Ankle Case 8 Background

The Achilles tendon is the conjoined tendon of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. It most frequently ruptures 2-6 cm proximal to the calcaneus insertion where the vascular supply is the most tenuous.

Risk factors include:

• Increasing age
• Underlying Achilles tendonopathy
• Systemic corticosteroid use
• Previous steroid injections into or around the Achilles tendon
• Use of quinolone antibiotics.

Treatment delay is known to lead to poorer outcomes as a discontinuous or lengthened tendon leads to weak plantar flexion.

Asymmetric foot declination, lack of right resting plantar flexion. There is visible loss of normal contour and tone of the affected Achilles tendon compared to the unaffected side.