Ruptured Achilles tendon 2 weeks or 8 weeks in a cast

Goodfellow Gems
Ruptured Achilles tendon 2 weeks or 8 weeks in a cast
There is a new way of treating full ruptures of Achilles tendon. A trial in 2020 found that 2 weeks in a cast followed by 6 weeks in a graduated moon boot was as good as 8 weeks in a cast when evaluated 9 months later.1
The results found that re-rupture was 6% in the cast and 5% in the moon boot. The moon boot option was cheaper. There is an Auckland protocol that starts weight bearing at 6 weeks with removal of the boot at night and full weight-bearing by 8 weeks.2
References:
Gems are chosen by the Goodfellow director Dr. Bruce Arroll to be either practice changing or practice maintaining. The information is educational and not clinical advice.
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