David Beckham Tears Achilles Tendon

David Beckham returned to Britain on Monday after being sidelined with an injury last week in Finland. The soccer superstar suffered a total tear of the Achilles tendon during the game, and will be sidelined for several months to recover. This comes as a huge blow to Beckham, who was hoping to play in the World Cup this June. This would have been Beckham’s fourteenth consecutive appearance in the World Cup.

The injury occurred last Sunday, in an AC Milan game. Beckham has been on loan to AC Milan from the Los Angeles Galaxy. Beckham came to Major League Soccer’s L.A. Galaxy in 2007 when he signed a $250 million dollar deal, a record for soccer players, and throwing him into the ranks of some the biggest sports contracts ever.

Following the injury, Beckham was brought to Turku, Finland where he was operated on.

According to Dr. Sakari Orava, the surgeon who performed the procedure, Beckham will be in a cast for three to four weeks, followed by months of rehabilitation. In general, the time it takes for a complete recovery takes around six months. This is likely to be minimum amount of time it will take for David Beckham to return to playing.

The Achilles tendon is a continuation of the gastrocnemius and the soleus muscles, which are collectively considered to be the muscles of the calf. The muscles combine to form the Achilles tendon, with then inserts into the calcaneus (heel bone).

With tight calf muscles, there is extra strain put on the tendon. With enough downward force, such as from landing on the foot from a jump, can tear the tendon. The calf muscles play a huge role in most sports, as they help us run, jump. Pivot, and maneuver in many different activities.

In Beckham’s case, and in many other cases, the tendon can be completely ruptured. When this happens, there are both surgical and non-surgical options. Surgically, the tendon is sewn together with durable sutures. The foot is then put into a cast for three to four weeks, or until the tendon can heal itself.

In non-surgical treatment, the foot may be put into a cast without any repair of the tendon itself. The tendon will actually heal itself over time. Studies show that after one year, the results of both surgical and non-surgical care are about the same.

Surgical intervention, however, has been shown to provide results faster than non-surgical options. There is also a slightly greater chance of a second tear or rupture when the tendon is not repaired surgically. For these reasons, it is understandable that David Beckham and his trainers and doctors opted for surgical treatment.

Central Florida Foot and Ankle Center, LLC.
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Winter Haven, Fl. 33881
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The Battle at Marathon

As the spring approaches, we are entering into the marathon-training period (if you haven’t begun training already, that is). The arduous task of running 26.2 miles is taken on by thousands of people every year. The training is an intense process, usually lasts about three months, and is topped off with the physically, mentally, and emotionally draining challenge of running a marathon. You may be asking yourself at this point, “Why would anyone want to do this?”

Well, it all begins with the Greek legend of Pheidippides. The story goes that at the Battle of Marathon, the messenger Pheidippides was sent to Athens to report that the Persians had been defeated. After running the entire distance without stopping, Pheidippides burst into assembly to exclaim “Nenikekman”, which is translated as ‘We Have Won’. Pheidippides then collapsed and died.

The distance that Pheidippides had just completed is where the distance of a marathon run comes from. The Greek messenger, in travelling from Marathon to Athens, would have had to either crossed or ran around Mount Penteli. If he had travelled South around the mountain, which he presumptively had done, he would have completed a distance of just over 26 miles. There is some debate as to whether Pheidippides ran South of the mountain, or if perhaps he ran through the mountain, crossing straight rather than around. If he had done this, the original distance that Pheidippides ran would be significantly less than 26 miles.

The modern marathon evolved from more recent events. The marathon was first introduced during the 1896 Summer Olympics in Greece. The event was not designed with a set distance in mind, but rather with the route extending from Marathon to Athens. This was a distance of 24.85 miles. Spiridon “Spiros” Louis was the first winner of the marathon, with a time of 2 hours 58 minutes and 50 seconds.

The Olympics committee would use the idea of connecting two points on a map together as a design for the marathon event for the next six Olympic games. It wasn’t until the 1924 Olympics that the set distance of 26.22 miles was adopted. The official distance, set by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) measures exactly 26 miles and 385 yards. This is now the distance that is used as a standard for marathon runs.

