The Achilles tendon is the strongest tendon in the body yet is has vulnerability. As for the diagnosis of Achilles tendon ruptures by podiatrists in Tucson, stabbing pain is usually associated with a traumatic event and the sensation of being hit in the back of the heel. There is usually a palpable defect in the tendon and associated decrease in plantarflexion.
Conservative treatment is for partial tears, sedentary or older patients, and non-surgical candidates. Treatment consists of casting for six to eight weeks with a gradual decrease in the equinus angle. Patients progress to heel lifts in their shoes. Based on experience, conservative treatment has a higher rate of rupturing again.
Surgical treatment for Achilles tendon ruptures is the gold standard. The most popular treatment is primary repair of the tendon ending with suture techniques with or without graft reinforcement. Grafting has increased in popularity to reinforce the suturing technique of choice. No concrete studies have placed one suturing technique over the other.
Recurrence of injury due to loss of tendon strength is a common complication, but one can avoid this with good incision planning and technique. As with most trauma, the diagnosis and treatment is pretty straightforward. The moral of this blog is prevention. All active patients should practice proper stretch techniques before and after activity. We combine Podiatric Medicine and Surgery, innovative laser treatment and state of the art three-dimensional orthopedic scanning to relieve pain, promote healing and restore normal function. If you need help with stretch techniques or believe you have injured your Achilles tendon, contact us today for an appointment.