Terrell Suggs Injured, Vows To Be Back In 2012: What Does A Partially Torn Achilles Feel Like?

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs partially tore his Achilles tendon but he expects to be in action by midseason.

Some reports indicated Suggs suffered the injury while playing basketball, but the star linebacker told ESPN that it occurred during a conditioning test.

Suggs' injury is a huge blow to the Ravens as Suggs is a key component of Baltimore's linebacker corp.

I know guys, I KNOW! #CharmCity #RavensNation I'm am SO SORRY. I consider myself to be a player of the people, and y'all know that there is nothing I love more than playing for you! Suggs tweeted after news of his season-ending injury surfaced.

Suggs, 29, also tweeted that he expects to be playing next season.

To all my loyal and true fans, know that everything the can and needs to be done, WILL BE DONE!!!!!! I WILL BE IN A RAVENS UNIFORM IN 2012!!, he said.

Sugg said he is going to use the experience as motivation for next season.

That's just going to make it so much sweeter when I run out of that tunnel and prove everyone wrong, Suggs told ESPN's Rachel Nichols. I've never had a real bad injury before -- sometimes you have to go through something like this to make you better, he said.

What does a partially torn Achilles tendon feel like?

Most likely, you'll have pain along the back of your foot above your heel, which is most noticeable when stretching your ankle or standing on your toes, according to WebMD.

Other symptoms include tenderness, swelling, stiffness, hearing a snapping or popping noise during the injury and difficulty flexing your foot or pointing your toes.

The Achilles tendon is one of the most commonly injured tendons in the body, and it's usually sudden movements that cause the injury.

Why is that so?

Some believe that it may be due to the whipping action or bowstring effect caused by ankle pronation, some believe it is the Achilles tendon's relatively weak blood supply, and some believe that it may be the combination and frequency of eccentric shortening when the heel hits the ground followed rapidly by concentric contraction when the toes push off, according to achillestendon.com.

Suggs, out of Arizona State, has played in nine NFL seasons, all with the Ravens. He has many accolades on his resume, including being named to five Pro Bowls. He's also Baltimore's all-time sacks leader with 82 1/2 sacks.