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Long-term biomechanical outcomes after Achilles tendon ruptures

  • Ankle
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

The ideal treatment for Achilles tendon ruptures is still unknown. Biomechanical were correlated to radiological and clinical parameters to study outcomes.

Methods

In this retrospective, assessor-blinded multi-centre cohort study, 52 patients with unilateral Achilles tendon rupture were assessed, each at least 3 years after injury. Patients underwent open surgery, percutaneous surgery or non-surgical treatment of Achilles tendon rupture. Both legs underwent plantar pressure distribution and isokinetic measures. Demographic parameters, maximum calf circumference (MCC) and clinical scores (American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society, Achilles tendon rupture score, Hannover) were also evaluated. Complications were not assessed.

Results

Peak plantar flexion torque (PPFT) was significantly weaker on the treated side compared to the untreated leg [80.4 ± 29.7 Nm (mean ± SD) vs. 92.1 ± 27.4 Nm, p < 0.0001]. PPFT and push-off force (POFF) were not different between treatment groups nor was there a leg difference in POFF alone. There was only a weak correlation of clinical scores and PPFT or POFF, respectively. MCC correlated significantly with both PPFT (R 2 = 0.21, p = 0.01) and POFF (R 2 = 0.29, p < 0.0001). POFF appeared to be a predictor of PPFT (R 2 = 0.31, p < 0.0001). Open surgery outperformed non-surgical treatment in terms of centre-of-pressure line (p = 0.007), torque per muscle volume (p = 0.04) and relative POFF per body weight (p = 0.02) and relative in side comparison (p = 0.03).

Conclusions

Clinical scores do not predict biomechanical outcomes. Clinically measured MCC is a good predictor of PPFT and POFF and can easily be used in clinical practice. Relative POFF in side comparison as well as per body weight favours surgical treatment.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Xavier Kaelin MSc and Marlene Mauch PhD for their biomechanical studies and their steady effort in patient examinations. From the Department of Radiology, we would like to thank Dr. Ueli Studler for his help in the radiologic workup and Tanja Haas for her MRI examinations. We thank Professor Beat Hintermann, Dr. Marc Lottenbach and Dr. Martin Majewski, for their contribution in patient acquisition. The lead centre of this study was the University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland. This multi-centre study was funded by a grant from the Swiss National Accident Insurance Company (SUVA), Lucerne, Switzerland. DMB is funded by a post-doctoral fellowship from the Whitaker International Program.

Conflict of interest

Each author certifies that he or she has no commercial associations that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Orthopaedic Department, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031, Basel, Switzerland

    Claudio Rosso, Daniel M. Buckland, Caroline Polzer, Patrick Vavken & Victor Valderrabano

  2. Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

    Patrick Vavken

  3. Orthopedics, Harvard Medical School, Children’s Hospital Boston, Boston, MA, USA

    Patrick Vavken

  4. Rennbahn Clinic, Muttenz, Switzerland

    Lukas Weisskopf

  5. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria

    Patrick Sadoghi

  6. Department of Orthopaedics, Vienna General Hospital, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Reinhard Schuh

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  1. Claudio Rosso
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  3. Caroline Polzer
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  8. Victor Valderrabano
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Correspondence to Claudio Rosso.

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Rosso, C., Buckland, D.M., Polzer, C. et al. Long-term biomechanical outcomes after Achilles tendon ruptures. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 23, 890–898 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-013-2726-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-013-2726-2

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