Fracture of ossified Achilles tendon.

A 73 years old female presented to emergency department (ED) with 3 days history of swollen, painful right ankle without trauma; unable to weight bear on the right side. On examination she had decreased range of motion (ROM) in the right ankle, with a palpable gap in the area of Achilles tendon. Radiographs confirmed fracture of ossified Achilles tendon. This patient treated conservatively in a plaster for 6 weeks (Figure 1).

Figure 1

Radiograph of the discussed patient showing fracture of ossified Achilles tendon

Discussion

Ossification of Achilles tendon is a rare condition,1 and very few cases have been reported in the literature.2 It is more common in males, and is usually associated with prior surgery or trauma. It is usually asymptomatic, and has clinical importance only in case of rupture.3

The exact mechanism of ossification of tendo Achilles is not clear. It is thought that it can arise from calcareous (periosteal origin) or from the tendon diagnosis made with radiographs and MRI and surgery is often needed.