In fact, recent chats between NBA doctors have uncovered a scary phenomenon — Achilles injuries are becoming epidemic in the league. They do not blame this rise on lack of fitness, but rather on overuse. With several star athletes suffering ruptures this season, including James Wiseman, Isaiah Jackson, Dejounte Murray, and Dru Smith, specialists emphasize the need for teams to reassess their training and recovery protocols.
According to prominent sports medicine physician Dr. Michael Fredericson, a frequent source of athletes’ Achilles injuries is overuse problem. He further insists that injuries can’t be blamed on poor conditioning. He pointed out that players such as Haji Wright and Deshaun Watson have both experienced Achilles ruptures. Miraculously, they had never hurt that leg until then. “The reality is that [in] the majority of Achilles rupture, athletes didn’t have any symptoms,” he explained.
Experts like Dr. Justin Greisberg echo these sentiments, noting that strong painkillers, such as ibuprofen, are not responsible for these injuries. Instead, he focuses on preventive measures such as stretching and supportive footwear to counteract the constant tension on the Achilles tendon. “The explosion of the rupture really affects the … muscle, the part that does the work,” Dr. Greisberg remarked.
In an era where calf and Achilles injuries are becoming alarmingly prevalent in professional basketball, Gravare Silbernagel, a prominent physical therapist, compares the current situation to the rise of hamstring strains seen five to ten years ago. Furthermore, she believes that you have to have really strong lower legs. To develop calf strength and avoid injuries, she suggests sticking to fundamentals. We should be starting to think about the calf and Achilles in that same mindset at this point,” she added.
Dr. Fredericson urges teams to reconsider how much load athletes place on their bodies and the recovery time they receive. From dealing with calf injuries to Achilles injuries, all of that is very prevalent. This is due to the fact that the calf muscle plays a role in almost all movements we perform when walking or running. “These athletes are some of the most supremely conditioned athletes we’ve ever had,” he emphasized.
The current NBA season has already had a handful of star players miss significant time due to these injuries, and it has sparked widespread concern over training methods. Dr. Nirav Pandya, another expert in sports medicine, highlights the need for teams to manage player workloads more effectively. “I know it’s hard because you’re trying to win, but it’s making sure that you’re appropriately managing during the season and getting their bodies ready for that offseason,” he stated.
Beyond training strategies, experts agree on the need to deepen our understanding of how athletes perceive pain. Gravare Silbernagel also directly addresses the need to improve athletes’ pain perception. Without it, they can hardly tell when they’ve loaded up their legs too much. “The concern is if you don’t have the pain,” she warned. “If you take away the pain, then do you have these inhibitions or not?”
Dr. Greisberg reminds athletes that stretching—especially the hamstrings and calves—is key to avoiding injury. He argues that the Achilles tendon was designed for explosive strength and acceleration. This astounding potential places it under enormous pressure. “It’s never ‘wound up and stressed,’” he said.
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