Know about Achilles heel

Tendocalcaneus is the longest tendon in the body, connecting muscles of the calf to the foot. This tendon passes below the ankle joint.In Greek mythology, Achilles’ mother, Goddess Theti received a prophecy about her son’s death. To protect him, she dipped his entire body in a river, but kept him held with the heel. The heel remained vulnerable, while the rest of the body became very strong. Later on in the Trojan War, he was shot in the heel by a poisonous arrow and died. In human beings, it is a vulnerable part of the body in the sense that it carries weight of the entire body. Therefore, it is more susceptible to injuries and damage, hence aptly named Achilles heel.Common types of damage which occur in the Achilles tendon are injury, inflammation, undue stretching or tear of the fibers of the tendon or of the muscles attached to it. There may be single or multiple damages present causing pain to the sufferer. Any injury to the heel can rupture the fibers of Achilles heel. Excess walking or running particularly on rough surfaces or uphill is a very common cause for damage to the Achilles heel. Because of the excess use of the tendon in such activities, it is stressed. For this reason, foot ball players and athletes are more prone to these problems. Indulging in sports or vigorous exercise without proper warming up is yet another cause for problems related to the Achilles heel. Misalignment of the foot as occurs when one suddenly turns, twisting of the foot or extreme pronation, e.t.c. can also lead to damage to the Achilles tendon. Wearing ill fitting shoes which are worn out at the sides also make one more vulnerable to Achilles tendon injuries. Pointed high heeled shoes in women often causes pain in calf muscles and damage to Achilles tendon, because of the undue stretching of the muscle and resultant stress put on it. Some drugs like antibiotics (quinolones like ciprofloxacin) can cause Achilles heel problems as side effects. Overuse of the muscles of the foot leads to degenerative changes in this tendon with aging. Thus one may get pain in the foot and heeling with advancing age, though there may be no other risk or precipitating factors present. Whatever may be the cause, damage to Achilles heel causes pain while walking in early stages, pain is felt in the heel and calf. In severe cases, pain occurs on the slightest movement as in moving the feet while sleeping. It is important to wear properly fitting shoes at all times to keep the feet level, to prevent problems like Achilles heel damage or tendonitis. High heeled shoes are not healthy by any means and should be avoided at all times. Warming up before sports is very important to avoid strain on tendocalcaneus. Similarly one should avoid walking long distances or running when one is not yet used.Treatment of Achilles heel damage consists of pain killer drugs and local injections of cortisone. These drugs provide temporary relief in pain. Resting for some days is useful when in severe pain.Dr. Pande is specialist Internal medicine at Ruhengeri Hospital