Essay On Achilles Tendons

Tendons are strong, tough bands of inelastic fibrous connective tissue that connects a muscle to a bone. They are sometimes referred to as sinews which are also tough bands of tissues capable of withstanding great amounts of tension and when talking about tensile strength, they’re the strongest among the other connective tissues. Tendons are consists of elongated collagenous cells and minimal ground substances. These tendons are closely packed together, parallel to the direction of the force (Brandt, 2004). But among these tendons in the body, only one muscles stood out not only as the largest, but also considered as the strongest; the Achilles’ tendon. The Achilles’ tendon or the calcaneal tendon is a tough band of fibrous tissue that connects the calf muscles, both the gastrocnemius and the soleus, to the heel bone or the calcaneus including the tiny plantaris muscle. It is superficial and palpable – a springy band of tissue at the

The Thompson test can also be conducted in which the patient’s calf, who is lying prone or on his knees, is being squeezed by the examiner; the end of the foot should move down in response but if it does not, a rupture may be present. Another type of test is the Knee Flexion or the Matles test wherein a patient lies face down and bends his/her knee slowly forming a right angle. During this movement, the toe end of the foot should point away from the leg slightly; if it doesn’t, then a complete Achilles’ tendon tear is the diagnosis. Modern technology such as the use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI scan, ultrasound, Computed Tomography or CT scan and X-ray are also considered as means to identify if one is suffering from an Achilles’ tendon injury. (Hoffman, Karriem-Norwood, & Ratini,