How To Prevent Achilles Injuries | Garden State Pain and Orthopedics

How to Prevent Achilles Ruptures

An Achilles rupture refers to a tear or break in the Achilles tendon, which is a strong band of tissue that connects the calf muscles to the heel bone. The Achilles tendon is crucial for activities such as walking, running, and jumping.

Achilles ruptures often occur during activities that involve sudden, forceful movements or when there is excessive stress on the tendon. This can happen during sports like soccer, football, and basketball that require sprinting, jumping, or sudden acceleration or deceleration. Achilles ruptures are more common in middle-aged adults. Luckily, there are certain steps you can take to prevent major injury to your achilles. 

Preventing Achilles injuries involves a combination of strengthening exercises, proper footwear, appropriate training techniques, and lifestyle considerations. Here are some tips to help reduce the risk of Achilles injuries:

 

Stretching and Warm-up:

Incorporate dynamic stretches and a proper warm-up routine before engaging in physical activity. Pay specific attention to stretching the calf muscles and Achilles tendon. Dynamic stretching involves stretching while incorporating similar movements to the activities you participate in. Stretching your calf muscles specifically, can be very beneficial. 

Strengthening Exercises:

Include exercises that target the calf muscles and Achilles tendon, such as calf raises and eccentric heel drops. If more advanced, you can add weight by using a machine, to progressively overload your calf muscles to make them stronger. Gradually increase the intensity and duration of your exercises to avoid acutely overloading the Achilles tendon causing injury. 

Proper Footwear:

Alway wear appropriate shoes for your activity, ensuring they provide proper arch support and cushioning. If you are hiking or playing basketball, wearing high tops can help support your ankle preventing injury. You should also replace worn-out shoes, as they may no longer provide adequate support.

Smart Gradual Progression in Workouts:

Avoid sudden increases in training intensity or duration. Gradually progress to more demanding activities to allow your body to adapt.

Rest:

Make sure you are resting between workouts. If you are extremely active and neglect resting, your achilles can be at a higher risk of injury. 

Proper Technique:

Perfecting your technique during physical activities, especially during activities like running or jumping. If you decide to go and dunk a basketball after years of not playing, you have a much higher risk of injury as compared to someone who has been practicing and has proper technique. 

Listen to Your Body:

Pay attention to any signs of discomfort or pain. If you experience pain in your Achilles tendon, give it time to rest and recover.

Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle:

Stay hydrated, maintain a balanced diet, and get adequate rest to support overall health and recovery.

Consult with a Professional:

If you have concerns about your Achilles tendon or are prone to injuries, Dr. Scott Hanauer of Garden State Pain and Orthopedics can help. Dr. Scott Hanauer specializes in achilles ruptures, and everything else related to the foot and ankle.

Remember that individual needs and conditions vary, so it's crucial to consult with a healthcare or fitness professional for personalized advice based on your specific situation. If you experience persistent pain or discomfort, it's important to seek medical attention immediately. 

 

What are the symptoms of an achilles rupture, and how is it treated? 

The symptoms of an Achilles rupture typically include a sudden and severe pain in the back of the ankle or calf, swelling, difficulty walking or standing on tiptoe, and sometimes a popping sound at the time of injury.

Treatment for Achilles ruptures may involve both surgical and non-surgical options, depending on the severity of the injury. Non-surgical approaches may include wearing a cast or brace and participating in physical therapy. Surgical intervention involves stitching the torn ends of the tendon back together, and is often recommended for more severe cases or for individuals who are active and want to restore the tendon's strength more effectively. Studies have shown that surgical options have a lower risk of your achilles rupturing again. 

Recovery from an Achilles rupture takes months, and rehabilitation is a crucial part of the process to regain strength and flexibility in the affected leg. 

 

How long does it take to recover from achilles ruptures? 

The timetable of recovery depends on the individual, the severity of the tear, and the chosen treatment approach. Non-surgical treatment requires months of rehabilitation, maybe even take any entire year depending on the severity. Surgical repair had a recovery period, ranging from six months to a year. However, technology and innovation is continuing to improve, allowing faster recovery times as seen in certain professional athletes. Garden State Pain and Orthopedics using the most up-to-date technology to make sure you receive the best care possible. 

Achilles tears are not something to be taken lightly. Minimally invasive surgical options have greatly decreased recovery time, but it still takes a considerable amount of time to recover from achilles injuries.  

 

Have questions about your Achilles pain? Schedule an appointment with Foot and Ankle Specialist Dr. Scott Hanauer. You can do so by clicking the “Book Now” button. You can also read more about foot and ankle injuries in our services page. 

