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Achilles Tendon Rupture - Post Surgery

Posted , 5 users are following.

reh92
reh92

Hi All

Im just wondering if anybody (particularly those who have had surgery to fix a fully rupture AT) could tell me about their experiences post op? In particular how the tendon/ankle felt in the earlier stages post op? 

I'm currently 2 weeks post op and had my first check up appointment today. Don't get me wrong, I knew that my operated tendon wouldn't feel magnificent at this point and nothing like my other one, but I was still shocked to see how weak it still was...sad it kind of feels exactly how it felt pre-op, all weak and floppy. It also looks like it did pre-op, that funny dented shape at the heel. However, I wasn't able to pull my toes upwards far at all without pain so I guess the tendon wouldn't have been as obvious anyway as it is when pulled tort. I'm wondering though, shouldn't it be a tiny bit stronger then this post surgery? Or is this normal? How did everyone elses feel? 

I'm worried becus a couple of days a go I took a tumble (I had been doing so well on my crutches up until then!) and I'm worried I've done some damage. They did ultrasound it when I went to the appointment but they said it's hard to tell becus they don't usually scan them so early after an op, and they could still see a gap but the stitches are still there? The doctor who I saw (how didn't do the surgery) said this could be normal though as the tendon is like a mop and the surgeon who performed the surgery would not have sewed up every strand, so this evidence of re-reputure (the gap) could be normal and he said he wasn't too worried, and it would just mean I would be casted for longer (yay lol). 

Any, would be interested to find out how other people's felt in the early stages! Thanks!

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • Kls0420
    Kls0420 reh92

    Posted

    Hi! I ruptured both of my Achilles tendons (both legs) so I had surgery on my first one August 3rd and my second one Sept 7th. It's been a super long haul. Slowly but surely I'm getting there I'm in physical therapy Now and my one leg is getting stronger all the time and feel a pretty good. But at the beginning I still had a lot of weakness in my ankles. In my experience it takes time! I've had a boot on each for 10wks. My Dr gave me exercises at 4 wks to start doing at home. So hang in there you will get there it takes a lot of healing time! UGH! Put ur feet up and catch up on reading or tv....Kelly

    • reh92
      reh92 Kls0420

      Posted

      Oh Kelly!! Both of them, that sounds awful! But so glad you're on the mend now! I think the realisation/seriousness of the injury fully sank in when I had the cast of yesterday and that it's going to take time. All of the other injury's I've had I've been able to snap back pretty quickly, but not this time unfortunately. Did you go straight into a boot after surgery or were you casted first? Everyone's post op protocols seem to be different. How may I ask did you do both of your Achilles btw? 

  • margaret_81513
    margaret_81513 reh92

    Posted

    Hi there. I am 6 months post op. Ruptured my Achilles tendon 3.5yrs ago was put straight into a plaster cast no op. It knitted back loose my foot felt it was dragging behind the other one when I was able to walk on it. I eventually 3 5 yrs later saw a surgeon who cut it and made it shorter and did an fhl transfer. After the op my Achilles tendon felt like a tight elastic band. I did a lot of stretching my foot lifting my toes up as tight as I could. Also you need to be standing on tiptoes with both feet and strengthening the calf muscles and various other exercises which you will get at physio. You should be in a plaster castor cam boot non weight bearing for up to about 6-8 weeks. When put into a boot it will be lowered bit by bit until foot is back in the right position then you will be put in a walking boot with some slight weight bearing on it until they say you can fully weight bear. It is a very slow process up to about 18 months to fully recover.

    • margaret_81513
      margaret_81513

      Posted

      Reads like 35 years later should be 3.5 years later.
  • margaret_81513
    margaret_81513 reh92

    Posted

    Hi there. I am 6 months post op. Ruptured my Achilles tendon 3.5yrs ago was put straight into a plaster cast no op. It knitted back loose my foot felt it was dragging behind the other one when I was able to walk on it. I eventually 3 5 yrs later saw a surgeon who cut it and made it shorter and did an fhl transfer. After the op my Achilles tendon felt like a tight elastic band. I did a lot of stretching my foot lifting my toes up as tight as I could. Also you need to be standing on tiptoes with both feet and strengthening the calf muscles and various other exercises which you will get at physio. You should be in a plaster castor cam boot non weight bearing for up to about 6-8 weeks. When put into a boot it will be lowered bit by bit until foot is back in the right position then you will be put in a walking boot with some slight weight bearing on it until they say you can fully weight bear. It is a very slow process up to about 18 months to fully recover.

    • reh92
      reh92 margaret_81513

      Posted

      Glad to hear you're on the mend now Margaret! Ahh ok, after the surgery did it take time to get the foot back into a neutral position? Mine also feels so tight, at the moment I couldn't imagine being able to put my foot flat on the ground. I'm guessing that's what the heeled boot does, stretches it out? 

