New to Achilles tendon injuries - advice sought
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi everyone,
I'm a relatively fit 29 year old male and play various sports and keep fit through running.
Last Friday (20th March) I ruptured my right achillies playing squash and heard a loud popping sound, which I knew straight away what the problem was likely to be.
I went straight to A&E where I was placed in a cast for a few days to allow some of the swelling to go down. I was advised that I'd have an ultrasound to determine the extend of the injury.
I went back to hospital on Tuesday (24th March) to be assessed by a Doctor. He did a lot of poking and prodding at my achillies, which was excruciatingly painful, and then advised I had a partial rupture.
No further tests or ultrasound where undertaken, is this normal?
I have subequently been placed in a cast for 3 weeks to immobilise and am having to inject a course of blood thinning drugs each day to stop DVT. Assume this is relatively common?
I was surprised that surgery wasn't an option for me, or even suggested as an option. I thought that if you were relatively active, that surgery was the better form of treatment and that re-rupture was less likely? Don't get me wrong I'm glad I don't have to have surgery but I'm a little worried that I won't be able to get back to the level of sporting activity I do, being that I run marathons and play squash, golf etc pretty regularly.
I've also experienced in the last day or so, quite a bit of pain to the joint of the tendon to the calf muscle. Has anyone experienced this? it's mainly been whilsit i have been using the crutches but sometimes i have had it whilist its been elevated.
I am a little worried that i'll not make a 100% recovery, esepcially reading some of the comments on this forum and I know I have a long revovery of 6 months plus.
I also need to get back to work as soon as I can, I'm a surveyor so any site work is out of the question until i'm fully recovered. Its the commuting to work which possesses an issue as driving is out of the question.
I don't however, want to jeopardise my recovery by taking things too quickly.. although i'm crawling up the walls being at home!
What is everyone elses experience in terms of getting back to work? and how did you manage at work.
You're experiences and comments would be greatly recieved.
Thanks
Alex
0 likes, 3 replies
kentjax Alex28111985
Posted
Alex, if your instict was telling you one thing, you should listen. Not saying the treatment you got is good or bad necessarily, your overall outcome eventually will determine that; however, always ask your doctor what are your options? I had the Anthrex PARS surgery for my ATR and to avoid DVT, I was prescribed 325mg of coated aspirin tablets, once per day, which you can purchase over the counter. I believe you will be fine, since medical data suggest that comparion of non surgical and surgical outcomes are nearly identical. Lastly, information is power. ATR surgery is not emergency surgery and you could have stepped back, read blogs of others and some literature out there and see what alternatives you have at your disposal, then determine what is a best fit for your situation. For me, my non-invasive surgery was certainly a great choice. What you can do from here is to recover and read on various Physical Therapy (at home) that you can and should do to recover and get back to where you where, but remember most outcomes are not 100% of where you were before and he percent varies based on each individual. Share your experience everytime you have an opportunity, so others can learn. Take Care and all the best.
jenny46484 Alex28111985
Posted
You may of read my blog on here. I've been injecting clexane post op after Achilles debridement originally for 4 weeks but after I ruptured the same post op Achilles 3 weeks later I had my clexane extended so still injecting for another 2 weeks. It's because your supposed to be NWB and relatively immobile. I'm in a cast for 4 weeks with toes pointed down then go into a boot with wedges for 6-9 weeks then physio. My consultant decided to go non operative due to risk of infection as my original op was such a short time ago. So the 3/4 weeks post op recovery counts for nothing. They do say that operative repair of Achilles is normally only a 70% success but everyone is different. I am so bored. I'm living on the sofa as its easier but do upper body exercises everyday and leg lifts everyday to keep the thigh muscles strong. Recovery is as long as a piece of string. It's the mind you have to watch as well.
Keep positive and I love this site. You realise your not alone.
Jen x
tim50stroud Alex28111985
Posted
if theres any doubt about the diagnosis, mostly its pretty clear from feeling the tendon gap and a floppy foot! If conseravtive treatment doesnt work theres still the operation available. In my case, healing was good.
No cast, but straight in a boot with wedges, non weight bearing for 4 weeks and self injecting too.
No pain, but still numbness of the heel pad.
Left tendon, so no driving a manual car. Work loaned me an automatic to get in after week 5, no problems with a desk job. Back driving after about 9 weeks on the manual.
I was doing work at home, and catching up watching cat videos on the web!
Good luck!!