Achilles Tendon Rupture

The Achilles tendon takes its name from the legendary hero of the Trojan War. After being dipped in the River Styx, Achilles became invulnerable except for a single weak spot—his heel. It was there that the arrow of Paris, guided by the god Apollo, struck him fatally.

The Achilles tendon is the largest and strongest tendon in the human body. At the start of a sprint, it withstands forces equal to 5–6 times the subject’s body weight. Acute Achilles tendon rupture is related to a sudden acceleration effort, in most cases during a sports activity (Leppilahti et al. 1996).

In an Achilles tendon rupture (ATR), the initial diagnosis is incorrect in 20%–30% of cases (Rolland et al. 2008). The functional outcome of a neglected rupture is poor, because lengthening of the musculotendinous unit has implications for lower-limb biomechanics (Diniz et al. 2020).

That is why, throughout this Module, we will give you an overview of the latest clinical research on ATR. We will look in particular at risk factors, possible complications, and the best treatment: should it be surgical? Conservative? What are their respective advantages and disadvantages? Is rehabilitation that emphasizes early weight-bearing appropriate? What rehabilitation protocol can the physical therapist rely on? Many other questions will be addressed in this Module—questions your patients are likely to ask you. You have the opportunity to give them the best possible answer, backed by the latest clinical guidelines.