Why Are Tendon Injuries So Common in Sports?
It is not very shocking that basketball players are among the top athletes who experience tendon injuries. In fact, the sport basketball results in more lower-body injuries than almost any other sport. These injuries are due to the duration and intensity of play. Although, not only basketball players can injure their tendons. In fact, anyone can injure their tendons, but athletes are at a greater risk of rupturing or tearing their tendons.
Tendon ruptures can be diagnosed as pain at the lower calf or the backside of the ankle.
What Causes Sports Tendon Injuries?
By jumping and running, one can accelerate the risk of injuring their tendons. The tendon is meant to withstand pressure from day to day activities. Although, when you run or jump, you increase the burden on your hamstring. While running, one can add up to 12.5 times their body weight on the tendon. This extra weight can end up tearing or fracturing the tendon.
There are other ways you can injure your tendon by exacting sudden pressure to the tendon. Therefore, causing it to end up rupturing. Once this occurs, the athlete will not be in a position to use their legs. Therefore an injury may result in the athlete falling. For instance, in basketball, when Kobe Bryant injured his tendon, he falls on the court.
As time goes by, the tendon is more prone to overuse injury. If the tendon lacks time to repair itself from continuous, small stress. The liability to overuse of the tendon is probably the reason why 10% of the runners in their careers rapture or tear their tendons.
These injuries are not only experienced by professional or avid athletes, but recreational athletes are also at the risk of injuring their tendons. This is especially for people who occasionally engage in intense sporting activities. Infrequent use of Achilles’ tendons could cause it to become stiff or tight, by engaging in abrupt vigorous energy the hamstring could be overstressed and putting the recreational athlete at the risk of injuring their tendon.
Also, see: Common Sports Injuries
What Are the Risk Factors?
Besides the on-field activities, there are other factors that may bring about Achilles Tendon injuries to athletes:
- Age: Athletes above 30 years of age are at a high risk of experiencing Achilles Tendon injuries. For example, when Kobe Bryant ruptured his Achilles Tendon, he was 35 years old. The more you age, the tendon receives less blood supply and therefore putting it at the risk of injury.
- Change in the training schedule: By amplifying your training schedule, you may put your body at the risk of an Achilles Tendon injury. This is because you will be subjecting your body to more tough conditions. A change in the training schedule should be a gradual process and not something that you can do immediately.
- Overpronation: Pronation is the natural movement of the foot that occurs during landing while running or walking. During a sport, when an athlete’s foot slants past the normal area the tendon might end up being ruptured or torn.
If you feel you’re experiencing a tendon rupture or other sports-related injury. Call 888-409-8006 for a top orthopedic surgeon in the South Florida area. Location conveniently located in Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach, Coral Springs, and Plantation.
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