3 out of 4 Achilles Tendon Ruptures in Sweden Now Treated Nonoperatively

I always find it amazing how a majority of people in the US who rupture their achilles tendons are treated surgically, while the reverse is true in Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand and probably many other countries.

Precise percentages and estimates are not readily available for most countries, so it is always great when someone releases them.

In October 2014, a great study was published by Swedish researchers that summarized the experiences of treating 27,702 patients who suffered an achilles tendon rupture in Sweden between 2001 and 2012. The key finding was that:

The proportion of surgically treated patients declined from 43% in 2001 to 28% in 2012 in men and from 34% in 2001 to 22% in 2012 in women.

Essentially, this means that as of 2012, 3 out of 4 Swedes who ruptured their achilles tendon were treated non-surgically.