Kobe Bryant Tears Achilles Tendon

Could This be the End of His Career?

During the fourth quarter of yesterday’s Los Angeles Lakers game, Kobe Bryant suffered a probable Achilles tendon tear in his left leg.  Probable, because he will undergo an MRI to confirm the diagnosis.

However, a complete tear is easily diagnosed by clinical examination. A doctor will perform what is called the Thompson’s test, whereby the patient is lying on his stomach and the doctor will squeeze the calf muscle.  The foot should move up and down if the Achilles is not ruptured.  If it is, the foot will not move.

The Achilles tendon attaches the calf muscle to the back of the heel bone.  It is a very thick and strong tendon and not easy to tear, but it is still a common injury. Causes of Achilles tendon tears can be caused by overuse, such as in sports, when one does too much, too fast, and too soon.  Combine that with lack of stretching, then you have a great recipe that can lead to this type of injury.

In addition, the injury is common in professional athletes because of the tremendous force that is applied to this tendon while playing their sport.  It usually occurs as the foot is planted on the ground and then there is a quick rotation of the leg and ankle.  So, in Kobe Bryant’s case, as he planted his left foot, he quickly turned his body, causing the tendon to snap.

Bryant is 34 years old and has played more minutes per game during the month of April then in any other time during his prodigious NBA career.  This has definitely caused a lot of wear and tear on his body.

Other causes for this type of injury is wearing high heels, which causes a lot of stress on the tendon, as well as trauma to the tendon, such as a blow to the area.

Bryant will need surgery to repair this tendon, and recovery will be anywhere from 6 months to a year.  This type of injury ended careers of Dan Marino and Charles Barkley.  Hopefully, this is not the end for Kobe.

If you are having pain at the back of your heel, you should see your podiatrist.  AtFamily Foot & Ankle Specialists in Piscataway and Hillsborough, NJ, 
we see and treat a lot of athletes with this sort of injury. 

To get more information on foot and ankle injuries, get our free book, "Stop Foot Pain Fast: A User's Guide to Foot and Ankle Health.

If you are experiencing foot or ankle pain, call to get a FREE appointment at our Piscataway podiatrist office.

Laday Gaga Cancels Upcoming Shows Due to Foot Pain

Lady Gaga had to cancel some of her upcoming shows due to a foot problem she is experiencing. Unfortunately, the many Gaga fans who have tickets to some of her upcoming shows are in for a real let down, as she is forced to cancel some of her upcoming shows.

Piscataway podiatrist, Amit Kalra explains how the Mother Monster is experiencing synovitis in her foot and leg. While this painful condition can cause an average person to become inactive, trying to dance around with 6 inch heels is nearly impossible.

Lady Gaga adamantly apologized via Twitter for the disappointment she is causing her millions of fans around the world. She explains how this painful ankle injury has been festering for a while now and she has been trying to work through the pain, however, she cannot even walk anymore!

The shows scheduled for Chicago, Detroit and Hamilton, Ontario have been postponed. It's not clear when these shows will be rescheduled or what that means for her other upcoming shows on her "Born This Way Ball Tour". Stay tuned for further info!

If you are experiencing foot or ankle pain, call to get a FREE appointment at our Piscataway podiatrist office. Just like Gaga's foot pain...your pain will not go away on it's own!