  • margaret_81513
    margaret_81513 reh92

    Posted

    I just re-read what you said and you said you are 2 weeks post op. You should be non weight bearing with your foot up rested for at least 4-6 weeks. You took a tumble are you weight bearing on your operated foot??? You must NOT do that. It is a frustrating time plenty of reading etc to pass the time. When I had hospital visits to consultant I was taken in a wheelchair as it is so important not to put your foot to the floor ket alone try and walk on it you will damage what work the surgeon has done. I hope this helps.
    • reh92
      reh92 margaret_81513

      Posted

      Yes I was on crutches but knocked my good leg against a table which propelled me forwards and I landed on my bad (ruptured) leg, 10 days post surgery sad trying to be really really careful at the moment not to do it again!! Problem is I'm so clumsy at the best of times, never mind on one leg! The surgeon didn't seem too worried though, he just said he's going to change is regime slightly, so I'm going to be in a cast for a little longer. So fingers crossed it'll be ok! Yes thank you, really helpful! 

  • neil64709
    neil64709 reh92

    Posted

    I ruptured my achilles  and had surgery May 12, so for  for me its 5 months and 2 weeks after surgery.

    First couple of weeks , no weight bearing is definitely the worst part. I had very aggressive physio. After 2 weeks was moved into moon boot, and doing stretching (circles, windscreen left - right movement, and trying to lift toes up while lying down). By week 3 my physio had me on exercise bike, doing no resistance peddling (heel right on middle of peddle so that your foot does not move). As soon as my stitches healed (about 4.5 weeks) I was in the pool (about an hour a day). Gently , no impact kicking, walking backwards , stretching etc (I did this almost 30 days in a row, every day).

    I am back on the tennis court and Sunday will be my 3rd weekend playing tennis. I'm not going crazy, just playing some easy doubles, and not chasing down any balls. I documented my recovery on this thread;

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/achilles-rupture-some-pain-during-healing-584283

    For me 3 things were amazing in my recovery.

    1 Getting in the pool

    2 Getting on stationary bike (no boot, just with compression sock), and getting the blood flowing and the leg muscles loose.

    3) Doing a lot of massage around the calf muscle, and achilles area, and using a heat lamp to increase blood circulation

    The more controlled  (physio recommended) exercise you do early, the better your recovery will be. 

    Good luck and all the best,

    Neil.  

    • reh92
      reh92 neil64709

      Posted

      Hi Neil 

      Ahh great news you're back on a Tennis court!!! I would absolutely love to be back on a netball court in 5 months time, sounds like you've healed up very quick!! I hope I'm the same! 

      Wow that is aggressive. I've been told I'm going to be in a cast for at least another 4-6 weeks, which is worrying be a bit because I've already lost so much muscle mass already. I've read a lot online about for active recovery, and I'm worried my surgeon is being a bit too conservative. 

      Are you based in the UK or else where? I'm in the UK under the NHS and I think I get one physio a week when I get the go ahead but thinking of getting a private physio too, to help speed up my recovery. How many times a week did you see the physio? 

      Ahh great, thanks for the tips! I was definitely hoping to go swimming as soon as I can. Yoga has also been recommended to me? I'm actually looking forward to doing activities like this. They're not something I would normally do, I usually go to the gym and do 4-5 HIIT sessions a week and then my netball training/games, so I usually don't have time to do more gentle, continuous activities, but I think that's just what my body needs atm! 

      Thanks for the reply and tips, I hope your recovery continues to go well!smile

  • Bendine2
    Bendine2 reh92

    Posted

    Hey all, my name is Ryan and I'm 31yo male. I ruptured my achillies on 10/5/17 and had surgery to repair it on 10/12/17. My surgeon said the repair went "perfectly". A few days after surgery I had pain (as expected) but then it began to feel great. I saw my surgeon 1 week post-op and he said that my swelling had gone down 100% (which I guess is rare only 1 week post-op) and that the incision site looked great, no swelling no infections, ect. Now I'm at 2 weeks post-op and out of the blue the last few nights have been experiencing excruciating pain, mostly and intense burning, but also intense heal pain. Last night the pain got so severe that I didn't sleep once the entire night. It's weird to me that I had almost no pain for 10 days and now the pain has all-the-sudden come on. I have been extremely cautious not to put any weight on my foot at all. Since my surgery I've only left the house a couple times, mostly to go to the doctor for follow-up. Where is this pain coming from out of the blue? Are the nerves regenerating? Is the tendon starting to "fuse" back together which is putting pressure on my heal? Thanks!!

    • reh92
      reh92 Bendine2

      Posted

      Hi Ryan 

      Are you still in a cast? And whereabouts is the pain exactly - is it at the bottom/underneath the heel? If so, and it's a burning/stinging pain, you might be developing a cast sore/blister. This happened to me. I was getting horrible burning/stinging on the underneath of my heal and I went back into hospital and they took off the cast and said i was delevoping a huge heal blister becus the cast was too tight with not enough padding. If this sounds like you then I would go and get it checked/recasted, as the nurse said if I'd have waited till me next appointment in 2 weeks time would have turned really nasty. 

      Hope you get it sorted smile 

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