Achilles Tendon Rupture
15th June 2022
Most cases of Achilles tendon rupture are traumatic sports injuries. The typical age of patients is 29–40 years and much more common in men than women about 20:1 ratio
HISTORY
A sudden pain in the back of the leg, with an audible snap, is the classic story in Achilles tendon rupture. Patients will often think that they have been hit directly in the calf; it is very rare for there to be prior symptoms from the tendon. It can happen easily from a seemingly innocuous movement of the lower leg, like pushing off with your foot, jumping ,
Points to remember
- The gold standard investigation is an ultrasound scan or an MRI.
- People with Achilles tendon rupture can often still walk
- The Thompson test , where you squeeze the calf to see if the foot moves into plantaflexion is about a 90% reliable test
- Patients who rupture their Achilles tendon have usually no previous Achilles symptoms
- Conservative care is usually the best approach with support in a boot for up to 10 weeks
Points to remember
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Patients with rupture of the Achilles tendon can still actively move the ankle up and down
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Patients with an Achilles tendon rupture will not always have a palpable gap in the tendon.