Achilles Tendon Surgery May Help Hurdler Liu

During the height of the 2008 Olympic Games, the world watched as Liu Xiang, China's 110m hurdles world champion, limped of the track. He had been plagued with Achilles tendon problems. He was forced to withdraw before his first-round heat at the Bird's Nest in August. It was obvious watching him try to start his key event that the pain was not just emotional.

But now there is hope that in spite of his Achilles tendon he will get back to running again. Lui traveled to the United States to have surgery last Friday to remove bone spurs that kept causing irritation to the tendon. The operation should decrease his chances for future Achilles tendonitis.

"We felt he did very well through the surgery," surgeon Thomas Clanton, who also helped Houston Rockets' Chinese centre Yao Ming recover from a foot stress fracture last year, told the China Daily. "His prognosis for running in the future is quite good."

It should take a bout six months of recovery before he is back to running again. On big advantage he his is his extraordinary physical conditioning. In general, athletes recover much faster after surgery than sedentary individuals. Right now he is hping to start jogging in late January.

The Achilles tendon is largest tendon anywhere in the human body. It is also the most frequently injured of all tendons. In Lui's case he had four small pieces of bone actually imbedded within the tendon that had to be removed. These often start out as bone spurs where the tendon attaches to the heel bone. With enough strain, they can break off. These broken spurs are sort of the equivalent of gravel in the tendon.

All of that irritation can cause chronic pain and inflammation which can weaken the tendon leading to Achilles tendon tears. We see these in our office very frequently among runners of all distances.

If you develop problems with your Achilles tendon, rest, ice, and stop running until you get checked out. Otherwise the world may be watching the day you limp off the Olympic track.

Dr. Christopher Segler is an award winning foot surgeon and Ironman Finisher who treats elite athletes. His podiatry sports medicine practice is at the Ankle & Foot Center of Chattanooga. To learn more about increasing your speed and avoiding running injuries like tendonitis, shin splints and stress fractures, you can register for a FREE membership and copy of his monthly newsletter “Finisher’s Circle” by visiting http://www.AnkleCenter.com .