Achilles Tendon Rupture Workup

  • Author: Brian A Jacobs, MD, FACSM; Chief Editor: Sherwin SW Ho, MD   more...
 
Updated: Dec 13, 2011
 

Laboratory Studies

  • Serum and blood studies are usually unnecessary.
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Imaging Studies

  • Radiographs are more useful in ruling out other injuries than in ruling in Achilles tendon ruptures, and they may show findings of soft-tissue swelling, increased ankle dorsiflexion on stress views, vascular or heterotopic calcifications, accessory ossicles, calcaneal fractures, a Haglund deformity, or bony metaplasia.[13]
  • Musculoskeletal ultrasonography can be used to determine the tendon thickness, character, and presence of a tear. This imaging modality is inexpensive, involves no ionizing radiation and, in the hands of skilled ultrasonographers, may be very reliable.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to discern incomplete ruptures from degeneration of the Achilles tendon, and MRI can also distinguish between paratenonitis, tendinosis, and bursitis.[13]
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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Brian A Jacobs, MD, FACSM  Consulting Staff, Private Practice, Family Medicine of South Bend; Team Physician, Marian High School

Brian A Jacobs, MD, FACSM is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Sports Medicine, and American Medical Society for Sports Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

David Y Lin, MD  Fellow, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Section of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Campbell Clinic

David Y Lin, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Evan Schwartz, MD  Director of Orthopedic Surgery, New York Medical College; Assistant Professor, St John's Queens Hospital, Department of Surgery, Albert Einstein School of Medicine

Evan Schwartz, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

David T Bernhardt, MD  Director of Adolescent and Sports Medicine Fellowship, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics/Ortho and Rehab, Division of Sports Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

David T Bernhardt, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Sports Medicine, and American Medical Society for Sports Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Jon B Whitehurst, MD  Clinical Instructor of Surgery, University of Illinois College of Medicine; Partner, Rockford Orthopedic Associates; Orthopedic Chairman, Rockford Memorial Hospital

Jon B Whitehurst, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, and Arthroscopy Association of North America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Sherwin SW Ho, MD  Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Section of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Chicago Division of the Biological Sciences, The Pritzker School of Medicine

Sherwin SW Ho, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, Arthroscopy Association of North America, and Herodicus Society

Disclosure: Breg, Inc. Consulting fee Consulting; Biomet, Inc. Consulting fee Consulting; GMV, Inc. Arthroscopy Simulator Evaluation and teaching; Smith and Nephew Grant/research funds Fellowship funding; DJ Ortho Grant/research funds Course funding; Athletico Physical Therapy Grant/research funds Course, research funding

Additional Contributors

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous author, Henry Marano, MD, to the development and writing of this article.

References

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  21. [Best Evidence] Pajala A, Kangas J, Siira P, Ohtonen P, Leppilahti J. Augmented compared with nonaugmented surgical repair of a fresh total Achilles tendon rupture. A prospective randomized study. J Bone Joint Surg Am. May 2009;91(5):1092-100. [Medline].

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