Trying to Keep Achilles’ Tendons Injury-Free? It’s Flex Time

Here are some great questions from readers:

From Gary Crampton of Ojai: “I’m a 64-year-old man who is concerned about the health of my Achilles’ tendons. Do you have any stretches that target this area?”

I learned how debilitating and miserable an injury to the Achilles’ tendon can be when my husband tore one of his during a lunch-hour basketball game. His injury was severe--he needed surgery to repair it--and the recovery process took nearly a year.

Injuries of the Achilles’ tendon, which connects the back of the heel to the calf muscle, are the bane of athletes older than about 30. As we age, our connective tissue and muscles weaken and become less flexible. As you suggest, the best way to protect the Achilles’ tendon is by stretching them, and always making sure you warm up before exercise--especially before any activity that requires explosive movement such as basketball, tennis and racquetball.

Dr. Bert Mandelbaum, the orthopedic surgeon who repaired my husband’s injury, reminds me that anyone who plays such sports should be in good condition, especially in terms of strength. Also remember that Achilles’ tendon injuries are most likely to occur if it’s cold outside; if you’ve had a previous injury (since scar tissue limits elasticity); and if your calves are significantly stronger and more flexible than your Achilles’ tendons.

Here are two of my favorite stretches. Lie on your back with your right leg extended and your left bent so your left foot is flat on the floor, about a foot from your buttocks. Grasp the right leg gently behind the knee, exhale and slowly flex your right foot toward your face. Hold for 20 seconds and relax. Repeat and then switch legs.

For the second stretch, kneel on the floor and then bring your right foot forward and place it flat on the floor in front of you. Exhale and lean onto the right leg, keeping your heel pressed into the floor (if you need help with balance, place your hands on the floor in front of you). Stop when you feel the stretch all the way down to your heel, hold for 20 seconds and relax. Repeat and then switch legs.

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Marsha Waugh of Pasadena: “I am a 43-year-old woman who knows better, but I can’t help but wonder how some fitness programs get away with making promises like, ‘You’ll go from a size 16 to a size 3 in six weeks!’ I know that any program that changes the body that quickly is not good for me and that the changes won’t last, but whenever I stray from my exercise program, these schemes look appealing. . . . What do you think?”

It boggles my mind that some of these so-called fitness experts can get away with making such outrageous promises. Obviously you know that if something looks too good to be true, it probably is--especially when it comes to weight loss. Here’s the bottom line: If you stick with a sensible exercise and eating program, you can expect to lose one to two pounds a week. That may not sound like a lot--at least it doesn’t when you compare it to some of these programs that you mention--but over the course of a year, that adds up to about 50 or 100 pounds. So when you get frustrated and consider buying into one of these programs, remember that the quick fix is really a false promise.

Instead of falling for the gimmick, go to the kitchen and empty all the junk food out of your cupboards and then take a walk. While you’re out there, consider that losing weight is the easy part; keeping it off is the challenge. And the only way to keep it off is with the tried-and-true formula: exercise and eating right. But it sounds like I don’t need to tell you that.

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Judith Morales of Gardena: “I’m a busy nursing student who is having trouble finding the time and motivation to exercise. I need to lose the 15 pounds I’ve gained since I started school. Any suggestions?”

Your situation may be unique, but your complaint is one that I hear all the time. And I empathize completely. Any time you start a new “project,” such as school, a job or even a new baby in the house, it can seem impossible to find the time to fit in everything you need to do, especially exercising and eating right. From what you told me in your letter, I suspect that one major stumbling block for you is time management.

Why don’t you keep a “where does the time go?” diary for two or three days? Write down everything you do during each day--include commuting time, unplanned minutes you spend talking on the phone, the time you spend in class, studying, watching television, sleeping, visiting with friends and family, and so on. Next, look at the list and decide which things are essential to your overall well-being and set your priorities.

Now it’s time to fit fitness into your schedule so you can achieve a healthy lifestyle. You’ll need to get creative. Here are a few thoughts. First, invest in a couple of pairs of dumbbells so you can squeeze in a weight-training workout during your favorite television program. Instead of talking to friends on the phone, meet them for a walk after class or in the evening. Read your favorite cooking magazine while you ride the exercise bike at the gym, and look for easy, nutritious recipes to test. The real secret to finding the time and motivation to exercise and eat well is to make both a priority. Devoting time to what matters most in your life will get you to your goals.

Thanks for writing in. Keep those questions coming!

Copyright 1999 by Kathy Smith

Kathy Smith’s fitness column appears weekly in Health. Reader questions are welcome and can be sent to Kathy Smith, Health, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053. If your question is selected, you will receive a free copy of her new video, “Kickboxing Workout.” Please include your name, address and a daytime phone number with your question.