If you've ever been sidelined with an injury you probably already know that getting hurt can be as frustrating as it is painful. Tears, sprains and strains can keep you out of the game for weeks, months or even permanently.

For the athletically inclined, tearing, or rupturing, an Achilles tendon — that long cord that runs up the back of your lower leg — is a risk, but one that can be reduced with a few simple steps. To find out how ruptures happen, what doctors do to fix them and how you can steer clear of such injuries, we talked to Dr. Steven Haddad, an orthopaedic surgeon and assistant professor at Northwestern University.