Open Repair of Acute Achilles Tendon Ruptures: Is the Incidence of Clinically Significant Wound Complications Overestimated?

Background: Conflicting evidence exists regarding the optimal management of acute Achilles tendon ruptures. Operative repair is thought to afford patients a lower risk of rerupture, albeit at a higher overall risk of wound complications. Methods: A retrospective chart review of 369 consecutive patients undergoing open repair of acute Achilles tendon ruptures performed by a single foot and ankle fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon was undertaken. Healing was classified as no complications, complications without prolonging treatment, complications requiring prolonged local treatment, and complications requiring operative intervention. A statistical analysis comparing the rates of complications in this cohort to that reported in the literature was conducted. Results: There were a total of 33 (8.94%) wound complications. Compared to the rates reported in the literature, no significant difference was detected ( P = .3943; CI 6.24-12.33). However, when the complications not requiring additional treatment or prolonged care were excluded, only 9 wound complications (2.44%) were identified—a significantly lower complication rate than that reported in the literature ( P < .0001; CI 1.12-4.58). There were only 2 (0.54%) major complications requiring operative intervention, also a significantly lower rate than in the literature ( P < .0001; CI 0.067-1.94). Conclusion: In the past, wound-healing complications have been cited as a concern when treating patients operatively. We found that when solely looking at healing complications prolonging the patients’ overall recovery, a significantly lower rate of complications existed compared to that reported in the literature. Level of Evidence: Level IV.

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Retrospective Analysis of Mini-Open Repair Versus Open Repair for Acute Achilles Tendon Ruptures

Foot & Ankle Specialist ◽

10.1177/1938640012463052 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 15-20 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Erin E. Klein ◽

Lowell Weil ◽

Jeffrey R. Baker ◽

Lowell Scott Weil ◽

Wenjay Sung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Achilles Tendon ◽

Open Repair ◽

Surgical Intervention ◽

Achilles Tendon Rupture ◽

Tendon Repair ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Tendon Ruptures ◽

Return To Activity ◽

Mini Open

Purpose: Debate exists over optimal treatment for acute Achilles tendon ruptures. Recent literature suggests the mini-open technique may provide the reliability of the open repair with the decreased complication rate of non-operative treatment. This retrospective review compares acute tendon ruptures treated with one of two techniques: open repair (TO) or mini-open repair (MOA). Methods & Results: Records were reviewed and 34 patients were found to meet the inclusion criteria for open or mini-open repair of an acute Achilles tendon rupture with follow up of at least 12 months. TO (n=16) and MOA (n=18) had no statistically significant differences in age at time of injury [TO: 41 + 2.5 years (range 20 – 68); MOA: 46 + 2.5 years (range 33 – 73)] or time between injury and surgical repair [TO: 15 + 2 days (range 2 – 30); MOA: 15 + 2 days (range 2 – 30)]. Post-operative VISA-A scores were 82 + 10 (range 42 – 98) and 92 + 5 (range 66 – 100) for TO and MOA, respectively. Significant differences were found in the time between surgical intervention and beginning of rehabilitation [TO: Post op day 37 + 5 (range 21 – 46); MOA: Post op day 19 + 2 (range 7 – 32)] and the time between surgical intervention and full return to activity [TO: Post op month 7 + 1 (range 4 – 11); MOA: Post op month 5 + 0.6 (range 4 – 11)]. Conclusion: These results suggest that the mini-open repair provides acceptable surgical outcomes while optimizing patient function after Achilles tendon repair. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level III: Retrospective Comparative

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Percutaneous versus Open Repair of the Ruptured Achilles Tendon

The American Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1177/0363546504271501 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 33 (9) ◽

pp. 1369-1379 ◽

Cited By ~ 113

Author(s):

Andrej Čretnik ◽

Miloš Kosanović ◽

Vladimir Smrkolj

Keyword(s):

Achilles Tendon ◽

Local Anesthesia ◽

Tendon Rupture ◽

Open Repair ◽

Achilles Tendon Rupture ◽

Tendon Repair ◽

Functional Results ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Significant Difference ◽

