Rupture in physiotherapy means the complete or partial snapping or separation of muscle, tendon or ligament.

Most ruptures are violent – the tendo achilles goes off like a shot gun when it ‘snaps’ – caused when natural, but huge forces are applied.

Some ruptures however are degenerative, the rupture happens over time and rather than an explosion in an instance, is the result of fibre-by-fibre degrading over time.

Both types of rupture lead to functional problems, the rupture in a moment more painful, dramatic, drawing more attention and treatment.  The rupture that happens slowly however might only be noticed in conjunction with an inability to do certain things and is discovered only on closer inspection, with careful assessment.

The often partial nature of ruptures – the fibres that cling on – are for me the real temporal essence of rupture – rarely complete – with latency lasting.  Can there ever be a total separation?