The Achilles tendon, which connects the muscles in the back of the calf to the heel bone, is the most commonly torn tendon in the body.
Doctors have long been divided over whether its better to fix a torn Achilles tendon with surgery or just treat it with a brace and physical therapy. In the biggest-ever study investigating which treatment is best, scientists in Norway tracked 526 patients who had standard surgery, minimally invasive surgery, or no surgery.
In the biggest-ever study investigating which treatment is best, scientists in Norway tracked 526 patients — mostly men with an average age of 39 — who ripped their Achilles tendon. They either had minimally invasive surgery, a standard surgery or non-surgical treatment, a brace to immobilize the affected foot and physical therapy. All patients got rehab therapy and were told to avoid risky activities for six months.
Dr. William Levine, chair of orthopedic surgery at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, said patients should talk through their options with their doctor to explore if surgery is appropriate. Dr. Stale Myhrvold, the study’s lead author, said that for people to successfully skip surgery, patients need to have their affected foot in a brace early — within the first three days.
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