Steve Smith is a prolific wide receiver that has played in the NFL for 15 seasons. He is tenth in all time receiving yards, but Sunday afternoon after catching a pass and making a cut, Smith felt a pop in his Achilles tendon. He went down and it was later confirmed he would be out for the year with a torn Achilles tendon. Smith announced earlier this year that he would be retiring after the end of this season so this injury will likely end his career.
The Achilles tendon is a fibrous cord that connects your calf to the heel bone. When the tendon gets overstressed due to a dynamic activity this tendon can rupture. With a torn tendon, many times you will hear a large “pop” and have immediate pain to the back of the heel along the tendon. After a rupture you will not be able to flex your foot down and will make walking painful and difficult. Predisposed conditions can weaken the tendon causing ruptures; these include tendonitis, steroid use, or specific antibiotic use. After the acute tear of the tendon a patient should immediately get off the foot, ice, elevate, and see a specialist for care. Achilles tendon ruptures sometimes require surgery to repair the tendon and reduce any re-ruptures of the tendon. If you or a friend experiences any condition or trauma like this please don’t hesitate to call or request an appointment so we can get you back on your feet!