Pattern analysis of a complete Achilles tendon rupture suffered during high jump preparation in an official national-level athletic competition

Elite athletes are subject to injuries like the Achilles tendon rupture. This injury requires a long recovery process, with no guarantee of returning to the pre-injury level. When a rupture happens during natural life, movement analysis can provide useful insights concerning patterns of rupture to understand and prevent Achilles tendon injuries. Here we determined the pattern of rupture of an Achilles tendon (AT) in an elite high-jumper athlete who ruptured an AT during the straight line running phase in preparation for a high-jump attempt. This study is a novel case report regarding a national-level elite athlete. The main outcomes were kinematics parameters obtained from video analysis. The pattern of the rupture was determined by pixel intensity and outlier analysis. The rupture occurred at 44% of the single stance. The injured leg showed a higher ankle dorsal flexion and knee–ankle ratio, and a lower knee flexion compared to contralateral leg. An eccentric pattern of rupture occurred during the transition from the mid to terminal stance phases of running. The lower knee flexion and the increased ankle dorsal flexion during the stance suggest a loss of knee-ankle coordination. This might have favoured a major elongation of Achilles tendon causing the rupture.