Achilles Tendon Tears

A tendon is a thick rope of tissue that connects a muscle to a bone.

Achilles Tendon Tear

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The Achilles tendon connects your calf muscle to your heel bone. An Achilles tendon tear is a rip in the tendon.

• The Achilles tendon can be partially or completely torn

• It usually tears from running or jumping

• Doctors can usually tell you have an Achilles tendon tear by examining you

• You may need surgery

Tendons can tear when:

• They are stretched too far

• You contract the muscle they're attached to really hard

Achilles tendon tears happen when your foot is pushed up hard, such as when you:

• Jump hard

• Land from a jump

• Run hard

Tears often happen while doing sports, especially when middle-aged people start exercising too hard too quickly.

A tear in the Achilles tendon causes the following symptoms:

• It feels like you’ve been kicked behind the ankle

• It’s hard to walk

• Your calf hurts a lot and may be swollen or bruised

Doctors can usually diagnose an Achilles tendon tear by examining you. Sometimes they do an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).

For a partial tear (and some complete tears), you'll wear an ankle splint or a removable boot for 4 weeks.

If your tendon is torn completely or doesn't heal with a splint or boot, you may need surgery.

After the tear heals, you'll need to do rehab exercises. The exercises help strengthen your leg muscles and make your ankle less stiff.