Overview
An Achilles tendon rupture is when you tear the tissue that connects your calf muscle to your heel bone. Your Achilles tendon is very strong and flexible. It?s at the back of your ankle and connects your calf muscle to the bone in the heel of your foot (calcaneum). If you rupture your Achilles tendon, you can either partially or completely tear the tendon. Most people who injure their Achilles tendon are between 30 and 50 and don?t exercise regularly. It?s more common in men but can affect anyone. It happens most often in the left leg. This may be because most people are right-handed which means that they ?push off? more frequently with the left foot when running.
Causes
Factors that may increase your risk of Achilles tendon rupture include Age. The peak age for Achilles tendon rupture is 30 to 40. Your sex. Achilles tendon rupture is up to five times more likely to occur in men than in women. Playing recreational sports. Achilles tendon injuries occur more often in sports that involve running, jumping and sudden starts and stops - such as soccer, basketball and tennis. Steroid injections. Doctors sometimes inject steroids into an ankle joint to reduce pain and inflammation. However, this medication can weaken nearby tendons and has been associated with Achilles tendon ruptures. Certain antibiotics. Fluoroquinolone antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro) or levofloxacin (Levaquin), increase the risk of Achilles tendon rupture.
Symptoms
The most common symptom of Achilles tendonitis is a sudden surge of pain in the heel and back of the ankle at the point of injury which is often described as a snapping sensation in the heel. After the injury has occurred, patients then struggle or find it near impossible to bear any weight on the affected leg. Pain can often be most prominent first thing in the morning after the injury has been rested. Swelling and tenderness is also likely to appear in the area.
Diagnosis
A consultation and physical exam with a qualified musculoskeletal expert is the first step. X-ray or MRI scanning may be required for a diagnosis. Once a rupture is diagnosed it should be treated to prevent loss of strength and inadequate healing.
Non Surgical Treatment
Two treatment options are casting or surgery. If an Achilles tendon rupture is untreated then it may not heal properly and could lead to loss of strength. Decisions about treatment options should be made on an individual basis. Non-surgical management traditionally is selected for minor ruptures, less active patients, and those with medical conditions that prevent them from undergoing surgery. The goal of casting is to allow the tendon to slowly heal over time. The foot and ankle are positioned to bring the torn ends of the tendon close together. Casting or bracing for up to 12 weeks or more may be necessary. This method can be effective and avoids some risks, such as infection, associated with surgery. However, the likelihood of re-rupture may be higher with a non-surgical approach and recovery can take longer.
Surgical Treatment
Your doctor may recommend surgery if you?re young and active, or an athlete. However, this will depend on where your tendon is ruptured. If the rupture is at, or above, the point at which your tendon merges with your calf muscle, for example, surgery may not be possible. There are three main types of surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon. Open surgery. Your surgeon will make one long cut in your leg to reach the tendon and repair it. Limited open surgery. Your surgeon will still make a single cut but it will be shorter. Percutaneous surgery. Your surgeon will make a number of small cuts to reach the tendon and repair it. In all types of surgery, your surgeon will stitch the tendon together so it can heal. Each type of surgery has different risks. Open surgery is less likely to injure one of the nerves in your leg for example, but has a higher risk of infection. Ask your surgeon to explain the risks in more detail. After your operation, you will need to wear a series of casts or an adjustable brace on your leg to help your Achilles tendon heal. This will usually be for between four and eight weeks. There is a chance that your tendon will rupture again after the operation.
An Achilles tendon rupture is when you tear the tissue that connects your calf muscle to your heel bone. Your Achilles tendon is very strong and flexible. It?s at the back of your ankle and connects your calf muscle to the bone in the heel of your foot (calcaneum). If you rupture your Achilles tendon, you can either partially or completely tear the tendon. Most people who injure their Achilles tendon are between 30 and 50 and don?t exercise regularly. It?s more common in men but can affect anyone. It happens most often in the left leg. This may be because most people are right-handed which means that they ?push off? more frequently with the left foot when running.Causes
Factors that may increase your risk of Achilles tendon rupture include Age. The peak age for Achilles tendon rupture is 30 to 40. Your sex. Achilles tendon rupture is up to five times more likely to occur in men than in women. Playing recreational sports. Achilles tendon injuries occur more often in sports that involve running, jumping and sudden starts and stops - such as soccer, basketball and tennis. Steroid injections. Doctors sometimes inject steroids into an ankle joint to reduce pain and inflammation. However, this medication can weaken nearby tendons and has been associated with Achilles tendon ruptures. Certain antibiotics. Fluoroquinolone antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro) or levofloxacin (Levaquin), increase the risk of Achilles tendon rupture.
Symptoms
The most common symptom of Achilles tendonitis is a sudden surge of pain in the heel and back of the ankle at the point of injury which is often described as a snapping sensation in the heel. After the injury has occurred, patients then struggle or find it near impossible to bear any weight on the affected leg. Pain can often be most prominent first thing in the morning after the injury has been rested. Swelling and tenderness is also likely to appear in the area.
Diagnosis
A consultation and physical exam with a qualified musculoskeletal expert is the first step. X-ray or MRI scanning may be required for a diagnosis. Once a rupture is diagnosed it should be treated to prevent loss of strength and inadequate healing.
Non Surgical Treatment
Two treatment options are casting or surgery. If an Achilles tendon rupture is untreated then it may not heal properly and could lead to loss of strength. Decisions about treatment options should be made on an individual basis. Non-surgical management traditionally is selected for minor ruptures, less active patients, and those with medical conditions that prevent them from undergoing surgery. The goal of casting is to allow the tendon to slowly heal over time. The foot and ankle are positioned to bring the torn ends of the tendon close together. Casting or bracing for up to 12 weeks or more may be necessary. This method can be effective and avoids some risks, such as infection, associated with surgery. However, the likelihood of re-rupture may be higher with a non-surgical approach and recovery can take longer.
Surgical Treatment
Your doctor may recommend surgery if you?re young and active, or an athlete. However, this will depend on where your tendon is ruptured. If the rupture is at, or above, the point at which your tendon merges with your calf muscle, for example, surgery may not be possible. There are three main types of surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon. Open surgery. Your surgeon will make one long cut in your leg to reach the tendon and repair it. Limited open surgery. Your surgeon will still make a single cut but it will be shorter. Percutaneous surgery. Your surgeon will make a number of small cuts to reach the tendon and repair it. In all types of surgery, your surgeon will stitch the tendon together so it can heal. Each type of surgery has different risks. Open surgery is less likely to injure one of the nerves in your leg for example, but has a higher risk of infection. Ask your surgeon to explain the risks in more detail. After your operation, you will need to wear a series of casts or an adjustable brace on your leg to help your Achilles tendon heal. This will usually be for between four and eight weeks. There is a chance that your tendon will rupture again after the operation.
