Achilles tendinosis
Chronic heel pain in the athlete
Notes:
Athletes often get acute inflamed achilles tendons. Tendonitis is acute inflammation.
In chronic cases tendonosis of physical degeneration of the tendon often leads
to chronic thickening of the heel cord. Acute rupture may occur in the occasional
athlete e.g. squash player. He feels a sharp pain in the heel and examination
reveals the Achilles tendon is off. Thompson's or Simmond's test is useful where
the gastrocnemius is compressed and the spontaneous plantar flexion of the non
weight bearing observed. If the foot does not planti-flex the tendon has completely
ruptured.