Acute Achilles tendon ruptures typically occur in people between the ages of 30 and 50 and the incidence is on the rise. These patients are often left with an elongated Achilles tendon, marked calf muscle atrophy and weakness, which contributes to a permanently reduced physical function. In fact, only one in two patients find their symptom level acceptable. Despite a plethora of research in recent decades, there have not been any substantial advancements in the treatment that can measurably mitigate the functional loss these patients suffer. Data show that the tendon elongates for at least six months, and that it does not normalize its stiffness, metabolic response to loading and vascularity until about 12 months post rupture, indicating that tendon tissue heals rather slowly in comparison to other tissues, e.g. muscle. The elongated tendon is associated with a reduced muscle length, which results in diminished heel-raise height. Surgery does not appear to restore the anatomy of the Achilles tendon, which impact the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles.
The Biomedical Basis of Elite Performance 2024 (University of Nottingham, UK) (2024) Proc Physiol Soc 62, SA01
Research Symposium: Tendon and muscle adaptation following achilles tendon rupture
Peter Magnusson1
1University of Copenhagen Denmark
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