American Orthopaedic

Background Controversy regarding the optimal treatment of the fresh total Achilles tendon rupture remains. Purpose To compare the results of percutaneous and open Achilles tendon repair. Study Design Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods The results of 132 consecutive patients with acute complete Achilles tendon rupture who were operated on exclusively with modified percutaneous repair under local anesthesia from 1991 to 1997 and followed up for at least 2 years were compared to the results of 105 consecutive patients who were operated on exclusively with open repair under general or spinal anesthesia in the same period. Results There were significantly fewer major complications in the group of percutaneous repairs in comparison with the group of open repairs (4.5% vs 12.4%; P = .03), particularly necrosis (0% vs 5.6%; P = .019), and a lower total number of complications (9.7% vs 21%; P = .013). There were slightly more reruptures (3.7% vs 2.8%; P = .680) and sural nerve disturbances (4.5% vs 2.8%; P = .487) in the group of percutaneous repairs, with no statistically significant difference. Functional assessment using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society scale and the Holz score showed no statistically significant difference. Conclusion The results of the study support the choice of (modified) percutaneous suturing under local anesthesia as the method that brings comparable functional results to open repair, with a significantly lower rate of complications.

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Outcomes and Complications of Open Versus Minimally Invasive Repair of Acute Achilles Tendon Ruptures: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

The American Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1177/03635465211053619 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 036354652110536

Author(s):

Ahmed Khalil Attia ◽

Karim Mahmoud ◽

Pieter d’Hooghe ◽

Jason Bariteau ◽

Sameh A. Labib ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Achilles Tendon ◽

Functional Outcomes ◽

Sural Nerve ◽

Open Repair ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Deep Infection ◽

Surgical Time ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Tendon Ruptures ◽

The Mean

Background: An acute Achilles tendon rupture is one of the most common sports injuries, affecting 18 per 100,000 persons, and its operative repair has been evolving and increasing in frequency since the mid-1900s. Traditionally, open surgical repair has provided improved functional outcomes, reduced rerupture rates, and a quicker recovery and return to activities at the expense of increased wound complications such as infections and skin necrosis compared with nonoperative management. In 1977, Ma and Griffith introduced the percutaneous approach, and over the following decades, multiple improved techniques, and modifications thereof, have been described with comparable outcomes with open repair. Purpose: The current study aimed to provide updated level 1 evidence comparing open repair with minimally invasive surgery (MIS) through a comprehensive search of the literature published in English, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, and German while avoiding limitations of previous studies such as heterogeneous study designs and a small number of included trials. Study Design: Meta-analysis; Level of evidence, 1. Methods: Following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, 2 independent team members searched several databases to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing open repair and MIS of Achilles tendon ruptures. The primary outcomes were (1) functional outcomes, (2) reruptures, (3) sural nerve injuries, and (4) infections (deep/superficial), whereas the secondary outcomes were (1) skin complications, (2) adhesions, (3) other complications, (4) ankle range of motion, and (5) surgical time. Results: There were 10 RCTs that qualified for the meta–analysis with a total of 522 patients. Overall, 260 (49.8%) patients underwent open repair, while 262 (50.2%) underwent MIS. The mean postoperative AOFAS score was 94.8 and 95.7 for open repair and MIS, respectively, with a nonsignificant difference (mean difference [MD], –0.73 [95% CI, –1.70 to 0.25]; P = .14; I2 = 0%). The pooled mean total complication rate was 15.5% (0%-36.4%) for open repair and 10.4% (0%-45.5%) for MIS, with a nonsignificant statistical difference (odds ratio [OR], 1.50 [95% CI, 0.87-2.57]; P = .14; I2 = 40%). The mean rerupture rate was 2.5% (0%-6.8%) for open repair versus 1.5% (0%-4.6%) for MIS, with a nonsignificant statistical difference (OR, 1.56 [95% CI, 0.42-5.70]; P = .50; I2 = 0%). No cases of sural nerve injuries were reported in the open repair group. The mean sural nerve injury rate was 3.4% (0%-7.3%) in the MIS group, which was statistically significant (OR, 0.16 [95% CI, 0.03-0.46]; P = .02; I2 = 0%). The mean overall superficial infection rate was 6.0% (0%-18.2%) and 0.4% (0%-4.5%) for open repair and MIS, respectively, with a statistically significant difference (OR, 5.70 [95% CI, 1.80-18.02]; P < .001; I2 = 0%). The mean overall deep infection rate reported in the open repair group was 1.4% (0%-5.0%), while no deep infection was reported in the MIS group, with no statistically significant difference (OR, 3.14 [95% CI, 0.48-20.54]; P = .23; I2 = 0%). There were no significant differences between the open repair and MIS groups in the skin necrosis and dehiscence rate, adhesion rate, or keloid scar rate. The mean surgical time was 51.0 and 29.7 minutes for open repair and MIS, respectively, with a statistically significant difference (MD, 21.13 [95% CI, 15.50-26.75]; P < .001; I2 = 15%). Conclusion: Open Achilles tendon repair was associated with a longer surgical time, higher risk of superficial infections, and higher risk of ankle stiffness, while MIS was associated with a greater risk of temporary sural nerve palsy. The rerupture rate and functional outcomes were mostly equivalent. We found MIS to be a safe and reliable technique. However, high–quality standardized RCTs are still needed before recommending MIS as the gold standard for managing Achilles tendon ruptures.

