Surgical Treatment of Overuse Injuries to the Achilles Tendon

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Abstract
A clinical survey was made of 275 consecutive overuse injuries of the Achilles tendon in 228 patients (170 men; 58 women) operated on during the period 1980–1989 at the Clinic of Sports Medicine, Deaconess Institute of Oulu, Finland, (prospective material) and at the Department of Surgery of Oulu University Central Hospital (retrospective material); 60% of patients lived in Northern Finland, 22% elsewhere in Finland, and 18% abroad. Their mean age was 32 years, and 11.8% were athletes at the international level, 28.5% at the national level, and 19.7% at a district level; 39.5% were recreational athletes. There were more long- and middle-distance runners, joggers, and orienteers than other athletes. All the patients had undergone combinations of different modes of conservative treatment. The results of the operative treatment were excellent or good in 73.4% of cases, fair in 78.5%, and poor in 8.0%. There were 34 complications, of which 29 were wound complications; eight of these were treated surgically with good results. Thirty reoperations were needed by 22 patients because of recurrence of pain or operative failure. The total results including those of reoperations, were excellent or good in 219 cases (79.7%), fair in 54 (19.6%), and poor in 2 (0.7%).

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