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The Fast Lane: contains:
Home
HOME has a news page, a contact page and a site map for a quick overview.
Training
A complete overview of training principles, building blocks, scheduling and phasing, completed with scientific articles and real-life tips & examples. CONTENT:
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Advice for optimizing your performance, via clever tactics or a perfect preparation, Evaluate your performance with the Hungarian Scoring Tables. CONTENT:
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Discussion
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Discover the world of Athletics via these cool hyperlinks. CONTENT:
My Running
There's more to it than theory. Try it yourself! Or would you rather check out my schedules and results first?
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Common Injuries Achilles Tendinitis
Achilles tendinitis is a syndrome of irritation of the achilles tendon in the ankle. The achilles tendon is the large tendon in the back of the ankle that inserts into the heel bone (calcaneus). When individuals overuse their achilles tendon it becomes irritated and inflamed. This inflammation can cause pain and swelling. Furthermore, this can lead to small tears within the tendon, and make the achilles tendon susceptible to rupture.
The two most common causes of achilles tendinitis are inflexibility of the tendon and overpronation. Other factors associated with achilles tendinitis are recent changes in footwear and changes in training schedules. Often long distance runners will have symptoms of achilles tendinitis after increasing their mileage or increasing the amount of hill training they are doing. As people age, tendons, like other tissues in the body, become less flexible, more rigid, and more susceptible to injury.
The main complaint associated with achilles tendinitis is pain over the back of the heel. This is the point where the achilles tendon inserts on the heel bone. Patients usually experience the most significant pain after periods of inactivity. Therefore patients experience pain most often after first walking in the morning and when getting up after sitting for long periods of time. Patients will also experience pain while participating in activities, such as when running or jumping. The pain associated with exercise is most significant when pushing off or jumping.
Diagnosis of achilles tendinitis is by history and clinical examination. The symptoms associated with this condition are typical and can be elicited by a thorough history. A physical examination is used to determine the location of the problem. Occasionally an MRI is needed to evaluate a patient for tears within the achilles tendon. If there is a thought of surgical treatment an MRI would be helpful for preoperative evaluation.
Chronic achilles tendinitis can lead to small tears within the tendon. These tears cause the tendon to become increasingly weak and therefore more susceptible to rupture. Sometimes, in cases of chronic achilles tendinitis, surgery is performed in an attempt to decrease the chance of a rupture. In this surgery, small tears can be repaired, and inflammatory tissue can be removed.
The best treatment of achilles tendinitis is prevention. Stretching the achilles tendon before exercise, even at the start of the day, will help to maintain flexibility in the ankle joint. Problems with foot mechanics can also be treated with devices inserted into the shoes. Products such as heel cups, arch supports, and custom orthotics can be used to correct for abnormalities such as
overpronation.
Achilles tendon rupture is generally treated surgically to reattach the tendon to its normal position. In some individuals, generally people who live sedentary lifestyles, surgery may be avoided by casting the leg for several months. However, the rate of rerupture is much higher in the non-surgical patients. In patients who have surgery, less than 5% experience rerupture of the achilles tendon.
A stress fracture is an overuse injury. It occurs when muscles become fatigued and are unable to absorb added shock. Eventually, the fatigued muscle transfers the overload of stress to the bone causing a tiny crack called a stress fracture.
Stress fractures often are the result of increasing the amount or intensity of an activity too rapidly. They also can be caused by the impact of an unfamiliar surface (a tennis player who has switched surfaces from a soft clay court to a hard court); improper equipment (a runner using worn or less flexible shoes); and increased physical stress (speed or distance).
Medical studies have shown that female athletes seem to experience more stress fractures than their male counterparts. Many orthopaedic surgeons attribute this fact to a condition referred to as "the female athlete triad"-eating disorders (bulimia or anorexia), amenorrhea (infrequent menstrual cycle), and osteoporosis. As a female's bone mass decreases, the chances of getting a stress fracture increase.
Most stress fractures occur in the weightbearing bones of the lower leg and the foot. More than 50 percent of all stress fractures occur in the lower leg.
Studies have shown that athletes participating in track and field are very susceptible to stress fractures. The repetitive stress of the foot striking the ground can cause trauma. Without sufficient rest between workouts or competitions, an athlete risks developing a stress fracture.
The most important treatment is rest. Individuals need to rest from the activity that caused the stress fracture, and engage in a pain-free activity during the six to eight weeks it takes most stress fractures to heal. If the activity that caused the stress fracture is resumed too quickly, larger, harder-to-heal stress fractures can develop. Reinjury also could lead to chronic problems where the stress fracture might never heal properly.
Slowly increase any new sports activity. For example, do not immediately start running ten kilometers a day; instead gradually build up your mileage on a weekly basis. Maintain a healthy diet. Make sure you incorporate calcium-rich foods in your meals. Use the proper equipment. Do not wear old or worn running shoes. If pain or swelling occurs, immediately stop the activity and rest for a few days. If continued pain persists, see an orthopaedic surgeon. |
Drugs & Medicine: contains: - The 6 types of Nutritients - Creatine Phosphate - The IOC List of Prohibited Substances and Methods - Achilles Tendinitis - The 3 Muscle types
- Body Fat Percentage vs. Performance
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Copyright 2001 - http://thefastlane.borghoms.com Last updated on 23 December 2001 |
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