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The Incidence of Achilles Tendon Ruptures in Edmonton, Canada

Foot & Ankle International ◽

10.1177/107110070502601106 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 26 (11) ◽

pp. 932-936 ◽

Cited By ~ 119

Author(s):

Amar A. Suchak ◽

Geoff Bostick ◽

David Reid ◽

Sandra Blitz ◽

Nadr Jomha

Keyword(s):

Achilles Tendon ◽

Achilles Tendon Rupture ◽

Age Distribution ◽

Age Groups ◽

Retrospective Chart Review ◽

Epidemiological Data ◽

North American Population ◽

The North ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Tendon Ruptures

Background: The incidence of Achilles tendon ruptures specific to the North American population has not been previously reported and current epidemiological data are primarily reported from European communities. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of Achilles tendon ruptures in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and to compare this data to those reported in European studies. Methods: A retrospective chart review from all five acute care hospitals in Edmonton from 1998 to 2002 (inclusive) were reviewed for Achilles tendon ruptures. Data such as gender, age, side, mechanism of injury, and season of injury were obtained. Results: The incidence of Achilles tendon ruptures ranged from an annual average of 5.5 ruptures to 9.9 ruptures per 100,000 inhabitants with an overall mean of 8.3 ruptures per 100,000 people. There was a statistically significant difference in Achilles tendon ruptures over the last two study years for both genders (women, p < 0.02; men, p < 0.03). The mean age for an Achilles tendon rupture was 40.6 years for men and 44.5 years for women. The Achilles tendon ruptures occurred most frequently in the 30 to 39 and 40 to 49 year old age groups in both men and women, respectively ( p < 0.02). Most ruptures occurred in the spring season, but there was no statistical difference in the incidence of Achilles tendon ruptures by season ( p > 0.05). Conclusions: The incidence of Achilles tendon ruptures in this community was comparable to those reported in European communities (range 6 to 37 ruptures per 100,000 people), although a bimodal age distribution of rupture previously reported was not observed in this study.

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Return to Play After Mini-Open Repair of Achilles Tendon Ruptures in the NFL Athlete

Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics ◽

10.1177/2473011417s000183 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 2473011417S0001

Author(s):

Stephen Greenfield ◽

Robert Anderson

Keyword(s):

Achilles Tendon ◽

Performance Metrics ◽

Open Repair ◽

Return To Sport ◽

Return To Play ◽

Post Injury ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Tendon Ruptures ◽

