Hello and welcome to the Zero to Finals podcast.

My name is Tom and in this episode I'm going to be talking to you about Achilles tendon rupture.

And you can find written notes on this topic at zero definals.com slash Achilles rupture

or in the orthopedic section of the zero

de finals surgery book. So let's get straight into it.

Achilles tendon rupture is a sudden onset injury resulting in rupture of the Achilles tendon

and the loss of the connection between the calf muscles, the gastronymus

and soleus muscles, to the heel of the foot, specifically the calcaneus bone where the Achilles tendon

inserts. The risk factors for Achilles tendon rupture are sports that stress the Achilles, for example,

basketball, tennis, and track

athletics, increasing age, existing Achilles tendonopathy, a family history, fluoroquinoline

antibiotics, for example, syprofoxicin and levofloxacin, and systemic steroids.

Atompt it for you is worth remembering the association between

fluoroquinolone antibiotics and Achilles tendonopathy and Achilles rupture.

Rupture can occur spontaneously within 48 hours of starting treatment with

fluoroquinolones.

This knowledge is commonly tested in exams, and it's also important to warn patients

before you start fluoroquinolone antibiotics, for example syprofoxicin or leverfloxicin,

to look out for any signs of Achilles tendonitis and stop treatment if they occur.

Let's talk about the presentation. The typical presentation is sudden onset of pain in the

Achilles or the calf, a snapping sound and a snapping sensation, and feeling as though

something has hit them in the back of the leg.

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