The Achilles Tendon is the largest and strongest tendon in the human body. It crosses three joints: the knee, the ankle, and the subtalar joint.
Cause:
The forces that occur during running and jumping can be up to 10 times your body weight, these forces are increased with not only the activities we do but how our foot and ankle is able to adapt to the forces. These extreme forces can cause a partial tear or a complete rupture of the tendon, in chronic conditions a tendinitis of the Achilles can occur.
Symptoms:
In many cases patients develop Achilles tendinitis which causes pain when first getting up from bed or the seated position, and discomfort when athletically active. In chronic conditions, nodules may appear along where the tissue is damaged.
In some cases, patients may develop a more focal pain symptom of the Achilles tendon at its insertion, which may reveal ossification (calcification) of the insertion of the tendon. In many cases of insertional tendinitis there may be a prominence of the calcaneal tuberosity known as a Haglund’s deformity. In these cases, the superolateral bony prominence can cause irritation not only to the Achilles tendon but also can cause the retrocalcaneal bursa to get inflamed causing a retrocalcaneal bursitis.
Treatment:
Treatment approaches of Achilles tendon injuries are determined by the severity of the injury. If symptoms persist despite adequate nonoperative conservative treatment in either an acute or chronic case, surgical repair can be considered. Also, we offer advanced laser therapy , used by many professional athletes, that is non-invasive and proven to get you back on your feet faster and pain free.
Diagnosis:
Is based on a history and physical exam of your symptoms. Imaging studies may also be incorporated by the foot and ankle surgeon to further help determine the severity of the injury.