The Impact ◽

Mini Open

Category: Sports Introduction/Purpose: Non-insertional Achilles tendon ruptures are a devastating injury in the National Football League (NFL) athlete. Depending on timing, these often are season ending injuries. There are mixed reports in the literature regarding impact of Achilles injuries in elite athletes. Additionally, there have been advancements in techniques including a mini-open repair that has proven successful. The purpose of this study was to critically analyze a large, single surgeon series of non-insertional Achilles ruptures in NFL athletes treated with a mini-open technique. Our primary focus was to determine return to play and evaluate possible contributing factors that affect this. Additionally, we sought to compare pre and post injury performance for those who successfully returned to the NFL. Methods: NFL athletes treated for non-insertional Achilles ruptures since 2012 were included. Demographic and performance data were obtained from the NFL.com player database and included position, age, years in the league, return to sport and relevant performance metrics listed below. Pre injury frequency of play (games played per total games in season) for athletes were recorded. The impact of injury on performance after return to sport was assessed by comparing data from two years prior and two years post injury, normalized to a “per game” basis. For defensive players, specific metrics included tackles, pass deflection, interceptions and sacks. For offensive players, rushing and receiving statistics for running backs and wide receivers/tight ends were recorded, respectively. Average yards per run/catch, attempts per game, number of 20+ yard plays and touchdowns were recorded. Data was analyzed with Welch’s method 2-Sample t test in Minitab. Results: Thirty-five ruptures were identified in predominantly defensive players (25/35). Ruptures occurred, on average, at age 27.7 years with 4.1 years of NFL experience. There was no significant difference in offensive (70%) and defensive (76%) player’s ability to return to the NFL (p=1.0). The frequency of play in the two seasons prior to injury differed significantly for players who did not return (21%) compared to those who did (95%) (p=.0013). Due to limited skill-position offensive players, further sub- analysis was limited. Defensive players who returned demonstrated significant differences in performance pre-injury compared to players who failed to return. In the two years following injury, returning defensive players performed at near baseline compared to pre injury statistics (figure 1). Conclusion: Achilles injuries occurred predominately in defensive players. Typically occurring past the average NFL career length, it represents a mid to late career injury. The comeback rate of 74% is excellent and is higher than previously reported. Those who failed to return were utilized less frequently pre-injury and had poorer performance statistics (defensive), indicating less talented players were impacted to a greater extent. Lastly, given limited or no differences found in productivity for those who returned, we conclude that while an Achilles injury is most often season ending, most skilled players are able to return with little impact on performance.

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Knotless Reconstruction of Chronic Achilles Tendon Ruptures With <3-cm Defects: Technique Tip

Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics ◽

10.1177/24730114211050565 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 247301142110505

Author(s):

Justin C. Haghverdian ◽

Christopher E. Gross ◽

Andrew R. Hsu

Keyword(s):

Achilles Tendon ◽

Skin Incision ◽

Surgical Reconstruction ◽

Fixation Strength ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Functional Deficits ◽

Tendon Lengthening ◽

Soft Tissue Dissection ◽

Tendon Ruptures ◽

Gait Abnormalities

Chronic Achilles tendon ruptures can result in tendon lengthening and significant functional deficits including gait abnormalities and diminished push-off strength. Surgical intervention is typically required to restore Achilles tension and improve ankle plantarflexion strength. A variety of surgical reconstruction techniques exist depending on the size of the defect and amount of associated tendinosis. For smaller tendon defects 2 to 3 cm in size, primary end-to-end repair using an open incision and multiple locking sutures is an established technique. However, a longer skin incision and increased soft tissue dissection is required, and failure at the suture-tendon interface has been reported that can result in postoperative tendon elongation and persistent weakness. In this report, we describe a novel technique to reconstruct chronic midsubstance Achilles tendon ruptures using a small incision with knotless repair of the tendon secured directly to the calcaneus. This technique minimizes wound healing complications, increases construct fixation strength, and allows for early range of motion and rehabilitation. Level of Evidence: Level V, Expert Opinion.

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The Effectiveness of Open Repair Versus Percutaneous Repair for an Acute Achilles Tendon Rupture

Journal of Sport Rehabilitation ◽

10.1123/jsr.2015-0024 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 404-410 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Heidi Krueger ◽

Shannon David

Keyword(s):

