100,000 miles. That’s how far an average person will walk during the course of his or her lifetime. Given the average stride length of 2.1 to 2.5 feet, it takes more than 2000 steps to walk a mile. With a little basic math (2000 steps/mile times 100,000 miles), we can see that an average adult will have taken over 200 million steps by the time it’s all said and done.
(If you’ve ever wondered why foot and ankle health is so important, there you go!)
With every step you take, you are using up to 200 muscles. Of course, you also use the largest, strongest tendon in the entire body – your Achilles tendon. Being the strongest doesn’t mean it’s infallible, though. Achilles tendon treatment is commonly needed to resolve heel pain.
Whereas plantar fasciitis is the most common source of heel pain for adults, Achilles tendinitis isn’t that far behind. This condition develops in response to overuse or having to endure intense force loads the Achilles simply isn’t prepared to handle (like when you aren’t physically active for a while and then play in a competitive game of rec basketball or tennis).
In fairly rare cases, surgery is needed to resolve Achilles tendon problems. More often, though, we are able to treat the condition for you with conservative care, and this includes stretching exercises and physical therapy.
When you come to our Long Island podiatrist office for treatment, we will likely prepare a regimen of stretching exercises to help keep your Achilles limber and strong. When we go over the prescribed exercises, please don’t hesitate to ask any questions you might have about the exercises or frequency with which you should perform them. We want you to feel comfortable and have a complete understanding of what needs to be done, so you can heal and get back to your normal activities!
You can use Achilles tendon stretches to prevent injuries from developing in the first place. Of course, it is difficult—if not outright impossible—to completely eliminate all injury risk when you lead an active lifestyle. The benefits of regular exercise, though, are more than worth it. Besides, in the event you do suffer a foot or ankle injury, Massapequa Podiatry Associates is here to help.
We provide an array of treatment options—both conservative and surgical (only when absolutely necessary)—to resolve foot and ankle problems. If you need treatment, give us a call at (516) 541-9000 and one of our staff members will be happy to help you schedule an appointment with us.