Achilles Tendon Full Rupture with Surgery

Lori, I had to hear about the fall and fracture. I do bang my leg sometimes when moving about with my crutches and try to be super careful about falling. When will you find out of more surgery is needed and how did they find out about the fracture? I pray I haven't did anymore damage. Just today, I put my foot down hard trying to hit my imaginary breaks cause my son was driving...lol. I felt a pain, but it went away within the minute. I know this is a long process, so trying to stay positive. Which leg is your AT injury?

Hi Lori!

How have everything been going with the hairline fracture and weight bearing now? I hope you are doing such better and would like to here how you are doing?

Sounds like a lot of our ankle recovery program for recuperation. I had no idea a torn muscle takes so long to repair. We are all on the same boat it seems! I can tell you, there is light at the end of the tunnel!

Thanks Emma. I am glad my doctor is being aggressive, I hope not too aggressive and cause any problems. What month are you in for your recovery? Are you back to do everything you did prior to the rupture?

Patti,

What week are you in the recovery process? Can anyone share what their thought is on PWB? Is this considered 50% of my body weight or is this use part of my foot and not all of it? Feeling confused...

I'm week 23. It's been a bit of time since I began this at week 7. There are a few great videos online I found about how to do weight bearing on you tube, back when I first started, that I found very helpful. I will search for them and private message you if I can find them. Basically you start with 25% for the first week, which is more like a tap of the foot, then you slowly try to put 50% weight on it the next week and you will slowly be able to increase your weight on it week by week. I didn't really like using crutches and had only used them a bit at first when I was casted, because I always like my knee scooter better, and felt a bit clumsy on the crutches, but found I needed to start using crutches again at this point so I could apply proper pressure. I went back and forth between crutches and a walker until I could increase pressure slowly and tolerate it. Week by week I could increase by 25% more. I remember my heal and the bottom of my foot hurt a lot at first but that slowly went away and I would massage it a lot and rub the bottom of it with a frozen water bottle, a lacrosse ball, etc until it got better. It just takes a little time. It will happen though- don't worry. Your leg and foot are all just super weak at first and can hurt all over. It gets better every couple days. Do whatever you can, then rest it, and try again. Keep trying as much as you can tolerate. Know that the next week you will get better and stronger. Your leg atrophies and it takes a while to fire it back up. It's like fireworks on your tendons as it gets going. That's all normal. The pain moves from place to place week by week. Tituscaby1 used to call the pain a moving target, which I found very accurate.

I just found a video on weight bearing and I will private message you now. 

Thanks Patti the videos do provide me with alot of clarity. I am determined to do it right and know that it will be a long recovery. You have been very helpful. I haven't felt any pain in my ankle yet, but do feel muscle tightness in my calf every now and then when I am standing for long periods of time (typically after I been laying down for a long time or sitting). Also, I am constantly stretching my bad long in the morning. Not on purpose, but it always need to stretch. Like several times. I don't sleep with my boot on or my socks thing, so don't know if that has anything to do with it.

The pain happens mainly during PT. I took an anti-inflammatory twice a day for about a month during that time. I was resistant to that at first, because I don't usually take any meds, and then realized that was silly. They helped me a lot after I gave in. Take them, if and when you need them, with food and only after the 7 weeks of bone healing have already occurred.

Hi  Patti. I was just reading your reply in the message above which I found extremely helpful as I am having similar concerns or confusion regards partial weight bearing. I was told to partial weight bear but was not given any advice what partial weight bearing is. Please could you very kindly private message me the video too that you found on weight bearing? This would be amazing if you could. Thanks.

Hi Patti

Please could you very kindly also private me this video on weight bearing. I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

Sure thing. I'll send it right away Ali. 

Just sent it over. If anyone else wants the info, just let me know.

Hi Shunie,

I m sure he is being safe. The recovery jargon is conservative or aggressive. I have read that a lot of doctors are over conservative in the UK.

This is my Week 13 after operation. Last week I was give go ahead by the doctor to loss the boot and crutches. Easier said then done.

So Day 5 of walking in trainers and one crutch - I can walk a little in trainers and no crutch. I struggle on paths with gradient or bad paving slabs - so I use one crutch for support. Also my foot will hurt after a bit of walking, so I use the one crutch for support.

Today my physio and I am trying to figure out what I get pain on the ankle joint.

I do not have sufficient range of motion to walk down the stair – so for now I step one foot down, place other foot next to it, then step again and place other foot next to it and repeat etc. This is a typical challenge and people to get over it, once they have developed the range of motion.

I feel this recovery will be 6 months to get to basics mechanics and then could be 1 year longer for other stuff. Apparently David Beckham had the same injury back in 2010 and he gave himself 6 months to recover...

Emma thanks for the additional feedback. I assume you went the conservative route. I am just trying to get this PWB down. I realized that my concern is putting my foot slightly down for the first time. It's been up so long, I have to consciously put it down.

Hi Shunie - Yes my doctor went for the conservative approach - not within my control. Never the less, I so pleased to be back on my feet - still have lots of challenges but there is progress. I imagine its difficult for you as you havent seen your physio yet - take it easy - walk from one room to the next to get into and gradually build up.

Hi Patti - I was looking for buddy to go through this rehabililation process. Did you have a full rupture and went for the operation. Reading between the comments, looks like your doctor moved you off the cast, the PWB in boot, then FWB, you are now week 23 - are you walking trainers/shoes now ?

I am in week 13 - so very curious to see how people progress with walking in trainers... 

I know you are elated to be back on your feet! I am having to depend on people for alot and I am a very I independent person. I am going to work on PWB today until it becomes second nature. I am bound and determined to get this. I hope you continue to get back to where you was (or even better) before the injury.

I know exactly what you mean Shunie. I was touch bearing with my foot initially but am now partial weight bearing I think you can call it. However everytime I put my foot down I stress that I am going to rerupture or if tendon has not healed yet come apart more. I do stress much more than the average patient though. I also have to conciously remember to put my put down at some stages throughout the day as am also so used to keeping it elevated and can forget to "walk" on it sometimes

Hi Patti

Thanks so much. Much appreciated and very helpful.

Thanks so much Patti. Much appreciated and very helpful.

Glad I am not the only one Ali. This really is such a touch and go stage and all I hear is about reruptures. I am doing a lot of reading to take my mind off of things and still work from home, so it's been busy. When I am idle, that's when my mind wonders...lol

Hey shunie I'm happy to read your post. I am 39 and completely rupture my achillies and had surgery. July 10 is my 3 week mark I will be having my hard cast and staples remove. I can't wait!!!! I was told at week 3 I will be put in a boot with 3 wedges. Each week I will have to remove one. I will be Full weight bearing also.

I think I'm a week being you?

Did you have staples?