Achilles Tendon ◽

Open Repair ◽

Supporting Evidence ◽

Clinical Scenario ◽

Clinical Question ◽

Bottom Line ◽

Physically Active ◽

Men And Women ◽

Percutaneous Repair ◽

Tendon Ruptures

Clinical Scenario:There are 2 approaches available for surgical repair of the Achilles tendon: open or percutaneous. However, there is controversy over which repair is superior.Focused Clinical Question:Which type of surgery is better in providing the best overall patient outcome, open or percutaneous repair, in physically active men and women with acute Achilles tendon ruptures?Summary of Search, “Best Evidence” Appraised, and Key Findings:The literature was searched for studies of level 3 evidence or higher that investigated the effectiveness of open repair versus percutaneous repair on acute Achilles tendon ruptures in physically active men and women. The literature search resulted in 3 studies for possible inclusion. All 3 good-quality studies were included.Clinical Bottom Line:There is supporting evidence to indicate that percutaneous repair is the best option for Achilles tendon surgery when it comes to the physically active population. Percutaneous repair has faster surgery times, less risk of complications, and faster recovery times over having an open repair, although it is acknowledged that every patient has a different situation and best individual option may vary patient to patient.

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Realtime Achilles Ultrasound Thompson (RAUT) Test for the Evaluation and Diagnosis of Acute Achilles Tendon Ruptures

Foot & Ankle International ◽

10.1177/1071100716669983 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 38 (1) ◽

pp. 36-40 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Matthew J. Griffin ◽

Kirstina Olson ◽

Nathanael Heckmann ◽

Timothy P. Charlton

Keyword(s):

Achilles Tendon ◽

Sensitivity And Specificity ◽

Predictive Value ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Diagnostic Study ◽

Ultrasound Images ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Specific Test ◽

Diagnostic Characteristics ◽

Tendon Ruptures

Background: Acute complete Achilles tendon ruptures are commonly missed injuries. We propose the Realtime Achilles Ultrasound Thompson (RAUT) test, a Thompson test under ultrasound visualization, to aid in the diagnosis of these injuries. We hypothesized that RAUT testing would provide improved diagnostic characteristics compared with static ultrasound. Methods: Twenty-two consecutive patients with operatively confirmed acute Achilles tendon ruptures were prospectively evaluated with RAUT testing and static ultrasonography. RAUT video recordings and static ultrasound images from both ruptured and uninjured sides were randomized and graded by a group of novice reviewers and a group of expert attendings. From these observations, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for RAUT and static ultrasound were calculated. In addition, κ interobserver coefficients were computed. Forty-seven novice reviewers and 11 foot and ankle attendings made a total of 4136 and 528 observations, respectively. Results: For static ultrasound, sensitivity and specificity were 76.8% and 74.8% for the novice reviewers and 79.6% and 86.4% for the attendings, respectively. For RAUT testing, sensitivity and specificity were 87.2% and 81.1% for the novice group and 86.4% and 91.7% for the attending group, respectively. The κ coefficient was 0.62 and 0.27 for novice and attending RAUT reviewers, indicating substantial and fair agreement, respectively, but only 0.46 and 0.12 for static ultrasonography, representing moderate and slight agreement, respectively. Conclusion: RAUT testing was a sensitive and specific test, providing a cost-effective adjunct to the clinical examination when diagnosing acute Achilles tendon ruptures. This test can be used by surgeons with minimal training in ultrasonography. Level of Evidence: Level II, diagnostic study.

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Deep venous thrombosis after Achilles tendon rupture is associated with poor patient-reported outcome

Knee Surgery Sports Traumatology Arthroscopy ◽

10.1007/s00167-020-05945-2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 28 (10) ◽

pp. 3309-3317

Author(s):

Simon Svedman ◽

Gunnar Edman ◽

Paul W. Ackermann

Keyword(s):

Venous Thrombosis ◽

Deep Venous Thrombosis ◽

Achilles Tendon ◽

Tendon Rupture ◽

Achilles Tendon Rupture ◽

Surgical Techniques ◽

Patient Reported Outcome ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Patient Reported