Meet Our Team: 

 

Orthopedic Providers:

 

Dr. Deepan Patel, MD - Orthopedic Specialist

Dr. Patel practices in Garden State Pain and Orthopedics’ Jersey City, Clifton, West Orange, and Edison locations and specializes in sports injuries, tendon repairs, joint replacements, arthroscopic surgery, and tends to all injuries related to the shoulder, knee, hip, elbow, wrist, and ankle. He offers innovative treatment options for common sports-related injuries, including ACL tears, meniscus tears, and labral tears.

 

Dr. Scott Hanauer, MD - Foot and Ankle Specialist

Dr. Hanauer is located in Clifton, Jersey City, Edison, and West Orange, and provides treatments for all injuries related to the foot and ankle. Achilles ruptures, bunions, bunionettes, hammertoes, fractures, and ligament reconstruction are commonly treated by Dr. Hanauer. He also specializes in reconstructive foot and ankle surgery, including ankle replacement, flat foot and cavus foot reconstruction, and ankle and midfoot fusions.

 

Matt Jensen, PA - Orthopedic Physician Assistant

Physician Assistant Matt Jenses helps patients with injuries related to the shoulder, knee, hip, elbow, wrist, and ankle, and works out of Jersey City, Clifton, Edison, and West Orange. 

Pain Management Providers:

 

Dr. Dev Sinha, MD - Pain Medicine Physician

Dr. Dev Sinha specializes in pain medicine and physical medicine and rehabilitation at Garden State Pain & Orthopedics integrating physical and behavioral therapies, medications, and the most innovative, minimally-invasive procedures. He is available in Clifton, Jersey City, and Edison. 

 

Dr. Neil Sinha, MD - Pain Medicine Physician

Dr. Sinha is especially interested in treating cervical and lumbar pain, sciatica, spinal stenosis, and post-laminectomy syndrome. He also specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of complex regional pain syndrome, facial pain, and headaches. Dr. Neil Sinha is available in Edison, Clifton, Hazlet, and Jersey City, New Jersey.

 

Dr. Jahnna Levy, DO - Pain Medicine Physician 

As an osteopathic physiatrist, Dr. Levy believes in a multifaceted and holistic approach to pain management. She treats each person as an individual, formulating a systematic treatment plan to restore function, reduce pain, and improve their quality of life. Along with neck, back, and joint pain, Dr. Levy also treats vein conditions such as varicose veins and spider veins at Garden State Pain and Orthopedics’ locations in West Orange, Clifton, Jersey City, and Edison. 

 

Dr. Saurabh Dang, MD, MBA - Pain Medicine Physician

Dr Dang offers multiple therapies for the treatment of chronic pain including: Intrathecal drug delivery system implantation, Dorsal Column Spinal Cord Stimulation implantation, Dorsal Root Spinal Cord Stimulation implantation, Insertion of interspinous spacer for spinal stenosis, SI joint arthrodesis, kyphoplasty, minimally invasive lumbar decompression (mild procedure) for spinal stenosis, and percutaneous tenotomy among others to treat chronic pain. 

 

Dr. Dipan Patel, MD - Pain Medicine Physician

Dr. Dipan Patel specializes in Botox® for chronic pain disorders, trigeminal neuralgia, temporomandibular joint disorders, and headache and chronic migraine. He also specializes in complex regional pain syndrome, joint pain, and post-laminectomy syndrome at four of our office locations in Edison, Clifton, Hazlet, and Jersey City, New Jersey.

 

Dr. Andrew So - Pain Medicine Physician

Dr. So specializes in neck pain, back pain, spine pain, post-laminectomy syndrome, headache pain, migraine pain, joint pain, knee pain, shoulder pain, hip pain, neuropathy, acute, and post-surgical pain syndromes, and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), amongst others in Clifton, Jersey City, Edison, and West Orange. 

 

Tyler Duggan, PA - Pain Medicine Physician Assistant

Tyler Duggan is a nationally certified physician assistant who specializes in pain management. He believes in a multimodal, evidence-based strategy for the treatment of both acute and chronic pain utilizing the most advanced, minimally invasive techniques when necessary. Tyler is located in Clifton, Jersey City, and Edison, New Jersey. 

Locations:

 

Clifton

Address: 1117 Route 46 East, Suite 301, Clifton, NJ 07013

Phone: 973-777-5444

 

Edison

Address: 25 South Main Street, Suite 12, Edison, NJ 08837

Phone: 732-376-0330

 

Jersey City

Address: 631 Grand Street, Suite 2-100, Jersey City, NJ 07304

Phone: 973-777-5444

 

Hazlet

Address: 226 Middle Road, Suite 4, Hazlet, NJ 07730 

Phone: 732-376-0330 

 

West Orange

Address: 443 Northfield Ave West Orange, NJ 07052

Phone: 732-376-0330