| Now it's time to add some intensity to the range of | | | | Without this information the muscles, tendons and |
| motion exercises. The aim here gradually re-introduces | | | | ligaments are constantly second-guessing the position |
| some strength back into the injured muscles, ligaments | | | | of the Achilles and ankle joint. This lack of awareness |
| and tendons through a series of stretches. | | | | about the position of the lower leg can lead to a |
| When attempting to increase the strength of your | | | | re-occurrence of the same injury long after you |
| Achilles, be sure to approach this in a gradual, | | | | thought it had completely healed. |
| systematic way of lightly over-loading the muscles and | | | | Balancing exercises are important to help re-train the |
| tendons. Be careful not to over-do this type of training. | | | | damaged nerves around your lower leg and ankle joint. |
| Patience is always a requirement for any stretching | | | | Start with simple balancing exercises like walking along |
| routine. | | | | a straight line, or balancing on a beam. Progress to |
| An effective and relatively safe way to start is to | | | | one-leg exercises like balancing on one foot, and then |
| begin with isometric exercises. These are exercise | | | | try the same exercises with your eyes closed. |
| where the ankle joint itself does not move, yet force is | | | | When you're comfortable with the above activities, try |
| applied and the calf muscles and contracts Achilles. | | | | some of the more advanced exercises like wobble or |
| For example, imagine sitting in a chair while facing a | | | | rocker boards, Swiss balls, stability cushions and foam |
| wall and then placing the ball of your foot against the | | | | rollers. |
| wall. In this position, you push against the wall with your | | | | Plyometrics and Sports Specific Exercises |
| foot and at the same time keep your ankle joint from | | | | This last part of the rehabilitation process will aim to |
| moving. The muscles contract but the ankle joint does | | | | return your Achilles to a pre-injury state. By the end of |
| not move. This is an isometric exercise. | | | | this process your Achilles should be as strong, if not |
| The above example strengthens the Achilles and | | | | stronger, than it was before you injured it. |
| ankle joint in all directions. Pushing your foot to the left | | | | This is the time to incorporate some dynamic or |
| or right against something immoveable, and pushing | | | | explosive exercises to really strengthen up your |
| down (as above) and pulling up. | | | | Achilles tendon and improve your proprioception. Start |
| It's also important at this stage to introduce some | | | | by working through all the exercises you did above, but |
| gentle stretching exercise. These will help to further | | | | with more intensity. |
| increase your range of motion and prepare your | | | | For example, if you were using light isometric |
| Achilles for more strenuous activity to come. While | | | | exercises to help strengthen your Achilles and calf |
| working on increasing the flexibility of your Achilles, it's | | | | muscles, start to apply more force, or start to use |
| also important to increase the flexibility of the muscle | | | | some weighted exercises. |
| groups around the injured area. These include the calf | | | | From here, gradually incorporate some more intense |
| muscles, and the anterior muscles of your shin. | | | | exercises. Exercises that relate specifically to your |
| Stretching is one of the most under-utilized techniques | | | | chosen sport are a good place to start. Things like skill |
| for improving athletic performance, preventing sports | | | | drills and training exercises are a great way to gauge |
| injury and properly rehabilitating sprain and strain injury. | | | | your fitness level and the strength of your Achilles and |
| Don't make the mistake of thinking that something as | | | | lower leg. |
| simple as stretching won't be effective. | | | | To put the finishing touches on your Achilles recovery, I |
| Balance and Proprioception | | | | always like to do a few plyometric drills. Plyometric |
| This phase of the rehabilitation process, often | | | | exercises are explosive exercises that both lengthen |
| overlooked, is one of the main reasons why old injuries | | | | and contract a muscle at the same time. These are |
| keep re-occurring. Once you feel some strength | | | | called eccentric muscle contractions and involve |
| returning to your Achilles it's time to incorporate some | | | | activities like jumping, hoping, skipping and bounding. |
| balancing drills and exercises. | | | | These activities are quite intense, so remember to |
| When muscles and tendons are torn, nerves sustain | | | | always start off easy and gradually apply more and |
| damaged. These nerves send vital information to the | | | | more force with each stretch. Don't get too excited |
| brain about the specific position and location of the | | | | and over-do-it, you've come too far to do something |
| Achilles tendon and ankle joint in relation to the rest of | | | | silly and re-injure your Achilles. |
| your body. | | | | |