post surgery ruptured achilles tendon

ive had it on for 6 weeks now. 2 more weeks to go as well. i guess it varies from surgeon to surgeon with how aggressive they want to be with it.

i am sure i could walk around at home without it now but i am being on the cautious side with it

Grab your belt!

Put the belt around the ball of your foot and then hold the ends in each hand. Pull straight back with both hands until you are uncomfortable. Do that 5 times for 10 seconds. Next pull with the left hand only trying to twist your ankle to the left and back at the same time. 5 times for 10 seconds. Repeat with the right hand. 3 times daily. 

I started physio 5 days after my cast came off (6 weeks) and only wore the boot full time for 2 weeks. No work for me for another month, and I drove a little with my boot on, and as soon as I got rid of it, I took that job away from my wife. She was happy as she says I'm a terrible back seat driver.

Good luck with your physio.

tim

Good luck to you James. I've been doing physio for 8 weeks now. Still tight, still limping but improving. I'm surprised your team waited til after your boot came off to start physio. I started as soon as my cast came off.

there wasnt much they could do other than massage so i'm told. 

I've gone private, as the NHS are just too busy. Have to wait another week or so for appointment with them.

Got stretches and strengthening exercises to do. Limp is going and it feels like it is getting a bit looser. Shall see how my body reacts to it i guess

It's interesting how different countries/doctors approach this. The Dr. in the Azores where I ruptured my AT said I needed surgery, but when I got back to Canada the Dr. here said they don't do surgery any more on that injury.  I had a total rupture with a 3 cm gap between the ends of the break.

My physiotherapist had 2 wedges out of my boot in 7 days, doing toe lifts on the stairs, stretching with a belt, using a wobble board and told me to get rid of the boot after 2 weeks. I saw my Dr. last Thursday and he was surprised to see me out of the boot. 

My limp has lessened quite a lot in the last 3 weeks, but as I get tired I start to limp more. I have to strengthen my whole right leg some more. Hopefully within the next 3 weeks as that is when I am scheduled to go back to work.

Yeh ive heard that some countries dont do the operation now. However, it is my understanding that if you want to get back to the life you had before then the op is the way to go. Without it you are lenghtening the achilles tendon so a loss of power will be inevitable

Hi James ,

I ruptured my Achilles 8 weeks ago, had surgery.

I was weight bearing in boot after 2 weeks, but was in the gym (pool) or on excercise bike 30 days in a row from week 3.5 to now.

I am now walking without a limp, no pain, no swelling. I started my calf strength building stage at week 7.5

Been doing at least 100 2 footed calf raises every day for the last 3 days, and all feels great.

So a fast recovery is possible, but getting back on tennis court may take me another 2 months.

Good luck on your recovery

If you are active, the op is a much better option. In 6 weeks the join has healed.

Non surgery you are in cast and boot for months, waiting for scar tissue and collegen to rejoin.

I am really happy goibg the surgical route and my recovery has exceeded my expectations

Hi neil i go under the knife tuesday next . Half my left tendon is ruptured. Quite nervous! How are you doing now.. any do's and don'ts??

And any one ekses opinions very welcome.. diet? Exercise? How long did you stay in bed after op??

Hello!

In those first two weeks after surgery, did you rest the entire time? Did you try to move your foot at all, any up and down or circle movements to work your achilles before you started walking in the boot? 

Hello, 

for my 1st two weeks I was in a soft cast. No weight bearing at all. It was def the worst time of my recovery. At week 2 I got an air boot, and started physio. Here in South Africa it is aggressive.  Range of motion exercises for week 3. Week 4 onwards I was in pool and on gym bike.

Best to see my recovery here...

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/achilles-rupture-some-pain-during-healing-584283?page=1&utm_source=forum&utm_campaign=comment-notification&utm_medium=email#2789850

I did a lot between weeks 3 and weeks 8. Probably in gym 28 times in 30 days. Was allowed to get in the pool (without boot), and cycle without boot. AT that stage I had swelling, but no pain.

