Achilles Tendon Rupture Ends Pitcher’s Season

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If you’re a Mets fan and watched the recent game against the Atlanta Braves when pitcher Mike Soroka was pitching, you probably saw when he made a quick pivot toward first base after his pitch and went down with a terrible yell. It turns out Soroka had ruptured his Achilles tendon—a sports injury that we at NY Foot Health know you don’t have to be a professional athlete to sustain. It’s more common if you’re older and not in good physical condition.

The Achilles tendon is the band of tissue that connects the calf muscle to your heel bone. It aids in walking, by enabling you to raise your heel off the ground. (In the replays of Soroka’s injury, you can see he is having difficulty moving his foot after the rupture occurred.) Forceful movement that overstretches the tendon, such as a hard jump, turn, or sudden takeoff and acceleration when running, can cause a partial or full tear of the tendon. It occurs more frequently in “weekend warrior” athletes who are mostly sedentary during the week and then overdo it during Saturday/Sunday play. It’s also possible to injure the tendon through a trip or fall.

Is it Ruptured?

A tear or rupture of the Achilles tendon is a serious injury with distinctive symptoms. If you’ve suffered a rupture, you’ll most likely have one or more of the following signs at the moment of injury:

  • Extreme, acute pain in the calf or back of the ankle

  • Feeling of something snapping or popping in your leg

  • Swelling of the tendon area

  • Difficulty walking and an inability to lift the heel

What’s the Treatment?

If you believe you’ve injured your Achilles tendon, it’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. A podiatrist will usually be able to diagnose a tear or rupture by feeling for a break in the tendon and by evaluating the circumstances of the injury, range of motion, and muscle strength. In some cases, an MRI or other imaging study may be ordered. If you need to find a podiatrist, you can use our online directory to locate one close to home.

There are both conservative and surgical treatments for Achilles injuries.  But surgical ones are usually the most effective in providing long term strength and rehabilitation of the tendon and surrounding muscles.

To learn more about common foot and ankle injuries, contact us and subscribe to our free e-newsletter.

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