Pain, swelling, inflammation, and tears of tendons including the Achilles, shoulder, hand, or other tendons can happen in patients taking fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Tendons are the areas that connect your muscles to your joints. The Achilles tendon is at the back of the ankle.

Signs or symptoms of tendon rupture include:

• A snap or pop in a tendon area
• Bruising right after an injury in a tendon area
• Inability to move the affected area or bear weight

Tendinitis and tendon rupture most frequently involves the Achilles tendon, and rupture of the Achilles tendon may require surgical repair. Tendinitis and tendon rupture in the rotator cuff (the shoulder), the hand, the biceps, and the thumb have also been reported. The risk of developing fluoroquinolone-associated tendinitis and tendon rupture is especially increased in patients over 60 years, in those concomitantly taking corticosteroid drugs, and in patients with kidney, heart or lung transplants. Tendon rupture can occur during or after completion of fluoroquinolone use; cases occurring up to several months after completion of therapy have been reported.