Do you like running?

Do you take part in gym classes like body combat, body attack, body pump?

Do have a sitting job?

Every time you push off your tip toes and land back on your foot then you are basically asking your Achilles tendon to work!

Every time the Achilles tendon works it has the ability of getting your calf muscles tight enough so they can help to push your tip toes off the ground like when running, jumping, hopping, skipping, shuttle running, box jumping and many others. When you then land and as your foot hits the floor then the Achilles tendon is again asked to work and it does that by tensing up to accept the “shock” that the floor gives your body every time you land on it!

Clever Achilles !!!

So when you run or do a gym class, then the Achilles Tendon is under natural stress. However if your foot drops in (highly likely) then your Achilles Tendon is under “extra” stress meaning it works beyond its limits. INJURY ALERT !!! Watch this quick video and look at the left foot dropping in (pronating).

On the other hand, when you are sat down for hours at the office and you normally forget to get off your seat and move about then we have a problem!

This time due to lack of movement your Achilles stiffens up, sometimes without you knowing. This is because there is not much blood circulating around the tendon itself. The Achilles Tendon has by nature a low blood supply anyway so sitting down too long will only make things worse.

And then driving back from work means more static time and even less blood to the tendon. Blood circulation is important for muscles and tendons.

So here is what you need to do to avoid Achilles injury and Achilles pain:

• Stretch your calf muscles for 6 minutes before your gym glass and before running
• Don’t let your foot drop in when you run (pronate). Try and keep it straight.
• Have regular breaks at work to help the blood circulate around your Achilles
• Stretch your calf muscles for 8 minutes after your gym glass and after running.

Hope this helped folks!

Christos 🙂

olympossic@gmail.com