The CT Insider reached out to Dr. Theodore for his expert advice on Achilles injuries as two high-level New England basketball players – the Connecticut Sun’s Brionna Jones and UConn’s Jana El Alfy – recently suffered Achilles injuries. You can read the full article here.
Some quotes/key takeaways from Dr. Theodore’s interview:
On what the Achilles tendon is
“It’s the most commonly ruptured tendon in the body. Unlike other tendons in the body, which you may not be walking on, this is one that you’re walking on, and you have a lot of pressure going through it and pushing it off the foot.”
On the causes of Achilles injuries
“We don’t know why some people get a rupture and others don’t… In a particular day playing basketball, why will someone injure, rupture it, but not the others who are of the same age, maybe, same level of play, doing the same movements? We’re not sure of a cause-and-effect relationship between the particular sport and the tear.”
Dr. Theodore added that while most Achilles tendon injuries are noncontact, they can be caused by contact as well. He noted that he has seen tears in hockey where a player’s skate catches another player’s ankle and causes a laceration.
Dr. Theodore also mentioned that men tend to suffer Achilles injuries more often than women, and Achilles injuries are more common in adults in their 20s and 30s as opposed to young children.
On treatment options
“What’s important to know is that non-operative treatment does give good functional results in the correct profile of person who’s injured and they can have good functional outcomes, but there can be a higher re-rupture rate.”
