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Achilles Tendon Rupture, Sports Medicine

Carrie A. Jaworski, MD, FAAFP, FACSM and Melissa Faubert, DO Reviewed 04/2019
 


BASICS

  • Achilles tendon ruptures are caused by laceration or by indirect forces applied to the tendon.

  • Three types of indirect forces have been described:

    • Pushing off with the weight-bearing forefoot whi...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Patients commonly report feeling as if they have been kicked or struck in the back of the heel, only to find no one is nearby.

  • May feel or hear a “pop” or snap

  • Pain with weight-bearing

  • W...

TREATMENT

  • Analgesia should be based on the patient’s degree of pain.

  • Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) should be used in the initial treatment of complete and partial tears.

  • Controversy in th...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Return to activity guidelines in nonoperative treatment with functional rehabilitation available 1[A]: 
  • 0 to 2 wk: equinus cast in 15 to 20 degrees plantar flexion...

REFERENCES

1
Cooper MT. Acute Achilles tendon ruptures: does surgery offer superior results (and other confusing issues)? Clin Sports Med.  2015;34(4):595–606.
2
Soroceanu A, Sidhwa F, Aarabi S, et ...

ADDITIONAL READING

Pedowitz D, Kirwan G. Achilles tendon ruptures. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med.  2013;6(4):285–293. 

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • New literature is emerging suggesting nonoperative treatment with early functional rehabilitation has similar rerupture rates to surgical treatment; however, overall power is reduced b...

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