Emory Study Finds Achilles Rupture Is Not a Sports-Ending Injury

No athlete – professional or recreational – is happy when they’re sidelined with an injury. That’s particularly true when the injury is thought to be career-ending, like an Achilles tendon rupture. Fortunately, researchers from Emory University’s Department of Orthopedics have found otherwise.

An Overview: Achilles Tendon Rupture

The Achilles tendon connects calf muscles to your heel. Overuse or overstretching it can cause it to tear completely or, sometimes, only partially. When the tendon ruptures, it can cause significant pain and limited mobility. In fact, it can make it difficult and painful to put pressure on it when you walk.

The most common treatment for a ruptured Achilles tendon is surgery, but sometimes non-surgical treatment is also effective. After surgery, your orthopedic provider will recommend therapy and strengthening exercises to regain mobility.

Both recreational and professional athletes are often concerned with their ability to return to their previous activities following treatment and recovery. The study found that at a mean of 1.8 years after surgical repair of the Achilles tendon, 31 percent of patients had returned to their previous preinjury level of play as determined by the Tegner Activity Level Scale, and 58 percent had returned to within 1 Tegner level of play. Athletes with a Tegner score of 7 or greater benefited even more from the surgical treatment.

These results suggest that patients with more strenuous athletic demands are more dependent on recovery of ankle strength in the postoperative time period in order to return to their previous high level of play, whereas regaining strength may be less important for returning to normal activities for less active patients.