Last week, Junior Galette, linebacker of the Washington Redskins, might have ended his career by rupturing his Achilles tendon. The Achilles tendon is prone to injury because it is an area that is not as vascular as other structures, making it known as a watershed area. It is also the reason why the Achilles heel is seen as a weakness.

There are several ways to prevent an Achilles tendon injury. Stretching alone is not enough since some people are naturally inflexible. Explosive movements, like propelling forward against a loaded force that is done routinely in football and other jumping maneuvers, can especially be a risk factor if the person has any history of injury. Growth factors can also be used to heal injury; the ones that we do at Arlington Foot & Ankle consist of injectables from placental matrix tissue. Compressive sleeves can be used to support injured areas as well. Finally, there are modalities like laser and other physical therapy tools that can help increase vascularity to injured areas.