What is the Achilles tendon?
- It’s the largest strongest tendon in the human body.
- A fibrous cord that attaches the calve muscle of the lower leg to the heel.
- You can feel it at the back of your ankle.
- It’s critical to walking, running, and jumping.
How do we injure it?
- The most common situation is during an active sport – rugby, soccer, basketball, etc.
- Happens with forceful movement sprinting, jumping.
- Quick stops or change in direction, direct trauma to the tendon.
- For older people, the tendon can weaken and rupture.
What are the symptoms?
- A sudden sharp pain back of lower leg or heel.
- There’s often a popping or snapping sound.
- People are unable to walk or stand on tiptoes, and there’s swelling or bruising lower back of leg.
- You can sometimes see or feel a gap or indent in tendon.
What do you do about it?
- You need diagnosis: a doctor will examine you and often order an ultrasound or MRI.
- Non-surgical: try and get to heal up on your own – only applies for a partial tear or a ‘non athlete’.
- Often put in special moon boot for up to 2 months
- Orthopaedic Surgeon: For a complete rupture, athletes, younger healthier patients – no surgery fails.
- Often within two weeks of injury, they stitch the tendon back together
- 3-6 months of recovery and physio involved to rehab and strengthen the tendon and get moving again.
LISTEN ABOVE
Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you