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What is an Achilles tendon tear?

What causes Achilles tendon tears?

What are the symptoms of an Achilles tendon tear?

How do doctors diagnose an Achilles tendon tear?

How do doctors treat an Achilles tendon tear?

Sprains and Other Soft-Tissue Injuries

Overview of Sprains

Achilles Tendon Tears

ADDITIONAL CONTENT

Which of the following is the most common cause of ischemic hepatitis?

Blocked blood vessels in the hepatic artery and hepatic vein
Decreased blood flow throughout the body
Decreased oxygen levels in the body due to severe respiratory disorders
Increased need for both oxygen and blood resulting from severe bodywide infection (sepsis)

Achilles Tendon Tears

Q: What is an Achilles tendon tear?

A tendon is a thick rope of tissue that connects a muscle to a bone. The Achilles tendon connects your calf muscle to your heel bone. An Achilles tendon tear is a rip in the tendon. The Achilles tendon can be partially or completely torn It usually tears from running or jumping Doctors can usually tell you have an Achilles tendon tear by examining you You may need surgery

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Last full review/revision Nov 2020| Content last modified Nov 2020

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Achilles Tendon Tear

A tendon is a thick rope of tissue that connects a muscle to a bone.

The Achilles tendon connects your calf muscle to your heel bone. An Achilles tendon tear is a rip in the tendon.

The Achilles tendon can be partially or completely torn
It usually tears from running or jumping
Doctors can usually tell you have an Achilles tendon tear by examining you
You may need surgery

Tendons can tear when:

They are stretched too far
You contract the muscle they're attached to really hard

Achilles tendon tears happen when your foot is pushed up hard, such as when you:

Jump hard
Land from a jump
Run hard

Tears often happen while doing sports, especially when middle-aged people start exercising too hard too quickly.

A tear in the Achilles tendon causes the following symptoms:

It feels like you’ve been kicked behind the ankle
It’s hard to walk
Your calf hurts a lot and may be swollen or bruised

Doctors can usually diagnose an Achilles tendon tear by examining you. Sometimes they do an MRI.

For a partial tear (and some complete tears), you'll wear an ankle splint or a removable boot for 4 weeks.

If your tendon is torn completely or doesn't heal with a splint or boot, you may need surgery.

After the tear heals, you'll need to do rehab exercises. The exercises help strengthen your leg muscles and make your ankle less stiff.

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Overview of Sprains

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Ankle Sprains

Achilles Tendon Tears

Overview of Sprains and Other Soft-Tissue Injuries

Tendinitis and Tenosynovitis

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