The part of the body made famous by Greece’s most feared warrior – Achilles. An achilles heel injury can be an extremely painful one, particularly among runners. The achilles tendon connects the gastrocnemius and soleus calf muscles to the back of the heel bone.
Achilles injuries can be a result of too much physical stress, resulting in tightening of the tendon. If untreated, scar tissue develops, causing a hard layer over the tendon, making the area less flexible, and causing pain when running or even walking. Whether you’re training for a marathon or just starting out in the running field, it’s always good to be prepared in case an achilles heel injury crops up. Here’s some top products that will help aid your achilles recovery:
Achilles Heel Pads
These are specifically designed to be used in walking braces to give you that extra support. The heel supports help to prevent injury during daily activities, giving you freedom to carry on with your day-to-day routine.
They are designed for both left and right to conform to the foot arch and ensure each heel gets protection. Each support can be layered and placed on top of each other to give you the perfect heel rise. They are made with comfort in mind, giving your heels a soft, protective cushion to walk on.
Silicone Heel Cups
Available in various sizes to find your perfect fit, silicone heel cups are designed to relieve pain from achilles injuries, heel spurs, plantar fasciitis, and bursitis. Thanks to its durable material, the silicone heel cups always retain shape and can be washed and reused – allowing you to constantly have achilles support.
There are various layers of silicone within the cups, which helps with absorbing impact and maximises shock absorption, which allows for a quicker recovery.
Night Splint
Instead of casting up your lower leg and foot – use a night splint instead. The perfect alternative to serial casting, a night splint helps to aid injuries such as achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, and various other lower leg injuries.
The night splint encases the foot and ankle in a strong, durable plastic case, which is lined with lycra padding. It helps to make sure you are comfortable and reduces mobilisation, allowing you to sleep comfortably with supported lower legs.
The overall splint is lightweight and breathable, which helps to eradicate any heat build-up. A great feature to the night splint, as opposed to casting, is that there are adjustable flexion straps available for you to maximise comfort and support.
Getting Back To It
If you’re getting cold feet and can’t wait to get back out running again, then it’s important you do it slowly and try not to rush into anything. There’s lots of advice out there telling you how to get back to exercise after an injury, but not all advice is good advice – take a look at some of the most common misconceptions of injury recovery.
Got all the advice you need? Just make sure you return to training safely so you don’t cause any further damage to your injury. We hope you recover quickly and remember, if you need any further support you know where to go!