David Beckham’s Ruptured Tendon

The Soccer king will be sitting on the bench through the world cup because of an Achilles tendon rupture. Though the achillies tendon is the largest tendon in the body, it is not uncommon for it to completely rupture! Athletes are at greater risk to experience such an injury, but it is also common in the weekend warriors who have tighter muscles and are taking part of a strenuous sport.

The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscle to the heel bone. This area of tendon is the most common to injure due to the least blood supply. This area is also referred to as the watershed and is located several centimeters above the heel bone. The Achilles tendon is used to point the toes and push off the ground and is used with every step. Thus, it is common after injury to feel unsteady or awkward walking.

When Beckham injured his tendon, he screamed “Its broken, its broken!!!” Complete rupture of the tendon can be very painful and is sometimes described as getting shot in the leg. Like Beckham, many will mistake the injury for a broken bone. There is often an audible pop accompanying the injury. With a complete rupture, one will be unable to stand on their toes or walk on the injured leg. Partial tears can also occur and will have similar symptoms but one will still be able to walk.
Men are five times more likely to rupture their Achilles tendon than woman. We all know David Beckham is a real man and he also plays a high risk sport that involves jarring movements and a lot of quick steps. He also falls into the correct age bracket. The most common age of those who suffer an Achilles rupture is between 30 and 40. Beckham may be rocking out a 20 year old body, but he is actually 34 years old.

It is important to seek a physician for treatment as early as possible. The longer treatment is delayed, the worse the outcomes will be for repairing the tendon. The most desired treatment is surgery. Ideally, the ends of the tendon are reattached to one another. Occasionally, the tendon has endured significant damage and a graft is used in the repair. If one is not a surgerical candidate, casting can be done and a full recovery can be reached, but the patient is at a significantly higher risk to reinjure the tendon than those who have had surgical repair.
Unfortunately, you do not have to emulate David Beckham to suffer from such a limiting injury. Some fluke injuries, such as falling down the stairs, can cause an Achilles rupture. The best way to prevent a rupture is to stay healthy and flexible. It can take four to six months to recover from an Achilles tendon rupture and it may cost you the world cup!