Achilles Injury: Pros and Amateur Athletes at Risk

At Goldsmith Podiatry, we know there are plenty of Mets fans among our Manhattan patients. In a recent game against Atlanta, you may have witnessed Braves pitcher, Mike Soroka, suffer a serious injury—a torn Achilles tendon. Before you chalk this up as just an occupational hazard for professional athletes, there are a few things you should know.

Injury Causes

The Achilles tendon is a long band of tissue that connects the muscle of the calf to the heel bone. It enables the heel to lift off the ground when you walk. Although it’s a strong tendon, when a sudden and extreme force is exerted on the tendon causing it to overstretch, a tear or complete rupture can occur. In Soroka’s case, the injury occurred when after the follow through on his pitch, he came down hard on his leg and then made a rapid pivot toward first base. Pushing off vigorously going into a sprint can also cause an injury as well as a trip or fall. All of these types of activities are even more likely to occur if you are not in the best physical condition, and you attempt to jump into strenuous activity too abruptly. For this reason, weekend softball players are even more likely to injure an Achilles tendon than professional baseball players. It’s also possible for certain illnesses or medications (like steroids and some antibiotics) to weaken the tendon and contribute to a rupture.

Signs of Rupture

If you’ve ruptured your Achilles, you’ll know it! People who experience this acute injury usually feel a sudden stabbing pain in the tendon and may also perceive a snapping or popping sensation. The back of the lower leg will swell, and it may be very difficult to walk or raise up on your toes. If you have one or more of these symptoms, you should contact our Upper West Side office immediately by calling: (212) 877-1002. Our podiatrists, Dr. Howard Goldsmith and Dr. Rosanna Troia will most likely be able to diagnose a tear or rupture with an examination and will discuss whether conservative measures or surgery will be needed.

Maintaining a consistent exercise routine and stretching your calf muscles before and after sports activities is important in helping prevent this and other sports injuries.