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function of the Achilles tendon is to push and stabilize the gastrocnemius
(calf) muscle. Most common injuries to the Achilles tendon occur
when running and jumping, however during prolonged hill climbing, like you
will be doing during a multi-day cycling event you can over stress the tendon and
cause real problems. When you over extend your heels for too long a
period of time you begin to tear down the tendon fibers, which in turn
react by becoming inflamed. As well as being very painful, if the
inflammation is severe enough you lose the ability to laterally rotate
your foot freely. This means that you will not be able to unclip -
not a pretty sight when you come to a stop. If untreated the
Achilles will become weaker leading to the possibility of a rupture of the
tendon and potential tearing, which usually requires surgical
intervention.
How to Avoid
Injury
Achilles
problems in cyclists aren't due to one explosive wrench that injures the
tendon. Instead, they're caused by repetitive movement. Check these
factors:
Is your saddle high
enough? Your body may compensate for a low saddle by bending the ankle too
much at the top of the pedal stroke, which in turn puts strain on the
Achilles.
Are you concentrating too much on pulling through at the bottom of the
stroke? It's good to work on this skill occasionally, but in normal riding
it shouldn't be a conscious act. Overemphasis could conceivably cause
Achilles strain.
Are you doing a lot of climbing? Short, steep hills can bring on a case of
Achilles tendinitis if you push too hard on hills at a low cadence.
The key to avoiding such an injury is proper cycling technique and
stretching.
To keep the Achilles tendon flexible try one of these easy stretches:
Stretch 1
- Stand upright about 3 feet from a wall
- Lean against the wall without losing the straight line of the head,
neck, spine, pelvis, legs and ankles
- Keep both heels down, flat together and parallel to the hips
- Exhale, bend your arms, move your chest toward the wall, and shift your
weight forward
- Hold the stretch and relax
Stretch 2
- Stand with the balls of your feet on something, like a curb, that will
allow your heels to drop below level
- Slowly lower your heels until
you feel a good stretch hold for at least 20 seconds. Do not stretch
too far - this should not be painful.
- Do this several
times before each ride especially if you are training on hills and you
should be able to avoid injury.
If you injure your
Achilles tendon the best treatment, as with most sports related injuries,
is IRA - Ice, Rest, Advil.
Good luck
training, and safe riding.
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