David Beckham Ruptures Achilles Tendon

David Beckham of the Los Angeles Galaxy ruptured his Achilles tendon Sunday, March 14 while playing for AC Milan in Italy and had surgery in Finland today to repair the tendon. This injury will likely keep Beckham from playing in the World Cup set to begin June 11 in South Africa.

The Achilles tendon is a fibrous band of tissue that connects the heel (calcaneus) to the calf muscles in the lower leg. It is the thickest and strongest tendon in the body and enables actions such as walking, running, jumping and standing on the toes. It was named after the ancient Greek hero of the Trojan war who was invulnerable except for one spot on his heel.

An Achilles tendon rupture is a complete or partial tear that occurs when the tendon is stretched beyond its capacity. Forceful jumping or pivoting, or sudden accelerations of running, can overstretch the tendon and cause a tear. An injury to the tendon can also result from falling or tripping.

Achilles tendon ruptures are most often seen in "weekend warriors" – typically, middle-aged people participating in sports in their spare time. Less commonly, illness or medications, such as steroids or certain antibiotics, may weaken the tendon and contribute to ruptures.

A tendon rupture is usually accompanied by a popping sound, pain and a sudden loss of strength and movement. A gap or depression may also be felt and seen about 2 inches above the heel bone. Beckham was said to feel the calf muscle retract, which is also another common symptom.

A complete tear in the Achilles tendon usually requires surgery to suture the ends of the tendon back together. After surgery, there is usually a lower incidence of re-rupture. Weight bearing commonly begins at about 6 weeks with a heel support. A return to athletics is traditionally about 4 to 6 months, but with rigorous therapy, elite athletes may return as early as 3 months after injury.