Do I Have Achilles Tendon Rupture?

Do you have a sudden pain, which feels like you have been kicked in the calf?

Have you heard a popping or snapping sound when the injury occurred?

Do you have a swelling on the back of your leg between the heel and the calf?

Do you have bruising around the lower calf into your ankle and foot?

Do you feel pain with the ankle movement?

Do you have difficulty walking, especially upstairs or uphill?

Do you feel unable to bend the foot downward?

Do you have difficulty rising up on your toes on the injured leg?

Do you feel a gap when touching (palpating) the tendon?

Are you a man between 30 and 40 years of age?

Have you injured yourself by falling from a height or stumbling in to a hole?

Have you increased the intensity of your workouts?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have the Achilles tendon rupture. The Achilles tendon is a large and strong band of tissue that connects your calf muscle to the heel bone. The tendon can rupture when you overstretch it. Vigorous jumping or a sudden acceleration of running can overstretch the Achilles tendon and cause it to rupture. The tendon can also rupture if you stumble or fall. The rupture of the Achilles tendon can be partial or complete. It is most common in middle-aged men who play sports only in their spare time (e.g. on weekends only).

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have the Achilles tendon rupture. The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in your body that attaches the muscles of your calf to your heel bone. You use it every time you walk, jump or run. The rupture usually occurs 4-6 cm above the place where the tendon attaches to the heel bone. This area is characterized by poor blood flow, so it is possible that the poor blood supply is related to the location of the tendon rupture. This condition is often misdiagnosed as an ankle sprain. Diagnosing is based on physical examination and MRI.

Based on your answers there is a high possibility that you have the Achilles tendon rupture. The Achilles tendon (the heel cord) is located in the lower part of your lower leg and connects your calf muscle with the heel bone. The rupture of the tendon usually occurs due to a traumatic injury during a sporting event. When the Achilles tendon ruptures, you may feel a sudden pain in the back of your leg and hear a snap. The injury can be treated non-surgically and surgically depending on your age and the severity of the rupture. Physical therapy will strengthen your leg muscles and the Achilles tendon.