There are over 800 marathons that are organized every year. Of the most prestigious are the Boston, New York, Chicago, London, and Berlin marathons. The Boston Marathon is the longest standing of any of the annually held marathons. The tradition was started in 1897, following the popularity of the event from the 1896 Olympics. It is held every year in April, and attracts an average of about 20,000 registrants. The record for registrants was set in 1996, with 38,000 people registered to run. Time trials for the event make it difficult to enter, and it sets the scene for a very competitive event. Winners receive cash prizes, with first place overall in both men’s and women’s receiving $500,000 each.

The marathon experience has come a long way since its beginnings. What was once a Greek legend has turned into a rite of passage for serious runners. It is a distance that once attained warrants a bumper sticker, showing a glimpse of history in a strong symbol of modernism.

Central Florida Foot and Ankle Center, LLC.
101 6TH St. NW.
Winter Haven, Fl. 33881
863-299-4551
http://www.FLFootandAnkle.com

Highlights from the Winter Olympics

The Vancouver games have come and gone, and with them came great athletes into our homes and onto our televisions. The spotlight is on skiing, snowboarding, skating and hockey, the last of which has desperately tried to reach out to fans from the professional level. Well this past February, that light has shone in attention for the NHL and more.

Al Michaels and Bob Costas handled most of the NBC broadcast, guiding us through the world that is the Olympics. Stories of the highs and lows of tremendous athletes’ careers were told to us.

There was Joannie Rochette, the Canadian figure skater won the bronze medal just days after her mother died of a heart attack.

And Nodar Kumaritashvili, the Georgian luge slider that died in a horrendous crash while practicing.

And there was the USA-Canada hockey rivalry in the women’s division followed by the same set-up in the men’s division, of which both gold medal games went to the Canadians, in Canada.

Names like Bode Miller, Lindsey Vonn, and Shani Davis are etched into our memories, their gold medals gleaming.

Certainly, the drama was thick.

Through all of the back-stories and interviews, through the kiss-and-cry area in figure skating, and through the entire Olympics backdrop, there were some incredible displays of athletic performance.

Apollo Ohno, the U.S. speed skater that came into the games a heavy favorite demonstrated his strength both on and off the ice. NBC aired footage of Ohno working out on dry-land, stretching and warming up for the race. The stretches put so much weight on the lateral ligaments of the ankle, that the commentary mentioned the “do not try this at home” cliché.

The lateral ankle, of course, is a site of common pathology. Strains, sprains, tears and fractures all occur frequently at this site.

The exercise Ohno was performing demonstrated his strength and balance necessary for speed skating.

Shaun White showed us how to fly through the air, flipping around on a snowboard and landing a gold medal with an incredible performance. White’s signature move, the Double McTwist, had to wait to be displayed until after the official event in an encore run. The trick was deemed to be too dangerous for the Olympic games, and was thus banned from Vancouver.

Yes, the Winter Olympics is a grand affair. They bring us sports that we would otherwise rarely see. Curling, Nordic freestyle skiing, Biathalon, and ice dancing all become a part of our vernacular, if only for a brief time.

In addition to the athleticism on display, the theatrics of the Olympics holds nothing back. The grand finale: Michael Buble on a float in the arena that houses hockey and ice skating, singing ‘O Canada” with an amazing amount of Canadian celebrities and Mounties and dancers in a parade. It is an impressive event, and it fit well within the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

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Winter Haven, Fl. 33881
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South Korea Take First Gold Medal, Canadian Women Dominate Hockey

The Favorite Kim Yu-Na of South Korea grabbed the gold medal in figure skating last night, shattering her former record of point totals and beating the silver medalist by a 23-point margin. The 19-year-old Kim, who is known as “Queen Yu-Na” by her fans, sealed the deal with a total score of 228.56. That is a new record for Kim, and it gives South Korea their first gold medal in the Winter Olympics.

Japan’s Mao Asada took home the silver medal, and bronze went to Canada’s Joannie Rochette, who was skating just days after her mother died tragically of a heart attack.

Kim Yu-Na skated to Gershwin’s “concerto in F”, which she performed nearly flawlessly. That performance gave her a score of 150.06 points, which brought her total to 228.56.

