Slide 37 of 40
Notes:
Athletes often get acute inflamed achilles tendons. Tendonitis is acute inflammation. In chronic cases tendonosis of physical degenteration of the tendon often leads to chronic thickening of the heel cord. Acute rupture may occur in the occasional athlete eg squash player. He feels a sharp pain in the heel and examination reveals the Acilles tendon is off. Thompsons or Simmonds test is useful where the gastrocnemius is compressed and the spontaneus plantar flection of the non weightbearing observed. If the foot does not plantiiflex the tendon has completeluy ruptured.