You may assume non-impact sports like golf do not lead to serious foot or ankle injuries. However, golf superstar Tiger Woods recently had to drop out of the Players Championships after only playing the first nine holes of his first round due to an injured left knee and Achilles tendon. Tiger has dealt with an Achilles injury before and has undergone several knee surgeries in the past.
Serious golfers are more prone to have Achilles tendon injuries because of the amount of walking on uneven terrain, the unusual positions some golfers have to get into to hit the ball and the pivoting involved with the golf swing. Tiger injured his Achilles when he was crouching to get a shot in the rough.
An Achilles tendon injury can be frustrating and take a long time to heal. Occasionally the injury is calmed down by oral anti-inflammatory medications, but not always. Also, cortisone (steroid) injections cannot be used to treat an Achilles injury because the area where the Achilles inserts has poor blood supply and the steroid could cause it to rupture. A ruptured Achilles could mean surgery, and it takes months to heal. Treatment options for Achilles tendonitis include immobilization, physical therapy, night splints, and custom foot orthotics to address the biomechanics of the foot and less the pull on the tendon.
Tiger has also been sporting his new line of Nike golf shoes, which may be helpful in alleviating his Achilles problems. Golf shoes have long been characterized as bowling shoes with spikes coming out of the bottom. But Tiger and Nike are attempting to change that with these sleek, sneakeresque golf cleats. The shoes are similar to the Nike "Free" design and are allegedly lightweight, stable, and comfortable.
The most frustrating part of an Achilles tendon injury is the waiting. This holds true for Tiger as well, and he will only be able to return to the top of his game when he takes time off to fully rehabilitate his Achilles tendon back to full function. If you are suffering with an Achilles tendon injury, don't wait for it to go away on its own. Contact Dr. Frederick for an appointment today.
Allison Ippel, Student Blogger (SCPM 2013)
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