Matthew-boes-snc
Appt : (919) 863-6845
Make an Online Appointment
  • shoulder-arthrocscopy
  • rotar-cuff-tear
  • knee-arthroscopy
  • Acl-reconstruction
  • trusted-sports

Achilles Tendon Rupture: An Athlete’s Achilles’ Heel

plantar-fasciitis-matthew-boesYour Achilles tendon serves to connect your heel bone to your calf muscle and plays an important role in many of your daily motions: walking, jumping, running all depend on a healthy and functioning Achilles tendon. The tendon is vulnerable to injury, most commonly a rupturing or tearing of the tendon.

What Can Cause An Achilles Tendon To Rupture?

Certain things can put you at risk for experiencing an Achilles tendon rupture. Recreational athletes are particularly more susceptible to the injury, with men being five times more likely than women to experience it. Although the tear can result from a forceful trauma to the back of the heel, it is most often caused by a sudden flexing of the ankle, as can happen during sports play. This same motion can occur as a result of a trip, fall or jump. Below are some ways you can lessen your risk of experiencing a ruptured Achilles tendon.

  • Stretching and strengthening calf muscles helps relieve the strain on the Achilles tendon and increase its range of motion. A strong Achilles tendon is nothing without strong calf muscles to back it!
  • As always, be careful of where and what surfaces you are running on. Smooth running surfaces are the key to safety.
  • Beware of the “weekend warrior effect” which is commonly seen as a cause of Achilles tendon injuries – i.e. when usually sedentary individuals suddenly place undue stress on the tendon during “pick up” sports or other rare recreational activity.

Treatment of Achilles Tendon Rupture

An Achilles tendon rupture will present itself as a sudden, stabbing pain in the back of the ankle with difficulty walking after the injury. There may be swelling, and a gap that can be felt just above the heel. Your doctor may have you lie down and try to engage your calf muscle; if your foot doesn’t flex automatically it’s assumed your tendon has ruptured. Treatments for a ruptured tendon include:

  • Surgery that stitches the tendon back together.
  • Wearing a cast and allowing your tendon to heal back together on its own over time.

The specific treatment selected depends on many factors, such as age, usual activity level, and associated medical conditions. If you suspect an Achilles tendon injury, call Matthew Boes M.D. early so that appropriate evaluation and treatment may be instituted.

4,094 comments on “Achilles Tendon Rupture: An Athlete’s Achilles’ Heel

  1. Hiya, I am really glad I have found this information. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossip and net stuff and this is really irritating. A good blog with interesting content, this is what I need. Thanks for making this site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  2. Hiya, I am really glad I have found this info. Today bloggers publish only about gossip and internet stuff and this is really frustrating. A good site with interesting content, that’s what I need. Thanks for making this website, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  3. Hi there. I discovered your blog by means of Google while searching for a related topic, your website got here up. It appears good. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to come back then.

  4. Hiya, I am really glad I have found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossip and net stuff and this is actually annoying. A good web site with interesting content, this is what I need. Thank you for making this web-site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  5. ahli kunci says:

    Hey there. I found your site by way of Google even as searching for a comparable topic, your website got here up. It seems good. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to visit then.

  6. Hiya, I’m really glad I have found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish just about gossip and net stuff and this is really irritating. A good web site with exciting content, that’s what I need. Thank you for making this site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  7. Next time I read a blog, I hope that it won’t disappoint me just as much as this particular one. After all, Yes, it was my choice to read, however I actually believed you would have something helpful to say. All I hear is a bunch of moaning about something that you could fix if you were not too busy looking for attention.

  8. mrbib scam says:

    I was able to find good information from your blog posts.

  9. Hiya, I’m really glad I have found this information. Today bloggers publish only about gossip and net stuff and this is really frustrating. A good website with interesting content, that’s what I need. Thank you for making this web site, and I’ll be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  10. Awesome post. I’m a regular visitor of your site and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the nice site. I’ll be a regular visitor for a really long time.

  11. Awesome write-up. I’m a normal visitor of your blog and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the excellent site. I will be a regular visitor for a really long time.

  12. Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this info. Today bloggers publish just about gossip and net stuff and this is really annoying. A good site with exciting content, this is what I need. Thanks for making this website, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  13. Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this information. Nowadays bloggers publish only about gossip and net stuff and this is actually frustrating. A good blog with exciting content, this is what I need. Thank you for making this site, and I will be visiting again. Do you do newsletters by email?

  14. Hey there. I discovered your site by means of Google whilst looking for a similar topic, your site got here up. It appears good. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to come back then.

  15. Hey there. I found your site via Google whilst looking for a similar subject, your web site came up. It appears good. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to come back then.

  16. I have been surfing online greater than three hours lately, yet I never found any fascinating article like yours. It is pretty price enough for me. In my opinion, if all site owners and bloggers made excellent content material as you did, the internet will be a lot more helpful than ever before.

  17. It is in reality a great and helpful piece of info. I am happy that you just shared this helpful information with us. Please stay us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.

  18. Home Accents says:

    You are a very smart person!

  19. Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! By the way, how can we communicate?

  20. Awesome post. I am a normal visitor of your blog and appreciate you taking the time to maintain the excellent site. I will be a frequent visitor for a long time.

X

Tell a Friend

captcha