The Greek myth which emphasized the Achilles weakness is apparently being justified after the Achilles-related injuries proved to be very frustrating. Achilles, who was a fearless warrior in the Greek's war against the Trojans, was dipped into the River Styx by his mother when he was a child. Consequently, all his organs became invulnerable except his heel by which his mother held him. This appears to be the case with footballers nowadays to the extent that some people suggest the Achilles tendon rupture became more dangerous than niggling knee injuries. "No, those claims are not true," Dr. Magdi Abdul-Aziz, an Egyptian well-known bone and joint specialist, told FilGoal.com. "Some people believe that Achilles problems have become more obvious but the knee injuries are still much more dangerous." The Achilles tendon is fibrous tissue that connects the heel to the calf muscles. Ahli midfielder Ahmed Fathi was the latest victim after rupturing his Achilles tendon in his side's 1-1 Egyptian League draw with Ismaili. Awkward fall The Egypt versatile midfielder fell awkwardly on the pitch despite not being subjected to any opposing tackle. He will be out of action for up to six months after suffering the same injury that sidelined Ahli's Angolan winger Gilberto for over a year. Fathi's injury is similar to the one Liverpool's Fabio Aurelio sustained in April 2007. The Brazilian left-back also fell without being challenged in Liverpool's Champions League game against PSV Eindhoven. "There was nobody anywhere near him, he felt as if he had been hit by a stone," Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez said at that time. "The pain was from behind and it struck him like he had been hit, it is a real tragedy for us." Abdul-Aziz states that an Achilles tendon rupture usually occurs due to an overworked feet, repeated ankle injuries, practicing on solid surfaces or jumping abruptly. "An inflammation in the Achilles tendon may easily result in this tendon being ruptured," he explained. Abdul-Aziz's words may have explained the lengthy lay-off of Ahli right-back Islam Al-Shater due to an Achilles tendon inflammation.
Gilberto Long Rehabilitation Fathi will undergo a surgery to follow the medical instructions which recommend that the injured person goes under the knife 48 hours at most after sustaining the injury. Abdul-Aziz said that the duration of treatment differs from one person to another. "The treatment lasts for between six and nine months but it can be extended to a year. It depends on the physical therapy as well as the player's response to the treatment." "There is a high probability that the player sustains a similar injury if the treatment program is not accomplished," he added. Frustrating Injury French midfielder Julien Faubert joined English side West Ham from Bordeaux in July 2007 for 1.6 million sterling pounds. He suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during a pre-season friendly, just 20 days after completing the move. "It's a devastating blow for everyone, especially Julien," West Ham manager Alan Curbishley said. "To lose him after an hour of football and just two weeks at the club is a big disappointment." The player was sidelined for six months. He returned to action in January 2008. Greek keeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos suffered dearly from the Achilles tendon rupture. He joined Nottingham Forest from Coventry City on a loan deal until the end of the season last March. But Konstantopoulos picked up the injury in his first training session with Nottingham Forest and had to undergo an operation. His spell with Nottingham was over before it even began. ------------ Additional reporting by Reham Essam
