Tips to Prevent an Achilles Injury

With an average snowfall of 55 inches during the winter season, Broome County, NY residents have to make sure they are prepared beforehand. This means attending to any car and home maintenance issues in order to prevent a potentially uncomfortable or even dangerous situation. In a way, this is similar to foot and ankle care. It is better to take the steps to prevent an Achilles injury than to suffer pain at the back of your heel later. Fortunately, there are easy ways to do so!

The best tips to keep from injuring your Achilles include:

• Ramping up your physical activity. Attempting to do “too much, too soon” is a common cause for many injuries and conditions. When you begin a new exercise program, ease into it and slowly ramp up your levels of intensity and duration. Need help creating a new workout plan? We can provide advice and determine if your feet and ankles are ready for action.
• Warm up and stretch first. Before you begin a workout session or go for a run—especially on hilly terrain—be sure to warm up and use dynamic stretching first. This will prepare your body, including your Achilles tendons, for the main activity. In addition to dynamic stretching beforehand, static stretching afterwards can help reduce the risk of recurring Achilles tendinitis.
• Choose the right shoes. If your shoes are worn out, replace them. This will not only help you prevent an Achilles tendon issue, but also many other common foot problems as well.
• Cross-train. One of the issues that leads to Achilles tendon injuries is overtraining. You can avoid this situation by swapping out some of your high-impact exercises (running, jumping) with low-impact ones (swimming, cycling, yoga).
• Strengthen your calf muscles. Strength training doesn’t get enough credit for all of the benefits it provides, including injury prevention. Stronger calf muscles are better able to endure the stress that comes with physical activity, which takes that away from the Achilles tendons.

Hopefully these tips will help you prevent an Achilles injury, but keep in mind that Southern Tier Podiatry is always here in case you do experience any foot or ankle pain. Your health is our primary concern, so contact our Vestal, NY office today. Simply give us a call at either (607) 217-5689 or (607) 217-5668, or use our online form to schedule an appointment online now.