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Achilles Tendon Rupture Recovery

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david92021
david92021

Ruptured my achilles and had operation 17weeks ago. Still limping a fair amount with some pain despite gradually developing strength in the calf. Single heel raises limited but I can take weight whilst walking on my toes. Physio seems to think I should be further ahead and walking without limp or pain. In other's experience how long might I be in pain walking and limping?

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  • gsuttor
    gsuttor david92021

    Posted

    So much info here but I need more! smile

    I'm pre-op. I had a full rupture of my tendon 7 days ago, very little pain after days 1-3 with rest etc, and doc (gp) sent me off to get a moonboot mainly to assist walking around as I went back to work (desk job).

    Now my issue is weight bearing, when I get up in the morning, its like a leg cramp, extremely painfull down the back of my calf. After half an hour or so of getting ready for work it goes away usually leaving a dull ache for an hour or more. By afternoon there is no pain and just the standard hobbling around.

    This repeats every day now.

    Questions. 

    1. Did other full rupture people get similar cramps only in morning.

    2. Are there any massaging techniques that you found helpfull to stop the cramp/pain quicker in the morning.

    Thanks

    Geoff

  • Dee-19562
    Dee-19562 david92021

    Posted

    Hi David, I’m recovering from a “freak accident” that severed my Achilles on Jan. 22, 2017. I only have a couple of PT visits left and I still feel like this is far from recovered.

    I have had several setbacks that occurred from the crutches, boot, & knee scooter. I felt like I was moving in the right direction until a boat ride resulted in a broken toe on the injured foot.

    Toe is finally recovered and I am back to stationary recumbent bike and treadmill and using bands and other equipment. But, I still have trouble walking correctly and cannot bear weight on injured leg’s toes.

    My questions to everyone are: How long did it take you to feel normal again?

    can everyone do a single leg, toe-lift. In my previous life, I was an avid walker/hiker. Will I ever be able to hike again.

    I am starting to feel like this awkward walking is affecting my hips and good leg. It is 

    soooooo depressing to feel this way after almost 11 months!

    They have never ordered an MRI. Did anyone else receive one?

    • 007Sue
      007Sue Dee-19562

      Posted

      Hi Adele, I am 64 and tore my tendon in a simple ball bounce and run competition.  I hit the ground like a sack of potatoes and knew something was seriously wrong as I had no feeling in my foot.  This happened in Kuwait and as I was a new expat, only one week in the country, an operation at the general hospital was not possible, private was out of the question. I was in the cast for 8 weeks and on crutches, I was advised by the doctors (after a mid time recast) that I should place some light weight on my foot,   That was after 4weeks of no weight bearing.  As I am a teacher, I needed to move around in class so started using only one crutch in class.  Outside I used 2.  After the 8 weeks I was told I could choose, boot or no boot.  I chose boot for another 6 weeks.  I am out of boot now for a week.  My foot tires easily and at night I have to use a handheld vibrator to it to relieve the stress pain.  I walk quite long distances and can lift myself up slightly on my toes of injured foot.  I massage my weakened calf muscle every day and do stretches before getting up in the morning. My heal still has a pinpoint sting right in the middle but goes away after a bit of walking.  All in all I am pretty mobile but when tired walk with a slight limp.  My foot swells up considerably after a day of teaching but when I get home I lit my foot up quite high and the swelling subsides, 

      As for hip pain you mentioned.... while moonbooting, I lifted the soles of my other sandle or other shoes to the same height as moonboot and my hip stress went away. 

      All i I need now is to heal.  But being an expat  makes affordable medical treatment a VERY expensive venture, so you wing it on your own... hoping for the best. 

    • 007Sue
      007Sue

      Posted

      Dee, sorry for the Adele, probably auto correct. 
  • joseph2724
    joseph2724 david92021

    Posted

    I ruptured my Achilles at a combine (American football) on October 22nd and had all the classic symptoms, loud snap, felt like I got kicked, unable to put pressure on it...... I went home took Advil and iced and elevated..... I didn't want to pay allot of money for the ER so I called an to set up an appointment with an Ortho and was told they couldn't get me in until November 8th. I found this odd because I figured this was weird because it was a full 16 days from my injury and I read you have to have surgery within a week..... I was afraid I was going to make my injury worse so I ordered an Ossur airboot and a wedge kit but unfortunately that didn't arrive until Nov 1st so I had to limp around for over a week.... When I finally saw my ortho she performed a Thompson's test and I failed (positive) which confirmed a full rupture...... She said due to my age(28) and the fact I am an athlete she would normally recommend surgery but she was impressed that a started non operative on my own and due to recent studies supporting nonop she would like to continue this method and told me she wanted to schedule an MRI at my six week point to see how I was healing.... So I had the MRI and went to see my ortho two days later..... Before she went over my MRI she performed the Thompson's test which I passed (negative) and noted that my divit had diminished a great deal and stated I was doing phenomenal in my recovery.... Then she pulled up my MRI and had a shocked look on her face because it did not coincide with my progress.... The MRI showed I had a 2.3cm gap in my Achilles and she didn't understand how I passed the Thompson's test and had very little pain and was able to walk without limping without the boot (which she scolded me for attempting) she told me that normally a gap that big can not biologically heal conservatively and I may need to have surgery.... I feel like I was getting stronger every day so I was very confused.... Is it possible the MRI was incorrect and showed an ambiguous result?? I don't know what to do at this point

  • rabbitoharry
    rabbitoharry david92021

    Posted

    Hi there , 

    I'm new on here .

    I ruptured my Achilles 9 months ago 1 inch gap - I had plaster for 3 weeks then a moon boot for 4 months then only a small amount of physio .

    Now it's always sore and swollen so I had an ultrasound yesterday and they said it's 90 % ruptured ????? Only a small thread keeping it on ? 

    I am going back to the specialist in the next few days .

    My question is do you think I can get away without surgery or a cast ? I really need to work and it's not physical work . Matybe just a moon boot ? Very worried 

    Thanks Harry 

     

    • nick89129
      nick89129 rabbitoharry

      Posted

      Hi Harry

      i write to you as we seem to be in a similar situation to help, I ruptured mine nearly nine months ago playing soccer. No operation and after three months had a scan and was also told by gp and physio that scan showed only hanging by a thread so quickly booked into specialist who tested it and said it was all fine,,,,,so maybe you have had the same result? However whilst it is slowly improving I only have the odd moment of no pain when walking. I have been told to expect it to be at least a year and you must be very careful as it has a far more chance of rerepturing if you did not have the op. I have to say it has. Been the worst injury.  I have had and I have had a few playing ruby etc but nothing that has taken this long.....would have been far better off breaking a leg. I only say this so you can be forewarned. I hope you have better Liu I! But I am 62.....

    • rabbitoharry
      rabbitoharry nick89129

      Posted

      Cheers Nick 

      Yes just waiting to hear from the specialist - apparently its jus thanging on by a thread - I have my steel cap boot on today & I can walk no probs . It's all a bit weird as I woke up this morning with a very sore and swolen ankle 

    • nick89129
      nick89129 rabbitoharry

      Posted

      Yes mine is sore in the morning especially if I have been standing on hard surfaces. Hopefully your specialist will do the Thompson test and it will still be attached which is what happened to me.....but it was quite emotional as I did not want to be sitting on the couch for another three months if I had reruptured it. I have done a lot of pool walking which I think has helped. Good luck but it is a long process and be careful as I have heard a lot of rerupturing stories! 
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