The Achilles' Tendon is probably the most powerful tendon of the body. It is a fibrous tissue which connects the lower end of calf muscles to the heel. When the calf muscles are contracted, they pull the heel upwards with the help of Achilles' Tendon working as a pulley and pushing the foot downwards.
Achilles' Tendon being probably the most powerful tendon of the body, holds great responsibility of transferring all of the body's weight on the heels. Though heel is a bony structure and is competent enough to bear all of the body's weight, in spite of that the Achilles' Tendon being just a fibrous tissue does an equally efficient job and provides in addition, a pulling mechanism providing an enormous strength of about 3-12 times a person's body weight. Standing on tip toes is a very good demonstration of Achilles' Tendon's invincible strength.
Following are some causes which may lead to injuries involving Achilles' Tendon:
-Overuse.
-Misalignment.
-Improper footwear.
-Abnormal posture or weight bearing.
-Accidents and injuries.
-Low arched foot.
-Uneven leg lengths.
-Rough and intensely physical sports activities.
-Medication side effects.
As other diseases, Achilles' Tendon injuries also require a variety of treatment modalities. These treatment options are dependent on the type as well as the severity of the injuries. Following are the different treatment options:
Surgical treatment:
-The surgery is aimed in maintaining the normal or near normal integrity of the torn part by skillful approximation of the tendon edges.
Physical therapy:
-By performing range of movements at the site of injury, the muscles and tendons attain necessary strength which helps them to return to their normal function in minimal required time.
Medical treatment:
-Pain killers and anti-inflammatory medications like NSAID's are useful.
-Heat and ice therapy shows promising results.
-Immobilization of the affected part soon after injury for short duration is very important to settle things and for that reason cast may be applied to injured site.
-Rest is also very important for patients to relieve pain and also to heal early.
-Last but not least, rehabilitation and physiotherapy of the patient by a well trained physiotherapist is also necessary to help cope up with patient's past life routine prior to injury and to adjust with occupational challenges.
