It is estimated that over 250,000 people suffer Achilles tendon injuries during sports, making it one of the most common sporting injuries. Achilles problems often tend to persistently nag runners for some time after they are first gotten, and so they are something that are best avoided. The pivotal location of the Achilles tendon also means a niggle here can act as a warning system to watch how you're treating your body in general. Here are some tips for prevention and treatment:

Prevention

- The number one safeguard against Achilles injuries is stretching, particularly standing stretches. One common stretch is performed as follows: stand one foot 50cm in front of the other and both facing the same direction, arms by your side, and bend your front knee until you feel a stretch where your leg goes into your foot, so to speak. Before a run, it is advisable to do five minutes light jogging before stretching. Calf and Achilles tendon stiffness are often interrelated so it is no harm doing some calf stretches too while you're at it.

- Running on the beach or other very soft or uneven ground an be a definite source of Achilles problems. Soft ground like grass is ideal to run on, but too soft a surface can cause the heel to sink below the front of the foot when the foot hits the ground and overstretch the Achilles. For most people, these symptoms often go away when one starts running on hard ground the next day, but for habitual Achilles sufferers, it might be a good idea to keep your running on firmer ground.

- One common cause is improper footwear or running on a shoe that has seen too many miles. Check the tread on your shoe regularly for signs of excessi wear, especially on the inside of the foot - this is a sure sign of pronation. Achilles problems often strike those who overpronate excessively - many common running shoes have a pronation block, so be sure to know which ones before you buy. Try to avoid running barefoot if you can - this will exaggerate the pronation and also cause excessive shock to be transmitted to the Achilles area. Achilles problems also tend to affect those who strike the ground with their heel. If you are one of those, make sure you have a well cushioned motion control shoe.

Treatment

- If you get a sudden inflammation of the Achilles, use an ice pack on it for 15 minutes, walk around a little, and apply it again. As well as reducing the inflammation, this can significantly reduce your recovery time.

- Keep stretching and in addition use strengthening exercises - one easy one is to stand on a stair holding on to a rail with only the front of your foot on the step, and raise and lower yourself with your toes.

- A period of rest is usually in order until the symptoms go away - for minor twinges this can be as little as 1 week. You can still keep in shape by swimming or cycling in the meantime.

- If you got an Achilles injury before, the chances are it was because you did too much training, too soon, when your muscles weren't prepared for it. Therefore try not to repeat the same mistake again. Plan out your mileage increases and if you feel a twinge coming, ease back for a couple of days.

- In more serious cases, the tendon might have ruptured rather than be inflamed. It can often be confused with a very bad inflammation, therfore a doctor should be asked to definitively give a diagnosis. Unfortunately in the latter case there are few alternatives aside from plenty of rest, and possibly surgery. Note that the above steps used to treat inflammation will actually exacerbate the rupture, so dont use them.