The legs play a crucial but often underappreciated role in boxing. Although most of the work appears to be done with the upper body, punching power is directly linked to leg strength and stability, with the feet, ankles, legs and hips all contributing to the generation of energy in a boxer’s swing. With that in mind, it is no surprise that ankle injuries are far from uncommon in boxing, including painful ruptures of the Achilles tendon.
Dutch boxer Lucia Rijker, who has been dubbed ‘the most dangerous woman in the world’, was in the middle of a light training session in 2005 when she noticed her ankle ‘pop’. An MRI examination later showed she had ruptured her Achilles tendon. As Rijker’s situation shows, such injuries do not necessarily only occur in high intensity situations; if the tendon has been put under regular strain for a long period, then a rupture may occur even in the gentlest training session. Read more about Rijker’s injury here.
MRI is the most suitable technique for providing a comprehensive view of soft tissue injury, although x-ray is sometimes used in addition, to check whether there is any damage to connected bone. In any case, the radiographer’s expertise in obtaining images and the radiologist’s detailed knowledge of anatomy and potential complications are vital for fully assessing the injury and planning the next steps.
Disruption of the tendon fibres is a sign of Achilles tendon rupture. MRI can show the position and size of the rupture, which is very important for treatment planning. The white area of the MR image below (in the sagittal plane) is a clear indication of complete disruption of the Achilles tendon (arrow).
Note: image is an example – not that of the athlete named above.
For more information about Achilles injuries, click here.