Achilles Tendon Repair (Scared of Re-Rupture) :0
Posted , 2 users are following.
good morning all, my name is brooke, i am a 25 year old female.. I ruptured my achilles on April 21st/22nd.
Playing basketball against the youngins. LOL reliving my glory days. But, I went to the ER later on that night. They misdiagnosed me with a torn calf muscle. They didn’t take an x-ray or an MRI, the doctor just felt my calf and told me to be on crutches for three days and try to walk it off. Of course, it did not seem right that I wasn’t healing well. So a week and a half later I went to the ortho and they confirm that I had a torn Achilles. So, I took an MRI did a pre-testing for the surgery. I had the surgery on May 23, 2019. So, you can bet that they had to do a salvage procedure. Apparently my tendon was so far gone they had to get a piece of tendon from my calf and then connected and then add a graft and blah blah blah. I am thankful for my surgeon to have done this.
but, I am here today because I am scared that I might have re-ruptured my achilles. here is a timeline. After surgery, I was in a soft splint for two weeks. Then I was able to get my hard cast on June 7. I have been in the hardcast for 10 days already and will get it off this friday (7/21). since Friday night, I had a friend who is a nurse come over and she’s feeling my toes. Doing nurse things LOL and she said that my toes on my right (injured) leg was cold. it all felt warm to me. But, that was when the swelling around my foot was beginning. the only thing I did differently this past week was work eight full hours Monday through Friday. I called the surgeons team this past fri night and they told me it sounds like I need to elevate it. Well I’ve been elevating it this whole weekend. The swelling has gone down from around my foot and my ankle is a lot less sore. But, my toes I was able to wiggle. Now it feels like it’s struggling and some discomfort when i do try to wiggle them down... Mind you, I have actually been in no pain. I took three of my painkillers the first day after surgery and just been taking my aspirin and Mobic on and off. I fear since I’ve had a painless experience with the rupture from day one, I’m scared that I mightve re ruptured in my cast? Just a few times I feel like a rippling sleep/numb feeling where the Achilles might’ve been repaired. and a super slight throbbing the middle of my cast. Am I overthinking it? What I be in more pain if it was re- ruptured? I go and see my doc again this friday in hopes of getting my boot on w 25% weight bearing.
0 likes, 6 replies
brooke19073
Posted
correction:
middle of my calf* not cast.
amy1057 brooke19073
Posted
Hi! Brooke,
I doubt you re-tore it. Yours looks almost exactly like mine did the 2nd time.
1st time surgery was for a small tear and bone spur.
2nd time surgery was 4 1/2 months later, after stepping into as deep hole. I knew I had ruptured it then, Loud pop, excruciating pain and couldn't bear weight. The surgery was pretty much the same as you. Had to have quite a bit of reconstruction ,lengthening of the tendon and grafting but also had to reconstruct my heel ( Calcaneous ) bone; as it snapped and went when my tendon snapped.
Anyways, I fell about 6 weeks after the 2nd surgery, I was still in a cast ( mine were being changed every 2 weeks and placed at different degrees each time). I called my Ortho that night, he was pretty confident that everything was ok. As he said it is completely protected in the cast and takes a lot for it to re- rupture when in a cast. Next day I had to go anyway for another cast change so he xrayed to make sure all the screws, etc., were still in place, they were. I had all the weird sensations; burning, throbbing, twitching, pain, and swelling. Next month will be a year since the last surgery. I still have swelling when I am on it too much, have swelling and pain when the weather changes and in my case continued tightness in my heel even after 5 months of physical therapy. Now you will probably heal much faster than I did because I am 62 yrs old and I had 2 ruptures in a 4 1/2 ,month period.
I would think what you are feeling is normal from the looks if your surgery site, as I said earlier looks almost exactly like mine. But
If you are still concerned contact your Doctor.
I hope all goes well and you have a speedy recovery.
brooke19073 amy1057
Posted
Good afternoon Ms Amy. Thank you so much for your reply. I have been feeling uneasy since this has been my first major surgery. I am hoping that I heal well. Friday, I get my hard cast taken off. Then hopefully I can get into my boot. And do about 25% weight-bearing. The picture you’ve seen was my two week post op. I am glad that you’re feeling well. Your response puts me at ease. I have just had increased swelling since last Friday. it is kind of hurting. The surgeons team just told me to elevate it and take the ocassional painkkiller.
amy1057 brooke19073
Posted
definitely elevate as much as possible and Ice for 10 - 15 minutes every hour as much as you can. Elevation and icing will help tremendously with the swelling. I still elevate and ice mine when it swells.
Take care.
brooke19073 amy1057
Posted
thank you! ortho surgeon said it looked good. i wont see him for another 4 weeks. i went out the cast in the boot with 2 wedges (compiled of 6 layers) i was able to do between 15-20% this week.. , really was supposed to do 25%... kind of nervous...
this thursday i can take a layer off my wedge and try 50%
then the next week, take a layer off then 75,.. and then 100 the 4th week.
fingers crossed!
amy1057 brooke19073
Posted
You'll do great! You're going to be scared but believe me your foot will let you know if it can't or won't handle it. Just take it one day at a time.