Conservative treatment for acute rupture of the Achilles tendon

Sixty-six patients with acute ruptures of the Achilles tendon were treated by immobilisation in a plaster cast for 12 weeks. Fifty-seven were followed up for a mean time of 70 months. Four re-ruptures occurred shortly after the initial treatment. Most patients had no or only slight complaints, three had moderate and one severe, problems. The activity level dropped slightly from 5.3 to 5.03 (Tegner score). The results are satisfactory with a low complication rate. The method is an alternative to operative repair, especially in patients declining operation and in those in whom operation or anaesthesia is contraindicated.