After the sport
For athletes, the high stress on the feet (e.g. when running, jumping) can cause various diseases of the heel. So the tendon attachment of the Achilles tendon can calcify and cause an upper heel spur. Likewise, the Achilles tendon can become inflamed and thus lead to severe pain under stress.
An acute inflammation is usually accompanied by redness, swelling and overheating. If the athlete does not take it easy now, the inflammation can attack the tendon and lead to small tears or become a chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, leads to pain, especially in the morning when getting up and becomes less severe after a few steps have been walked.
If the tendon has suffered tears, this can lead to loss of muscle strength. This affects the rear calf muscle (M. gastrocnemius), which is necessary for standing and walking on the toes, for example. If the Achilles tendon is completely ruptured, which is usually unmistakable by a loud noise such as a whip blow, the calf muscle is usually slack and standing on the toes is no longer possible.
The tear is accompanied by severe pain and swelling.A partial or complete rupture of the tendon can first be checked by clinical examination and palpation of a notch. Otherwise, the tendon can be visualized and evaluated (calcification, inflammation, tear) by means of ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In case of an acute inflammation, the athlete should take it easy and relieve the foot.
Painkillers can relieve the inflammation and reduce the swelling. These can be taken as tablets (aspirin, ibuprofen) or applied locally at the painful spot, for example as a Diclofenac (Voltarene) ointment bandage. In most cases, cooling of the heel is recommended.
It is also advisable to raise the heel of the shoe (heel pad) and physiotherapy exercises. Chronically inflamed tendons can lead to long-term problems, which make insoles or special shoes necessary. Occasionally, the inflamed tendon tissue has to be removed in an operation.
In this case, tendon tissue from another tendon in the patient’s own body can be used to reconstruct the Achilles tendon (transplant). Similarly, surgical suturing must often be performed if the tendon tears, unless the edges of the tendon lie very close together. In order to restore the function completely, rest and physiotherapy are necessary for at least 6 weeks. Cortisone injections to the Achilles tendon should only be used extremely sparingly, since cortisone attacks the tendon and tears have been observed more frequently.
