Why Does My Achilles Tendon Hurt When I Run?
Our Achilles tendons don’t often get the praise they deserve. These large tendons on the back of our lower leg are surprisingly strong, and vitally important, especially for runners. The Achilles connects the muscles in our calves to our heel bones. Specifically, they connect the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the back of our calcaneus bone. Because of their attachment point, the Achilles tendons help propel us forward when we walk, run, or jump. Through this attachment, our Achilles tendons can withstand up to ten times our normal body weight when we run or jump. Just think about how many strides you took during your last run, and how many times up to ten times your body weight was placed on your Achilles tendon! Luckily you had a tough Achilles tendon to absorb all that force.
Sever’s Disease in Gymnasts
Many young kids that participate in sports can have complaints of pain in their heels. This is more common in children who are actively growing and those who are very active in running and jumping sports. Young gymnasts fall into this category, and they also practice and compete barefoot, which can lead to a higher risk of injury to the foot.
What’s the Recovery for a Broken Bone?
As hand therapists, one of the most common injuries we see are broken bones (fractures) of the arm, wrist, and hand. These fractures often occur after a fall and can happen to anyone at any age. This blog will discuss what the recovery period could look like if you or a loved one experiences a broken bone.
4 Tips to Prevent Achilles Pain or Injury
Achilles pain or injury can prevent itself in the form of tendinopathy (i.e. tendinitis or tendinosis), or the more critical Achilles tendon tear or rupture. The Achilles tendon is the tendon to the gastroc and soleus, which together are known as the calf muscles. The role of a tendon is to transfer the force from the contracting muscle to the intended joint of movement. Together these muscles plantarflex the ankle joint, or point the foot downwards. This action creates the force needed to push the ground away and help propel the body forwards (or upwards) when we are walking, running, or jumping. The Achilles tendon is the strongest tendon in the body, and the gastroc and soleus are the primary ankle plantar flexor muscles.
The Ground Connection: Why You Should Be Aware of Your Foot
26 bones, 33 joints, and over one hundred small muscles and tendons; and that’s just one of them. The human foot is one of the more intricate and fascinating parts of the human body. Our feet act as the sole connection from our bodies to the earth below. We rely heavily on our feet to guide us through our day and allow us to participate in all the activities we enjoy.
The foot is almost always active. Every time we contact the ground, our feet need to respond to our environment. So why should we care about our feet if we’re not experiencing any pain or discomfort?
Running With Pain? You Might Have One of These Common Running Injuries
You’re out running on your favorite trail, and so far, everything about your run is perfect. But then, you feel an unusual burn in your heel. Or a discomforting pull of your hamstrings just behind your knee. You might even misstep and roll an ankle. Running, like any other sport, has its fair share of injuries associated with it.
Plantar Fasciitis: Fact vs. Fiction
In the modern world of reality television, exaggerated media headlines and fabricated statistics, deciphering truth from deception often seems to lead to even greater confusion. This is often true with medical conditions – where you are prone to read one thing on the internet, hear something different from your workout buddy and receive a third opinion from your neighbor whose aunt suffered from the same problem.
To provide clarity on some misconceptions about plantar fasciitis (and help you avoid a Google search on the condition, which may result in a headache), I am separating fact from fiction below:
Achilles Tendinitis in Gymnasts
Tendinitis is a chronic, overuse type of injury that is common in gymnasts as they perform multiple repetitions of their routines – on the floor, beam and when sprinting toward the vault. Rhythmic gymnasts are also at risk due to performing up to four different routines on the floor with repetitive jumping, leaping and turning.
