Achilles tendon repair surgery...how long did you wait to return to work?
Posted , 6 users are following.
Just wondering what the average time is for returning to work after an Achilles tendon repair surgery? If you've had this surgery, when did you return to work? How did it go?
I have a partial rupture and am having (open, not minimally invasive) surgery on it next week. I have to return to work two days later. The doctor said 4-6 weeks with a 2 week absolute minimum return to work time. The problem is, I have to return to work TWO DAYS after surgery. Surgery is on a Wednesday and I have to return by Friday. I really absolutely do not have a choice (I am the only one at my place of employment who can do my job and, on top of that, not only does my employer not offer time off, vacation or sick leave (literally have had one day off of work since 2015 and I had to work 12 hours of overtime the week before and call in multiple favors to make it happen), there is no one at my job to fill in for me; one employee is on vacation and another just had major surgery and is out for 6 weeks) and I can't move the surgery date. In addition to that, time away from work will result in lawsuits for the business I work at. Sooo, in addition to surgery, I'm super stressed out about work (as you can probably tell... sorry 
)
My job is 60% seated (desk) and 40% standing and going to various locations to conduct interviews and take photos. For those of you who returned to work earlier than the recommended 4-6 weeks, how did it go? Any advice or tips to keep complications and pain to a minimum? I also have three small children that I take care of on my own. I pretty much plan on using lots of ice packs and eating ibuprofen like it's candy.
0 likes, 32 replies
raven94187 dmh
Posted
Oh wow...note to self don't work for that company. Sorry to hear that dmh..... I had surgery 2 months ago and not released to return to work as of yet and I sit at a desk 90% of the time, fortunately I have all of the perks (vaca, sick, fmla, etc). Maybe considering you have a partial tear and minimal invasive surgery, you'll be able to put some weight on your foot, return to work in a boot or cast using crutches or a walker. I hope it all works out for you. Praying for 100% healing.
dmh raven94187
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Thanks for the prayers! It's not minimally invasive...the doctor said it'll be open surgery with a 6-8 inch incision and non weight bearing for 4 weeks or so.
raven94187 dmh
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Correction u said open surgery. Oh wow yeah that's usually 6-8 weeks off from work..
dmh raven94187
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Heck630 dmh
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No no real pain couldn't tell if there was swelling had dressing and cast like splints on. No weight at all and getting around with crutches is much more difficult than it looks. Got to point where I was hurting my left knee. Injured my driving leg. Sucks. My surgeon is taking aggressive approach so far it's been good but it ok me almost 4 weeks before I could go to work.
raven94187 dmh
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1DM I had no pain at all after surgery. Swelling went away quick, still not allowed to put weight on it, used a scooter to get around in the house and crutches outside of the house. My only concern is I still have some numbness in my foot and irritation on my scar, overall no pain. You will be fine.
Heck630 dmh
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Heck630
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Tear 8/16, surgery 8/22. Dressing off 9/8 therapy started 9/12 back to work 9/14. Took 2.5 days for nerve block to wear you're going to have hard time. Recurrence of tear higher if you don't relax.
dmh Heck630
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The nerve block wore off completely by 10 p.m. and oh. My. Word. OUCH!!! The pain med they gave me (Norco) isn't doing anything at all to help and I had to crawl from my bedroom and 15 feet down the hallway to the bathroom three times last night just to use the restroom. Argh. I've had a c-section and a hysterectomy and neither hurt as badly as this does.
peter22655 dmh
Posted
Your company sounds like a nightmare to work for, it must be illegal not to allow you a vacation since 2015???
Back to the real question: I had a full ruptured but went the conservative way and went back to work the next day but choice as I can't sit still at home and day time tv is absolutely rubbish lol.
If I had had surgery I would've listen to my consultant and follow it to the T. I was told if there is a re-reptured on the same leg and on the same area then they would have to remove tendon from my big toe to fix it and it might result in a limp for life (excessive, yes i know), so please follow your surgeon instructions or ask your work to at least provide a comfortable place to elevate your leg. I hope that's not too much for them.
dmh peter22655
Posted
I'll admit that the corporation itself that I work for is a bit rigid with their [time off] policy, but I love what I do (editor of a large newspaper). It's a pretty awesome career and I am thankful for it.
Sometimes, I think that they take advantage of my work ethic, and normally I'm okay with it (because I can't imagine wanting to do anything else and I'm totally okay with no time off), but in this case, it could be detrimental to my health.
On the other hand, when my kids are sick, they allow me to bring them to work and the owner personally takes care of them and spoils them to death
(same thing during the summer...they pay for an in-home nanny on the weekends (that I have to work, which is most) and on weekdays in the mornings and then they (the owners) take them to the pool or to the local play center or park in the afternoon while I'm working). They also (voluntarily, without being asked) occasionally take them to their cabin near a local state park on weekends that I don't have to work so that I can go hiking and climbing. So, even though I don't get time off, they are beyond excellent with my family and I am *so* blessed to have that! They don't have any kids or grandkids (they've spent their whole married life building a publishing empire, more or less), so they've pretty much adopted me and my kids as their own.
As far as returning to work goes, I plan on elevating my leg on a stool next to my desk. With the accelerated rehabilitation method (total weight bearing in a boot from day 1) that my doctor has planned, I'm hoping that it'll be good enough.
Thank you for your valuable advice!!!
raven94187 dmh
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Oh wow. That's awesome. You don't find employers like that every day. Super cool.
DMH what sport (s) do you play?
donnadb037 dmh
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TOTAL weight bearing in a boot from day 1????? I've never heard of that!! I'm on day 30 and I still can't even partial weight bear (and I mean less than 20%) without severe pain! I don't even try. I'm 100% on a scooter or walker with my knee up.
dmh raven94187
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raven94187 dmh
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Cool. I play a lot of basketball, which is how I tore it.
dmh donnadb037
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I know. I was pretty surprised. I did a lot of research and had a whole argument written out against casting and supportive evidence that early weight bearing is beneficial and so I was surprised when my doctor said that right off the bat without me even asking!
There's a link to a medical publication and study on it that was published two years ago (this website won't allow links to be posted), but pretty much to sum it up, immediate full weight bearing and early ankle mobilization after achilles tendon repair surgery (called accelerated rehabilitation) resulted a significantly shortened return time to work and sports. Patients in the studies showed significantly higher satisfaction, less use of rehabilitation resources, earlier return to pre-injury activities and further demonstrated significantly increased calf muscle strength, reduced atrophy and tendon elongation. No study found an increased rerupture rate for the more progressive treatment. The conclusion of the study was that the rehabilitation protocol after achilles tendon repair should allow immediate full weight bearing. After the second postoperative week controlled ankle mobilization by free plantar flexion and limited dorsiflection at zero degrees should be applied.
I'm also normally a very active person, and I'm young and physically fit, so that might have a lot to do with why he's doing rehab the full weight bearing route. I don't really know.