Morning jogging has many benefits, but can it cause illness? Fitness enthusiasts must be careful!

In today's society where people are paying more and more attention to healthy living, a large number of people who are keen on sports have emerged. They are keen on running, playing badminton, square dancing, shuttlecock kicking, or mountain climbing. The rich and colorful sports bring them a happy mood and high passion for life.

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But sports enthusiasts need to be alert that Achilles tendinitis may be approaching quietly during exercise...

01

What is Achilles tendinitis?

The triceps surae extends distally to the calcaneus. The upper part is the muscle, and the lower part is the tendon, which is what we often call the Achilles tendon. Its insertion point is at the calcaneus, and it is about ten centimeters long.

Achilles tendinitis is an inflammatory change in the tissues surrounding the Achilles tendon and changes in the Achilles tendon itself, causing morphological changes such as thickening and hardening of the Achilles tendon. It is mainly due to repeated overstretching of the Achilles tendon, which causes chronic damage to the Achilles tendon and is difficult to recover in a short period of time, and gradually forms a degenerative change.

The main symptom of Achilles tendinitis is pain, which occurs in almost 100% of cases. When some people get up in the morning, their Achilles tendons will suddenly move after a night of rest without any activity or stretching, causing severe pain in the Achilles tendon; or when they suddenly get up and move after a rest during the day, the Achilles tendon will also be stretched and cause severe pain.

02

Which groups of people are most likely to suffer from Achilles tendinitis?

Achilles tendonitis is mainly caused by overuse of the Achilles tendon, so people who overuse the Achilles tendon are more likely to have Achilles tendonitis.

For example, athletes, or people who particularly like sports, such as running, badminton and other bouncing sports, such sports that excessively impact the Achilles tendon can easily cause Achilles tendonitis.

In addition, people whose occupations always interfere with or irritate the Achilles tendon, such as drivers who often extend their backs when they step on the clutch or brake, interfere with the Achilles tendon to a certain extent and are also prone to Achilles tendonitis.

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In addition, as people age, the Achilles tendon undergoes a degeneration process, and the risk of Achilles tendonitis in the elderly will also increase, especially for those who worked harder when they were young. Their Achilles tendons will degenerate, which can easily lead to Achilles tendonitis.

The age at which Achilles tendinitis develops, except for athletes, is mostly over 35 years old.

03

The pain above the back of the heel is suspected to be Achilles tendinitis. What examinations do I need to do?

It is very important for the doctor to ask about your medical history, do a physical examination, see where the pain is, and make a judgment.

The junction of the tendon and the bone causes some inflammatory reactions, which is called Achilles tendon insertion disease. It is different from the onset site of Achilles tendonitis and needs to be differentiated.

In addition, some auxiliary examinations can be performed, such as X-rays, B-ultrasound, and even magnetic resonance imaging. These examinations are useful for determining whether it is Achilles tendon insertion disease or Achilles tendonitis, as well as for determining the range and degree of the lesion. So which of these three examinations is most commonly used?

X-rays are less effective and are mainly used to view bones.

B-ultrasound is now used more and more, because it is non-invasive, simple, cheap, and can be done at any time. In addition, B-ultrasound can also detect some special diseases. For example, the incidence of gout is very high now. Uric acid crystals can also be deposited at the junction of tendons and bones, and can also be deposited on the synovium of tendons, which can be detected through B-ultrasound examination.

If you want to diagnose Achilles tendinitis or Achilles tendon insertion disease more carefully and accurately, an MRI is very effective because the soft tissue can be seen more clearly under MRI.

04

Can Achilles tendinitis be cured completely? Will it recur?

Achilles tendonitis is a chronic disease that is difficult to treat. It requires active rehabilitation training, long-term exercise and protection. It also requires a change in lifestyle. For example, if you used to like running and playing ball, you can change to cycling and swimming. These sports can not only achieve the purpose of exercise, but also reduce stimulation to the Achilles tendon.

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Achilles tendonitis can be cured. However, if you continue to overuse your Achilles tendon after recovery, excessive activity will cause Achilles tendonitis again.

How to avoid the occurrence or recurrence of Achilles tendinitis?

Before exercising, you should do more warm-up exercises, such as stretching, to allow the Achilles tendon to have a warm-up process. Whether it is dancing or kicking shuttlecock, it is not easy to cause injury. In addition, after excessive or relatively large activities, you should soak your feet in hot water at night to promote blood circulation. After exercise, you should maintain the Achilles tendon and do some relaxing massage or hot compress, which are all good for the Achilles tendon.

Author: Wu Yong, Chief Physician of Beijing Jishuitan Hospital

Review | Li Jun, Chief Physician, Peking University First Hospital

Submitted by: Chinese Medical Association

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