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Adult Supervision Does not Necessarily Assure Safety in the Weight Room
Many times I’ve remained an advocate supporting weight training for our young population. Research has suggested over and over the positive effects weight training offers. It improves strength, reduces body fat enhances self-esteem and improves self-confidence. Contrary to popular belief, if training properly, research has not supported the myth, “weight training will adversely effect one’s growth.” In fact, it does support the notion that when done properly, it enhances skeletal maturation and growth.
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How to support your child athlete without too much pressure: 7 easy steps
(02/10/2004)
When your son or daughter picks up that bat and glove or puts on those soccer cleats, or basketball shoes, you, as a parent, take on a new role: the parent of an athlete. It can be a scary hat to wear. You’ve heard the horror stories
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Bullying on the Sports Field... What is It?
(Aug. 8, 2004)
Fair Play vs. Foul Play. Appropriate Behavior vs. Inappropriate Behavior. Youth. Schools. Camps. Sports. What’s going on?
BULLYING! And it’s a big problem!
Recall your own school, camp or sports memories and, chances are, a bullying incident is part of them.
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Do You Really Want to Know?
The media is oh so eager to learn the identity of those who are Steroid users. Eager to be the first to print the Breaking News story: “Joe Homerun Hitter
found guilty of steroid use.”
Daily, there is the media push and the need to know who these players are.
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Who Says Kids Shouldn't lift Weights?
(07/10/2004)
Forever and a day we have been told “children should not lift weights. Lifting weights will damage growing bones; it will stunt the growth of a child.” If children are allowed to lift weights, they will get hurt. Well, guess what? That’s just not true.
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A Hit For All
(03/22/2004)
This week a local Little League hit a Home Run. By unanimous vote, board members of the New City Little League (Rockland County, New York) voted to institute a Continuous Batting Order into its boys (10-12 year olds) major league division.
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The psychology of a winner
(12/27/04)
At a certain level of professional competition, the skill difference in many top athletes becomes negligible. What is it, then, that separates the number one tennis player from the number fifteen? Why does the number ninety-ninth ranked tennis player double-fault at match point? In basketball, why do some players consistently hit the free throw when the game is on the line, and why do some consistently choke? Top-level players relate feeling calm, energized and positive during performances. This is “the zone,” that all athletes aspire to. Why do some players reach “the zone” while others with equal or even greater talent do not?
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Back Pain, a huge economic and medical burden
(Dec 29, 2003)
The economic impact for the diagnosis and treatment of Back Pain surpasses 100 billion dollars annually. Fortunately, maintaining a regular exercise program, at a minimum of three sessions/week, for 30-60 minutes/session can help to alleviate most symptoms of back pain.
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Ephedra is Banned, but will it go away?
(Dec 31, 2003)
Kudos to the United States Government for its stand and ban of the dietary supplement, Ephedra. This seemingly innocuous, over the counter, dietary weight loss aid has been linked to at least 155 deaths and there are over 16,00 reports of people suffering adverse effects from it.
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My New Year's Resolution
(Jan 03, 2004)
The Holiday Season is just behind us, 2004 is here.
Hopefully, you all enjoyed a healthy and happy year in 2003, which will continue into 2004. Like many rituals in life, the end of year holiday season reminds us of "resolution's and promises" we make to ourselves.
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How to support your child athlete without too much pressure: 7 easy steps
(02/10/2004)
When your son or daughter picks up that bat and glove or puts on those soccer cleats, or basketball shoes, you, as a parent, take on a new role: the parent of an athlete. It can be a scary hat to wear. You’ve heard the horror stories
Read More -->
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Aching Achilles Tendonitis |
What is Achilles Tendonitis?
Achilles Tendonitis is an inflammation of the Achilles tendon, which is the large tendon in the back of the ankle. It connects the muscles of the calf to the heel bone and allows you to push off the ground with the foot. This tendon can become inflamed through different causes such as overuse, improper biomechanics or direct injury.
Symptoms of Achilles Tendonitis begin gradually and manifest as pain on the back of the ankle. There may be associated swelling and redness. Pain usually develops gradually and improves with rest
If the tendonitis is not treated in its acute phase, it may progress to the chronic phase, which is more difficult to treat. The symptoms in the chronic phase may include symptoms of acute tendonitis to varying degrees, as well as pain and stiffness in the back of the ankle, especially in the morning. The pain in the chronic phase is usually more diffuse and the athlete may begin to find nodules or lumps in the Achilles tendon (usually about an inch above the heel.) Pain in the tendon may progress and may come on when simply walking, especially up hills or up stairs.
What causes Achilles tendonitis?
Simply put – overuse. Too much stress on the tendon, too often. Overuse is completely individual, and varies depending on the conditioning and biomechanics of the individual. Factors such as excessive running up hills may predispose to overuse injuries. When running up hill, the Achilles tendon has to stretch more than normal with every step. This may lead to the tendon becoming fatigued sooner than normal.
Over-pronation (flattening of the arch) of the foot can also be a contributing factor as it increases strain on the Achilles tendon. As the foot flattens, the lower leg rotates inwards, which twists the Achilles tendon, and places stresses along the length of the tendon.
Wearing high heels and then switching to sneakers for exercise may also lead to Achilles Tendonitis. Wearing high heels for long periods of time causes the tendon to remain in the shortened position, so when one switches to flat sole shoes (such as running shoes) the tendon will be on stretch. Running or walking up hill will stretch and put significantly more stress on the now habitually shortened tendon.
Treatment:
PRICE: Protect, Rest, Ice and Elevate. As a temporary measure you can wear a heel pad to raise the heel and take some of the strain off the tendon.
See a sports injury professional who can advise on treatment and rehabilitation, as well as prescribe medication to reduce inflammation and reduce pain. Properly trained professional will likely be able to find the causes of the injury, advise changes in the training methods and prescribe orthotics if necessary. Radiological imaging such as MRI or Ultrasound may be used if necessary. Other tools that can be used by a professional are taping, casting, or steroid injections. Steroid injections are controversial and can be dangerous if not done by an expert physician. Even when steroid injections are performed by an experienced physician/clinician, there remains the catastrophic risk of rupturing the tendon. Steroid injections, as any other treatment, should only be performed after a thorough discussion of all the risks.
If you take care of this injury early enough you should expect a good recovery. It is important you rehabilitate the tendon properly after it has recovered or the injury will return. If you ignore the early warning signs and do not take care of this injury then it may become chronic and very difficult to treat.
The best way to prevent Achilles tendonitis is to practice good biomechanics, use orthotics if appropriate, increase exercise intensity and duration gradually, and stretch before and after each exercise regimen.
Zinovy Meyler, DO
Resident Physician
New York-Presbyterian Hospital
The University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell
New York, NY
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