Achilles tendon rupture

• Symptoms:

  • Sudden pain
  • Audible snap
  • Difficulty weight bearing
• Risk factors:

  • Increased age
  • Exercise that stresses the tendon - jumping - anything that causes you to push off your foot explosively
  • Fluoroquinolone antibiotics
  • Long term steroid use
  • Existing Achilles tendinopathy
• Simmonds calf squeeze test:

  • Patient prone or kneeling with feet hanging freely
  • Squeezing the calf muscle normally causes the ankle to plantar flex
  • In rupture the connection between the calf and ankle is lost so squeezing the calf doesn't cause plantar flexion
• Management:

  • Need admission/same day referral to orthopaedics
  • Can be diagnosed with ultrasound
  • May require surgery