- Dr Greisberg has performed more than 600 Achilles tendon repair surgeries
The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) to the foot at the back of the calcaneus. This tendon sees the highest stresses in the body. There are two categories of Achilles tendon troubles: chronic tendon problems (tendonitis and variants) and acute injuries (tears and ruptures).
The majority of chronic tendon problems can be treated without surgery. The center of a non-surgical plan is decreasing stress on the tendon combined with frequent stretching. Surgery is sometimes required to improve symptoms, but usually gets an athlete back to their sport. Some patients can be treated with office injections of newer medicines as an alternative to surgery.
Full ruptures of the Achilles tendon continue to be a common injury for athetes at all levels of sport. For many patients, a non-surgical plan can restore good function in the leg. Although experts have focused on re-rupture rates (which are important!), the true challenge is restoring the leg strength to pre-injury level. Surgery is still the most predictable option for getting the strength as back as much as possible.