary to popular belief, you should not start your warm up period with stretching. The best way to get started is to spend about five years on a stationary bike. Your focus at this point should be light biking to just break a sweat. You do not want this warm up period to be an intense workout, you just want to start getting your muscles and tendons warmed up and prepared for more rigorous exercise. After you have warmed up your muscles and tendons, then you can start stretching. Your stretching should be easy and steady. Stretching should never hurt and you should not be too aggressive with your stretching. In addition to warming up and stretching, the next thing that you can do is to make sure that you are wearing proper footwear. If you exercise five days per week, you should seriously consider getting a new pair of shoes every three to four months. Keeping your shoes updated and in good shape can help prevent problems with your Achilles tendon.

Sometimes these tendons can rupture with no advanced warning. However, sometimes you do get warning signs. It is important to recognize these warning signs so that you can properly address them so you do not make the condition worse. If you feel pain and tightness along the lower part of the back side of your leg, you should be careful. The usual first course of treatment is to rest the tendon and keep it on ice.

Author Bio: Stewart Wrighter has been researching Manhattan podiatry specialists for an article he is writing about the subject. He talked at great length with a Manhattan foot surgery specialist regarding certain procedures.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: Manhattan podiatry,Manhattan foot surgery