DEAR DOCTORS: I'm a 30-year-old man, and I play weekend volleyball. Last month, I jumped to spike the ball and heard a pop. There was a lot of pain; it felt like getting kicked in the calf. It was a torn Achilles tendon, and now I'm in a cast and on crutches. How else can this be treated? How long will it take to heal?
DEAR READER: The Achilles tendon connects the back of your heel to your calf muscle. It's the thickest tendon in the body, designed to withstand high levels of tensile force. It's thanks to the Achilles that you can flex your foot, which makes it possible to walk, run, leap, jump and stand on tiptoe.
