The Achilles heel of adults and children

This thesis focuses on the imaging and treatment of the Achilles heel of adults and children. The figurative and literal Achilles heel consists of a number of pathologies: ankle impingement, Achilles tendinopathy, retrocalcaneal bursitis and calcaneal apophysitis. Research as well as diagnosis and treatment are substantially impeded by another weakness: the terminology of the relevant structures and disorders. The aim of this thesis is to clearly describe the structures and pathologies leading to complaints in the region of the Achilles tendon, furthermore conventional radiologic imaging techniques of this region are evaluated as well as the treatment of adults and children who are impaired by the aforementioned disorders.