A tear of the Achilles tendon is not an uncommon problem in sport and can be quite dramatic when it happens, as the calf muscles and the connected Achilles tendon play such an necessary function. It is more likely to happen in explosive activities like tennis. The real issue is that the achilles tendon and the two muscles attached to it cross two joints (the knee as well as the ankle) and if the two joints are moving in contrary directions simultaneously, particularly if abruptly (as might happen in tennis), then the potential for something failing is fairly high. The management of an achilles tendon rupture is a little debatable because there are two options that most of the published research shows have much the same outcomes.

One choice for an Achilles tendon rupture is conservative and the other is surgical. The conservative option is typically placing the leg in cast which holds the foot pointing downwards slightly. Usually it takes as much as six weeks to heel up and after the cast is taken away, there should be a slow and gentle resumption of physical activity. Physiotherapy is commonly used to assist with that. The surgical choice is to surgically sew the two ends of the tendon together again, this is followed by a period of time in a cast that is shorter than the conservative choice, and is followed by a similar steady and slow resumption of activity. When longer term outcomes are compared the final outcome is usually about the same, however the surgical technique has the additional risk of surgical or anaesthetic complications that the conservative method does not have. The choice as to which method is best will have to be one dependent on the experiences of the surgeon and the choices of the individual with the rupture. There is a trend for competitive athletes to go along the operative pathway for their Achilles tendon rupture because it is believed that this does give a better short term outcome and get the athlete back to the sports field more rapidly.