In women’s hockey news, the Canadian team defeated the U.S. team 2-0 to win the gold medal. The match-up paired the only two serious contenders in women’s hockey against each other, setting up a fiery rivalry.

Two early goals from Canada’s Marie-Phillip Poulin in the first period would put the Canadians on top, a deficit that the American would never come back from. The shutout was held intact by a sensational performance by Canadian goalie Shannon Szabados, who made 28 consecutive saves in the game.

"We played a great game and this is an incredible moment," Szabados said. "It was unbelievable. I just had to be calm and poised. I just tried to relax and have fun. You always want to be confident out there."

The U.S.-Canada rivalry in hockey extends back to 1998 when the sport was introduced to the Winter Olympics. The Americans won the first gold medal in 1998, followed by Canadian victories in 2002 and 2006. With 2010 under their belt, that makes three gold medals in a row for the Canadian women. With the exception of the 2006 games when the U.S. was upset early by Sweden, the Canadians and Americans have met in every single gold medal game.

Of course, that rivalry also extends to the U.S. and Canada’s men’s hockey teams. In the semifinal games today, the U.S. will play Finland and Canada will play Slovakia. It is very likely that the U.S. and Canada will both win their games today, setting up a final game in men’s hockey for Canada to play the United States. Not only would this an interesting parallel to the women’s hockey tournament, but it would set up a rematch for the early round upset when the U.S. beat Canada.

Central Florida Foot and Ankle Center, LLC.
101 6TH St. NW.
Winter Haven, Fl. 33881
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Olympics Update – Men’s Hockey Quarterfinals

Maybe it was the fact that they lost to the fifth-seeded U.S. team in the first round. Maybe it came from playing in their home country, with over 17,000 people watching. Whatever the motivation, the Canadian men’s hockey team came out swinging last night, and beat the Russians in the quarterfinals 7-3.

The first period was a blistering attack on Russian goalie Evgeni Nabokov. Canadian Ryan Getzlaf was the first to score in the game, followed by back-to-back goals from Dan Boyle and Rick Nash, opening up the game with a three to nothing run.

The Russians would never recover from that deficit, and superstar Alex Ovechkin was effectively taken out of the game by the Canadian defense keeping him up against the boards for much of the game. A frustrated Ovechkin broke three sticks through the first two periods of play.

Russian goalie Ilya Bryzgalov summed up the game nicely by saying that the Canadian team “came out like gorillas out of a cage.”

The other games of the quarterfinal round were less thrilling, but still showed impressive talent to move the winning teams on to the semifinals. The United States shutout Switzerland 2-0, with a pair of goals in the third period from Zach Parise. Finland topped Czech Republic with a score of 2-0 as well, and Slovakia beat Sweden with a score of 4-3.

This sets up a semifinal round for Canada to play Slovakia, and the United States to play Finland. The winners of each of the games will face each other in the finals for the gold medal.

The U.S.-Finland game will be a rematch of a feud between the two teams. At the 2006 winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, Finland earned the silver medal after defeating the Americans 4-3 in the quarterfinal round. This is the game in which U.S. forward David Backes and Finnish defensemen Anssi Salmela got into a brawl at the buzzer, with Salmela’s face by smashed by Backes.

The Canadians in last night’s game had a similar revenge match with the Russians. Russia knocked Canada out of the 2006 Olympic tournament in the quarterfinal round. Canada finished in seventh place that year, a dismal position for a team that is generally a favorite for a medal.

Semifinal games will take place on Friday, February 26. The U.S.-Finland game is scheduled for 12:00pm PST, and the Canada-Slovakia game is scheduled for 6:30pm PST. Both games should prove to be excellent hockey, with a lot at stake for the competitors.

Central Florida Foot and Ankle Center, LLC.
101 6TH St. NW.
Winter Haven, Fl. 33881
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U.S. Hockey Team Upsets Canada

Last night in a huge upset, the young United States Men’s Hockey team defeated the heavily favored Canadian team 5-3. This marks only the second time that the U.S. team has beat the Canadian team – the last time was in 1960. The United States came out wearing the throwback 1960’s sweaters, an homage to that last victorious team.

Now, as the United States heads into the 12-team tournament as the #1 seed, they have set the standard for what is to come from the young team.

