The Achilles tendon is one of the most important parts of the body for activities like walking, running and jumping – and it can be put under a lot of stress and pressure, even if you’re not an elite athlete or even someone who gets a consistent amount of exercise.
Just carrying out everyday activities can put pressure on your tendon, so it’s important to ensure that you’re doing all you can to maintain its strength and flexibility, so it can continue to serve you well and keep you free from injury.
If the tissue becomes swollen, inflamed and irritated, it can turn into tendonitis, which can be caused by overuse or damage. If you don’t treat the problem, it will likely only get worse, so it’s important to know how to treat it if you do find yourself with an injury.
To prevent injuries in the first place, calf muscle strengthening exercises can prove very beneficial. This can help the tendons absorb greater amounts of force, keeping injuries at bay.
Another top tip is to vary your workouts so you’re not always doing high-impact training and can give your Achilles tendons regular breaks. Swap out running with biking, swimming or walking and, if you notice any pain at all, make sure that you rest up to give your tendons a chance to recover.
It’s also key to ensure you increase any training intensity slowly, especially if you’re doing something like road running. Aim to increase duration, frequency and distance of your runs by no more than ten per cent week by week.
If you do sustain an injury, rest is important, although physio can also prove beneficial if you’re struggling to overcome something. It may be that surgery becomes necessary later down the line, but get in touch with us today to discuss sports massage in Maidenhead if you are experiencing tendon issues right now.