Spontaneous rupture of the gastrocnemius muscle.

Nineteen ruptures of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muslce are described. These were caused by sudden overstretching of the muscle though concomitant ankle dorsiflexion and knee extension. Surgical exploration in 12 patients verified rupture of the musculotendinous junction. A 2-year follow-up showed that the surgical approach with suture of the muscle gave better results than conservative treatment, especially in the younger and athletic patients.