A study of Achilles tendon rupture

Achilles tendon rupture is common injury suffered mostly by athletes and involves the tear of the tendon that is located under the calf and stretching down to the calcaneus. The purpose of this study was to determine where rupture occurs, how much the tendon stretches with increased load, how the fibers are arranged in the tendon, and what the causes and procedures are for patients with Achilles tendon rupture. Two samples of human Achilles tendons were tested on the Instron Testing Machine at three rates of loading the loads and the displacements were recorded. The tendon in each case ruptured at the upper half which was closer to the muscular end. The stiffness values generally increased with the rate of crosshead displacement, for example at 1.0 in/min. The stiffness was 290 lb./in; at 10 in/min. It was 890 lb./in; and at 20 in/min. It was 910 lb/in. Samples were then cut from the two tendons and one slide from each tendon was stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin dye (H&E dye) and another slide from each tendon was stained with Masson´s Trichrome stain which highlights the collagen fibers in a different color from the muscular fibers. The collagen fibers (green) and muscle (red) were seen clearly with the Masson´s Trichome stain while the H&E stain did not show any differentiation. Also the folded arrangement of the fibers were observed. From the review of patient records in LSU from 1990-1995, it was found that five out of the nine cases had sports-related injury, and all were surgically treated with satisfactory recovery