Elin Larsson: Factors influencing recovery after Achilles tendon rupture
What determines how well a patient recovers after an acute Achilles tendon rupture? Elin Larsson’s thesis shows that sex, fear of reinjury, and the gap between the tendon ends after the injury influence rehabilitation and treatment choices.
ELIN LARSSON
Dissertation defense: 11 April 2025 (click for details)
Doctoral thesis: Patient characteristics and their impact on recovery after acute Achilles tendon rupture
Research area: Orthopaedics
Sahlgrenska Academy, The Institute of Clinical Sciences
Acute Achilles tendon rupture is becoming increasingly common in Sweden. The injury occurs in both elite athletes and everyday exercisers, with a median age of around 50 years.
A ruptured Achilles tendon is about four times more common in men than in women.
Despite extensive research, it remains difficult to determine when surgery is preferable to non-surgical treatment. Clinicians are encouraged to make individual decisions, but there are no clear tools to guide these choices.
“In our studies, we found that being female and fear of reinjury negatively affect recovery. Patients with significant anxiety may have more difficulty returning to their previous level of activity, which shows that it is not just the physical injury that influences the outcome,” says Elin Larsson, a resident in orthopaedic surgery at Sahlgrenska University Hospital and a doctoral student at the Institute of Clinical Sciences.
Better basis for treatment decisions
Elin Larsson’s research shows that the gap between the tendon ends after the injury may influence treatment decisions.
“The results suggest that patients with a larger gap between the tendon ends may benefit more from surgery. This can help clinicians make more informed decisions and tailor treatment to the individual patient,” says Elin Larsson.
The findings in the thesis highlight the importance of considering multiple factors when making treatment decisions to better adapt rehabilitation to each patient’s specific needs.
Research during the pandemic
Clinical research always presents challenges, and the pandemic created additional obstacles.
“Conducting clinical research during the COVID-19 pandemic was difficult, but it went better than I had expected. I am glad that the research has a direct clinical application and hopefully can improve treatment for patients with Achilles tendon rupture.”
Text: Jakob Lundberg