Swelling and the continuing ability to weakly point your toes can confuse the diagnosis. Ultrasound and MRI are tests that can assist in difficult diagnosis. Depending on the degree of injury, these tests can also assist in determining which treatment may be best. The objective of treatment is to restore normal length and tension to the tendon and allow you to do what you could do before the injury. Treatment reflects a balance between protection and early motion.
Protection is necessary to allow time for healing and to prevent reinjury.
Moving your foot and ankle is needed to prevent stiffness and loss of muscle tone. Treatment options are surgical or nonsurgical. The choice is controversial. Both surgical and nonsurgical treatment will require an initial period of about 6 weeks of casting or special braces. A heel lift device and regular physical therapy follow for the remainder of treatment.