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate whether patient subjective and functional outcomes after Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) are related to deep venous thrombosis (DVT) during leg immobilization. Methods A cohort study with prospectively collected randomized data was conducted between 2010 and 2017. Two-hundred and fifty-one Patients with an Achilles tendon rupture (mean age = 41 ± 8), treated with uniform surgical techniques, were retrospectively analyzed. DVT incidence at 2 and 6 weeks was assessed using compression duplex ultrasound. At 12 months patient-reported outcomes were assessed using the Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS), Foot- and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS), Physical Activity Scale (PAS) and functional outcome with the calf-muscle endurance test. ANOVA analyses were used and adjusted for assumed confounding factors (patient age, sex, BMI and rehabilitation). Results The total DVT incidence was 122 out of 251 (49%). Patients suffering a DVT exhibited significantly lower ATRS at 1 year compared to patients without DVT (mean 76 vs 83, 95% CI 71–79 vs 80–87; p < 0.01). Sixty-seven percent (95% CI 57–77%) of the patients devoid of DVT reported a good outcome (ATRS > 80) compared to 51% (95% CI 41–61%) of the patients sustaining a DVT (p < 0.05). Quality of life displayed significantly better outcome in the non-DVT versus DVT patients (mean = 75 (95% CI 71–79) vs. mean = 68 (95% CI 64–72); p < 0.05). A significant difference in total concentric work was observed between non-DVT and DVT patients (median = 1.9 kJ (IQR = 0.9 kJ) vs. median = 1.6 kJ (IQR = 1.0 kJ); p < 0.01). Conclusion Sustaining a DVT during leg immobilization significantly impairs patient-reported outcome at 1 year after surgical repair of ATR. Level of evidence III.

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Seasonal Variation of Achilles Tendon Injury

Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics ◽

10.1177/2473011418s00179 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 2473011418S0017

Author(s):

Jon-Michael Caldwell ◽

Harry Lightsey ◽

Hasani Swindell ◽

Justin Greisberg ◽

J. Turner Vosseller

Keyword(s):

Seasonal Variation ◽

Achilles Tendon ◽

Tendon Rupture ◽

Seasonal Pattern ◽

Achilles Tendon Rupture ◽

Tendon Injury ◽

Categorical Variables ◽

Continuous Variables ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Tendon Ruptures

Category: Sports Introduction/Purpose: Achilles tendon ruptures are increasingly common injuries. There are several known risk factors for Achilles tendon rupture, although little is reported on the seasonal variation of the incidence of these injuries. Of the few studies in the literature touching on this question, the results have been varied. We sought to determine if there is any seasonal pattern of Achilles tendon ruptures. Knowledge of such a seasonal pattern could be advantageous for patient education, risk assessment, and ultimately prevention of these injuries. Methods: We queried billing records for CPT codes 27650, 27652, and 27654 as well as ICD diagnosis codes 727.67, 845.09, and S86.01x pertaining to Achilles tendon injury, repair, and reconstruction. Charts were screened and included if the patient suffered an acute Achilles tendon rupture on a known date. Charts were excluded if the patient had a chronic Achilles tear or underwent reconstruction or debridement for tendonitis, Haglunds deformity, tendon laceration, or any other indication aside from acute rupture. Data was analyzed using a chi-squared test for categorical variables, binomial tests for dichotomous variables and Mann-Whitney-U or Welch t-test for continuous variables. Significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Our search yielded 499 cases with 245 meeting inclusion criteria. Sixty-six percent (66%) of injuries were identified as sports-related while 34% were non-sports related. When stratified by month, significant peaks occurred in April and July (p = .036, .011 respectively) with significantly fewer injuries occurring in October through December (p = 0.049). The highest rate of injury was seen in Spring (p = .015) and the lowest was seen in Fall (p < .001). There was no significant difference between seasons when only the non-sports related injuries were considered. Basketball was the most common sport involved (n=78) accounting for 51% of injuries (p < .001), followed by soccer and tennis. There was no significant variation between seasons in any particular sport. Conclusion: There was significant seasonal variation in the incidence of Achilles tendon ruptures. Both sports and non-sports-related injuries followed a similar pattern, with most injuries occurring during the Spring and Summer and fewer during Fall and Winter. This increase corresponds to the increase in activity in the recreational athlete population in the region which is often preceded by a time of relative inactivity. Our study confirms that the deconditioned athlete is at particularly elevated risk for Achilles tendon rupture during the Spring season when abrupt increases in sporting activity are common. Targeted education and prevention efforts could help mitigate this risk.

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