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Ruptured Achilles Tendon

What you need to know:

This condition can happen for many reasons - falling off a ladder while doing some DIY, tripping badly in the garden, stumbling awkwardly in the street - but the most common cause is sport, particularly those which involve a lot of jumping and violent changes of direction. Squash is a major culprit, so is tennis, to a lesser extent.

It’s very easy for the achilles tendon to shorten due to lack of exercise - and also as a result of continually wearing shoes with high heels. Before taking up any physical activity for the first time, it’s vital to do some gentle stretching exercises. The secret to protecting your tendons is to stretch them to their comfortable limit and hold them in that position for about one minute, then try to stretch a little further, holding again and so on. If you keep stretching and relaxing you won’t get the full benefit.

Here’s a useful exercise if you’re unfortunate enough the rupture your achilles tendon:
  • Place a rolling pin or empty bottle on the floor
  • Stand behind a chair you can lean on
  • Put your toes on the rolling pin or bottle, with your heel on the ground
  • Pressing down firmly, roll your foot across the bottle so that your toes end up on the ground and your heel is on the bottle
  • Repeat 15 times
  • Turn the bottle so that it’s parallel with your foot
  • Put your foot on top of the bottle
  • Again pressing down firmly, roll your foot from side to side, gripping the bottle with your toes
  • Do the whole exercise at least three times a day

    After an achilles tendon injury, sports massage plus treatment and remedial exercises from an osteopath, chiropractor for sports physiotherapist should soon have you back on your feet.
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The information provided by WIS is for guidance only. Whilst it is based upon the expert advice of leading professionals, and extensive research, it is not a substitute for diagnosis by a qualified professional. Always consult your doctor, pharmacist or qualified practitioner before making any changes or additions to prescribed medication.