The Achilles tendon is the largest and strongest tendon in the human body. Older, powerful gymnasts are at risk of snapping them.
Dave brainstorms possible causes:
… a gymnast may be taking forces 9x – 17x their body weight with every tumbling pass,
Who may be taking a very high number of turns per day/week/month
Who may have flat feet and looses shock absorption, which also causes almost double the force to go through the inside of the Achilles tendon,
Who most likely has tight/shortened calf muscles getting pulled on forcefully during impact
Who also may have very bad squatting and landing technique at baseline causing a lot of force to go through the ankle joint and Achilles
Who may not possess the adequate strength and muscular/neuromuscular capacity to handle the forces of gymnastics
Who may not be completely ready for the complicated tumbling skill or dismount at the end of their routine
Who is in a very stressful, fatigued physical/mental state trying to perform during the middle of their competitive season
Possibly landing on mats that have seen better days and aren’t ideal for landing
Hybrid Perspective – Combating Achilles Tears In Gymnastics (Pt I): Investigating Possible Contributing Factors
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