Achilles tendon pain is a common cause of disability in sportsmen. The majority of cases are due to overuse injury often exacerbated or precipitated by specific and recognisable factors. A variety of pathologies is demonstrable in Achilles tendon pain which accounts for the considerable variation in the described natural history of the disease. The study of patients with Achilles tendon pain is almost impossible unless an accurate diagnosis is made first. The specific factors of the various conditions demonstrated as causes of Achilles tendon pain are set out and the value of different laboratory and other investigations indicated in the particular pathological conditions. Conservative management of Achilles tendon pain may be unrewarding except in acute crepitating peritendinitis. Various forms of conservative treatment are discussed and the literature reviewed. The role of surgery in management of chronic resistent Achilles tendon pain is discussed in detail with particular reference to the indications and the surgical procedures available. The postoperative management of patients following Achilles tendon surgery is discussed and the outcome indicated.

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Achillodynia (Achilles tendon pain) is a significant source of disability to many people taking part in sports. Papers in the English language published since 1986 are reviewed here, grouped into specific subject areas including biomechanics, pathology, general clinical presentations, experimental treatments, steroids, podiatry and surgery. While there has been no dramatic breakthrough in the field, there have been various interesting advances with particular reference to imaging and conservative management, which will hopefully stimulate further studies. Many problems of Achilles tendon lesions in athletes remain unsolved, however, and much is yet to be done to provide adequate and generally effective methods of prevention and conservative treatment.

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Loneliness has been defined as a dissatisfaction with one's social relationships. It is not clear, however, if loneliness is associated with having fewer close friends or fewer friends in general. Furthermore, this loneliness may be expressed either as a lack of relationships or as a lack of closeness in relationships. Finally, the lack of intimacy may be perceived only by the lonely person and may not reflect how the relationship appears to the partner. A total of 22 female and 20 male freshmen filled out a loneliness scale and social network questionnaire. Friends of the female subjects were also asked to fill out the social network questionnaire. Lonely persons listed as many best friends as nonlonely persons and were equally likely to have this choice reciprocated. Lonely subjects, however, did perceive a significantly lower level of intimacy in these relationship than did nonlonely subjects, and their "best friends" validated this perception. Lonely subjects did not differ in the number of friends in general that they listed, but their "friends" were significantly less likely to return this friendship choice.