Coached by Ron Wilson (head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs), the Americans took the lead early in the first period with a goal from Brian Rafalski (of the Detroit Red Wings) within the first minute of play.

That goal would then be answered by Ryan Getzlaf (of the Anaheim Ducks) on the Canadian team, which would then be followed by another goal from Rafalski.

The player of the game, however, was certainly Ryan Miller, the goalie for the United States. Miller stopped 42 of 45 shots from the Canadians, an impressive game from the Buffalo Sabre.

Next on the agenda for the U.S. team is the winner of the Switzerland-Belarus qualifying game set for Tuesday. The Americans beat Switzerland last week 3-1, but the victory did not come easy. If the United States is to play Switzerland, who is the favorite, expect the Swiss to come out with a vengeance.

The United States is not alone in receiving a bye into the quarterfinals. They are joined by Russia, Sweden, and Finland in that qualification. Other teams that will have to fight it out for a position in the quarter finals are the fifth-seeded Czech Republic vs. No. 12 Lativa, Canada (No. 6) vs. Germany (No. 11), Slovakia (No. 7) vs. Norway (No. 10), and Switzerland (No. 8) vs. Belarus (No. 9).

If you’ll be one of the millions watching Men’s Hockey in the Olympics, pay attention the footwork involved in the game. Think of how hard it is do move quickly in shoes, now try that on the ice. That should give you an appreciation of the difficulty of the sport. Many professional hockey players, including the Olympians, opt for functional orthoses to be put into their skates. This helps them get optimal function out of the foot-skate interface, allowing for quick stops and pivots. It will be quick footwork that wins the game – stay tuned for more updates on the 2010 Winter Olympics from Vancouver!

Central Florida Foot and Ankle Center, LLC.
101 6TH St. NW.
Winter Haven, Fl. 33881
863-299-4551
http://www.FLFootandAnkle.com

Olympics Update – Marit Bjoergen Wins Gold

In an incredible display of endurance, Norway’s Marit Bjoergen has won the gold medal in the Ladies’ 15km Pursuit with a time of 39:58.1. Sweden’s Anna Haag will bring home the silver, and Poland’s Justyna Kowalczyk narrowly edged out Norway’s Kristin Sotermer Steira in a photo finish for Bronze.

Bjoergen’s gold medal performance in the 15km Pursuit adds to her list of medal-earning performances at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. She also won a gold medal in the Ladies’ Individual Sprint Classic, and earned the bronze in the Ladies’ 10km freestyle.

The 15km pursuit exemplifies the difference between classic and freestyle cross-country skiing. In classic skiing, the skis used are long and thin, sometimes referred to as “skinny skis”. This allows for speed, but does not offer much for lateral movement. In freestyle cross-country skiing, also known as skating, the skis are slightly wider, and curved on the edges. This allows for more lateral motion, or a motion that more closely resembles ice-skating.

During the combined pursuit event, the Olympians exchange their skis halfway through the race. They begin with classic skis, and exchange them in the middle for the freestyle skis. This exchange proves to be a pivotal point in the race, as Bjoergen’s smooth transition allowed her to keep pace as the leader.

In both types of cross-country skiing, the boot is attached to the ski at the toe, but not at the heel. This allows for a gait that can closely resemble walking, especially when the skiers are racing up hill. It is clear to see that the heel is coming off of the ski during the race, which is characteristic of cross-country skiing. Cross-country skiing in general consists of both uphill and downhill movement, and the heel lift is essential for the uphill portions of the race.

The event is truly a test of endurance, as the 15km race is roughly equally to almost 9.5 miles! You can see while watching the event that the skiers grab water and sports drinks during the race, much like a runner in a marathon. This is to keep hydrated and keep a steady supply of energy, as muscle glycogen stores (the way that our bodies keep a reserve of fast-acting energy) can become depleted very quickly during such a long event.

The men’s pursuit race, which is a distance of 30km (15km classic and 15km freestyle) is scheduled for February 20 at 1:30pm PST.

Central Florida Foot and Ankle Center, LLC.
101 6TH St. NW.
Winter Haven, Fl. 33881
863-299-4551
http://www.FLFootandAnkle.com