“While it’s not an open fracture dislocation, it can be a devastating injury for athletes as it takes a long time to be strong enough to return to play and can leave them with a permanent amount of some weakness,” said Dr. Elliott.

“Many elite athletes have returned to a high level of play post Achilles rupture and repair. There are examples across sports – Football (Soccer), American Football, Basketball – of top players making successful returns," he continued.

“Football forwards may lose a little of their top sprint speed, but they can still be highly effective and successful competitors.”

Read the full article at bloodred.substack.com.

Dr. Elliott  looked at the slowed-down footage of in his first start for the New York Jets on Monday night and knew an Achilles injury would be the diagnosis. 

"When I saw the reverberation clip, yes," Dr. Elliott told Fox News Digital when asked if he saw the clip where a clear pulse went through Rodgers' calf. 

So does that mean Rodgers can return next season by Week 1?

"I think that’s a very doable date," Dr. Elliott, who has performed over 350 minimally invasive Achilles tendon repairs, said decisively. 

Jets fans may be thinking there is no way a 40-year-old quarterback can be ready for next season after suffering that kind of injury, but Dr. Elliott broke it all down to give everyone a better understanding of the process Rodgers will be entering and why he can still play at his elite level once he returns. 

Read the full article at Foxnews.com.

Aaron Rodgers was just a few minutes into his career as a New York Jet when he suffered one of the cruelest injuries in professional sports: a torn Achilles tendon. He’s done for the season before he ever completed a pass for his new club. But what about the rest of his career? 

Doctors are also in agreement that his recovery will be more difficult owing to the simple fact that he’s 39 years old. That may be relatively young for the general population, but it also makes him one of the oldest players in the NFL.

“Trying to get your muscle unit to come back is probably harder every year of your life,” said Dr. Elliott. “He’s not 30. He’s almost 40.”

“But you look at him,” Dr. Elliott added, “and he’s in great shape.”

Read the full article at wsj.com. 

"Our feet change as we get older, and footwear that fit us last year may now be too tight," said Dr. Drakos. "Squeezing your feet into shoes that are too snug can lead to foot pain, blisters, bruises and other problems."

"It may seem like common sense, but the first winter storm of the season often catches people off guard, and we tend to see more injuries," said  Dr. Elliot.

Before hitting the slopes, do some strength training and conditioning to get your body ready, according to  Dr. Wyss. "Everyone should also take the time to warm up before an athletic activity," he said. "This is essential to prevent injury."

Wearing a shoe with good traction is important if you run year-round, added Dr. Wanich. A specialized shoe store can help you make the right choice. "Much like the way we change our tires to deal with winter weather, we advise runners to wear the appropriate shoes for the season," he said.

Read the full article at healthday.com. 

The first step is to make sure that winter shoes and boots stored away for almost a year still fit well, noted Dr. Elliot. “Our feet change as we get older, and footwear that fit us last year may now be too tight," he explained. “Squeezing your feet into shows that are too snug can lead to foot pain, blisters, bruises and other problems.”

When shopping for new shoes or boots, Dr. Elliot recommended going to the store in the late afternoon or evening because our feet tend to get bigger as the days goes on. He also suggested bringing the socks you plan to wear in the cold weather because they may be thicker and need more room in the shoe. 

Whether returning to a winter sport such as skiing, or trying a new one, strength training and conditioning in advance are essential to preventing injury, said Dr. Wanich. He noted that cold temperatures cause muscles and tendons to become tight and less flexible. “Tightness in the Achilles tendon and the calf muscles put more pressure on your feet, leaving them more susceptible to an injury during exercise. The best way to prevent this is to warm up and stretch before running and other winter activities.”  

Many of his patients are devoted to outdoor running all year round, and he advises them to make sure they wear a shoe with good traction. “Much like the way we change our tires to deal with winter weather, we advise runners to wear the appropriate shoe for the season," he said.” Sometimes that means going to a specialized shoe store, where employees can can help you choose the right shoe and ensure a good fit. 

Read the full article at digitaleditions.walsworth.com. 

According to Dr. Elliot, the injury is significant, occurring when the mid-foot ligaments are torn or ruptured when the foot is pulled in an awkward direction.

He continued, “The foot has to, in order for running and pushing off and jumping, has to act like a rigid structure. In acting like a rigid structure to hold all these bones together, the ones in the mid-arch region are very, very strong. There are three different things that can happen. One, the ligament can pull off the bone, and the second one is when the ligament tears right in the middle, or you can get fractures as well as tearing of the ligaments.”

Dr. Elliott said the Thunder aren’t being overly cautious by holding Holmgren out for the entire season, even though the season doesn’t begin for nearly two months.

“In basketball, I would equate them more as a wide receiver,” he said. “They’re doing a lot of running on a hard surface. And you’re probably looking at the earliest, depending on which joint was injured, six months, but more likely between nine to 12 months.

“The basic premise is you’re rupturing the ligament because the ligament is seeing a load to it that’s higher than what it can handle,” he added.

Dr. Elliott said he watched the play during which Holmgren was injured on video and believed it was caused by all of Holmgren’s weight landing on his foot as he tried to defend LeBron James.

“He’s done that a million times, but obviously this had a little bit more weight,” Dr. Elliott explained. “And it was a different vector of force that was going through it than he normally had seen. That’s the same for most people. It’s usually fall onto the foot or a pushing-off type of injury that usually has some torque type of moment, as well.”

Dr. Elliot noted that the most concerning aspect of this injury for the Thunder is it could cause arthritis or chronic pain even after fully healed.

Read the full article at Bostonglobe.com. A subscription is required to access.

A study published in New England Journal of Medicine that involved 554 patients with a newly ruptured Achilles tendon -- mostly men in their 30s or 40s, found that without surgery, the risk of re-rupture was higher.

Dr. Elliott, who was not involved in the study, noted that patients in the study were outfitted with a special cast to immobilize the foot and ankle within 72 hours of their injury, which is a lot faster than what is typical in everyday practice.

He also noted that the choice to do surgery or not depends “first and foremost” on the individual patient.

For an athlete or highly active person, for example, surgery may be the better option. Without it, Dr. Elliott said, the tendon will heal, but not necessarily in an ideal way. Surgery can fix it more precisely, at its proper length and tension.

Dr. Elliott noted a nonsurgical approach may be better for older patients, smokers and those with health conditions that can make surgery riskier.

He explained that patient preference can also be a factor. Some are eager to avoid surgery, while others “don't even want to talk about nonsurgical options.”

Dr. Elliott underscored the treatment decision comes down to their personal situation and preferences.

Read the full article at Consumer.healthday.com. Additional coverage: Health.usnews.com.

Similar levels of pain and function were reported after 16 weeks whether participants received a cast or a removable boot to treat an ankle fracture.

Dr. Elliott advised there are merits to both casts and removable boots when treating a broken ankle. “It winds up being a discussion between the patient and surgeon as to what they feel is the best course of treatment,” he said.

The new study did show that those people who received boots were more likely to develop an infection and/or need further surgery and Dr. Elliott explained, “These wounds can occur with early motion, and the boot doesn't fit as snuggly as a cast so you can develop microtraumas and wound issues.”

Read the full article at USnews.com.

Matthew M. Roberts, MD, Chief of the Foot and Ankle Service at HSS, Andrew J. Elliott, MD, Director of Education, Foot and Ankle Service at HSS, and HSS foot and ankle surgeons Anne Holland Johnson, MD and Martin J. O'Malley, MD, are featured on the list.

Read the full article at Beckersasc.com.