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Achilles Tendonitis

Dancers, as well as many other athletes, are extremely prone to many injuries, in particular, injuries to the foot and ankle. One of the most common among these injuries that are seen notably in dancers is called Achilles Tendonitis.
Achilles Tendonitis is derived from the Greek legend of Achilles. The term Achilles Tendon is derived from this myth in which the Greek god Achilles was dipped in the river Styx to become immortal. The back of his ankle did not touch the water, therefore rendering his ankle vulnerable to common human pain. This is why the tendon that runs down the back of the ankle is known as the Achilles Tendon, and as the story goes, can cause much pain when injured. (Coussins, p.1)
Unlike most tendons in the human body, the Achilles Tendon lacks its own rich blood supply. Because of this lack of a rich blood supply, many dancers are consequently prone to injury and chronic Achilles Tendonitis. The severity of Achilles Tendonitis may vary from a mild irrita...

Posted by: William Katz

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