title: Achilles tendon rupture in women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The incidence of Achilles rupture appears to be less in women, although this notion has not been specifically investigated in the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of 7 foot-and-ankle orthopaedic surgeons at 1 institution were reviewed by Current Procedural Terminology (code 27650) and International Classification of Diseases-9 (code 727.67) to establish all Achilles tendon ruptures seen and/or treated by these surgeons. Sex, age, side, and mechanism of injury were recorded. Whether the patient had an acute Achilles tendon rupture or nonacute Achilles pathology was also noted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 468 patients were identified, of whom 358 had acute ruptures: 302 male and 56 female (5.39:1). Patients with acute ruptures were significantly younger than those with nonacute pathology (43.8 vs 55.1, P < .001). For acute ruptures, the mean age was not significantly different between men and women (43.9 vs 43.2; P = .780). Athletic activity was causative in 243 of 302 men (80.5%) and in 40 of 56 women (71.4%). This difference was not statistically significant (P = .130). Six men (2.0%) and 6 women (10.7%) had comorbidities that were thought to increase their risk of rupture (P = .005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Achilles tendon rupture is more common in men than women. Previous studies using the aforementioned codes to identify patients without chart review may have overestimated the number of women with acute Achilles tendon rupture.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level III, retrospective comparative series.
authors: Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, New York, USA. turner.vosseller@gmail.com
authors: J Turner
authors: JT
authors: Vosseller
authors: Scott J
authors: SJ
authors: Ellis
authors: David S
authors: DS
authors: Levine
authors: John G
authors: JG
authors: Kennedy
authors: Andrew J
authors: AJ
authors: Elliott
authors: Jonathan T
authors: JT
authors: Deland
authors: Matthew M
authors: MM
authors: Roberts
authors: Martin J
authors: MJ
authors: O'Malley
mesh_terms: D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000293:injuries*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012421:Rupture; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult