What is an Achilles tendon rupture?

       1, etiology and pathogenesis Achilles tendon injury is more common. Direct violence, such as heavy objects hitting the Achilles tendon, can cause contusion, partial or complete rupture of the Achilles tendon, often accompanied by skin damage. Indirect violence is more common, mainly the violent contraction of the muscle, such as improper jumping, improper landing position, etc., the calf triceps muscle suddenly and violently contracted, so that the Achilles tendon was torn injury. Achilles tendon injury can occur in the stopping point of the Achilles tendon, the middle part and the muscle belly tendon migration, mostly for extremely untidy messy tear. Can also be cut by sharp objects such as glass, knives and other injuries, for the contamination of the lighter open injury.  2, clinical manifestations in the injury, can hear the Achilles tendon rupture (Achilles’ tendon rupture) sound, immediately appear heel pain, swelling, ecchymosis, walking weakness, can not lift the heel. On examination, pressure pain and a sense of depression and hollowness may be felt at the Achilles’ tendon rupture. In some cases, the post-injury dysfunction is so insignificant that it is treated as a soft tissue injury. Ultrasound examination can detect the location and type of Achilles tendon injury.  3. Diagnosis History: Acute Achilles tendon rupture has a clear history of injury in sports, and most patients can clearly recall the feeling of clubbing and popping at the back of the ankle at the time of injury, and the injury often occurs when the ankle joint is in extreme dorsiflexion position with force.  Signs and symptoms: limited heel lift, posterior depression of the Achilles tendon with swelling or subcutaneous hemorrhage. Pain in the posterior heel, indentation of the Achilles tendon in the distal calf, positive Thompson test. The Achilles node is subluxated.  Examination: The most effective and convenient test is ultrasonography, which can clarify whether the Achilles tendon is ruptured and the location of the rupture. Follow-up MRI can further examine to determine the degree of Achilles tendon degeneration. Plain radiographs can be used to determine if there is an acute avulsion fracture of the Achilles tendon attachment site.  4. Treatment The rare closed partial Achilles tendon rupture can be fixed in the ankle joint in the dangling relaxed position with a plaster boot for 4 to 6 weeks. Then strengthen the functional training, it can be repaired by itself. Complete ruptures should be operated early with direct suturing or repair of the ruptured Achilles tendon. After surgery, functional training should be started after 4-6 weeks of fixation with a cast in the flexed knee and plantar flexion position of the ankle joint.  Discharge Achilles tendon injury should, in principle, be cleared early and the Achilles tendon repaired. If the skin suture is under tension, it should not be reluctantly sutured directly under tension, and there is a risk of skin necrosis resulting in exposure of the Achilles tendon, and a flap transfer can be used to cover the Achilles tendon. Complete rupture of the old Achilles tendon should be treated surgically. As the calf triceps is in a relaxed position and contracture occurs, it is difficult to suture the Achilles tendon directly, and generally, the Achilles tendon should be repaired by forming.  5.Prevention According to the epidemiological characteristics of Achilles tendon rupture, it is known that the main reason for the rupture of the Achilles tendon caused by indirect external force is the rapid contraction of the calf triceps in the dorsiflexion state of the ankle joint. There are no known sports with such technical movements. Therefore, mastering the correct technique in the process of playing sports is an important tool to avoid rupture of the Achilles tendon. Other known risk factors associated with Achilles tendon rupture include local injection of hormonal drugs and the use of quinolones, which should be avoided.  Fatigue caused by over-intensity and overload exercise is also an important factor leading to Achilles tendon rupture. Therefore, for people who do not often participate in sports activities, they should gradually increase the amount of daily activities, spread out the concentrated exercise time on weekends to a week, and do warm-up preparatory activities before exercise, choose a moderate amount of exercise when exercising with their own specific conditions, and reduce the excessive exercise time, which are of great significance to prevent the occurrence of Achilles tendon rupture.