I am now 13 weeks post op. Today I was in gym for over 1 hour. Bike 30 minutes, elliptical stepper 15 minutes , circuit 20 minutes. No pain no swelling, feeling excellent. I plan to get on the tennis court in 3 weeks time. Just easy hitting and some serving , no pounding or running.

Hi Robert,

I was no weight bearing for 2 weeks in soft cast.

At week 2 I got my boot. I had 3 stretching exercises . circles, pointing foot down and windscreen wipers side to side. At week 3.5 I was (I had too) able to drive a manual car. Had no pain at all. By week 4 I was walking around in my boot with 1 crutch. At week 4 the physio had me on stationary gym bike, low resistance, heel forward on the peddle. I was also in pool at gym at least 20 days in a row, walking and stretching and kicking gently.  

After week 5 I stopped going to physio. I just carried on the exercises they had given me, and started to add some of my own. I liked the pool a lot. It gave me confidence, and I got my trust and balance back. Quite a nice exercise is to stand in the pool just on your bad leg, and use your toes to maintain balance.

I think by week 8, I was on the elliptical steeper (not the stair master).  If I look back at my recovery, I did a lot of exercise between week 4  and now. In 9 weeks I have probably been in the gym at least 60 days. I have stationary biked almost every day and it really help loosen my knee, get the blood flowing,  and slowly strengthen my thigh/calf.  

My recovery seems pretty good compared with others, yet I am a middle aged guy (53). I think I was just lucky that I had so much time on my hands to really apply myself to the recovery.

I wish you well and good speed on your recovery.

My goodness that is some progress!  I was two weeks in a cast am now 3 weeks post op.. in boot for  a week. A lot of pain in my toe where they removed a tendon.  I have been using an I walk.. knee crutch  this week (week 3) . I had fluiroquinolone poisoning that attacks the tendon so they are being very carrful with me. Just toe tapping on crutches for the present. Plan to drive tomorrow. Very jealous of your progress!

That sounds pretty nasty. With mine they just made incision down the achilles area and attached the two ends. It was a complete rupture (had the surgeon take a pic but can't find it).  

In my recovery I also took a lot of vitamin C (about 2000mg a day for 3 weeks). I read a case study that they did on mice, where they gave 1 group huge doses on vit-C and they recovered with stronger tendons.  I also took 3 glucosamine tablets every day as well as pyridoxine (vitamin B6  50mg a day.)

I really don't know if the vitamins helped me, perhaps just some placebo effect.

I feel like I could get on the tennis court, and play gently. No running after anything, but easy hitting of balls and serving should be no problem. I may try it this weekend.

Yes i am on vitamin c , glucosamine, collagen , Zinc and magnesium. Anything i have read that might help! I am 68 so need as much assistance as I can get in terms of growing/ strengthening tendons. My gap was too big and my tendon had shortened as my op was 5 weeks after the rupture.  they used  my toe tendon to bridge the gap. Effectively i have two connections/ joins. Good luck with the tennis. Golf is my sport.. no chance of that yet. The physio told they didn't really start  work until after week 6

I used to play a lot of golf, but I hated the gambling on the course. Haven't picked up a club in 4 years. I was pretty good ( played off a 1 or  2 handicap), had 3 hole in one

You live in the UK ?

I have followed your comments because they mirror my situation, except I had an 80% rupture. Did you have your surgery immediately after the injury? Due to incompetency by a doctor’s office and a poor reading of the X-ray, I didn’t have my surgery for 4 weeks following the injury. I am now 3 weeks post surgery and got into my boot today. Was very surprised at the muscle loss in my calf. I ruptured the Achilles playing tennis, played 3-4 times per week, so hoping to get back on the court in 6 months. However, I am 59 years old so I understand I need to exercise some patience (which I have little of). Any suggestions are appreciated.

I am 10 months post surgery    My foot is still numb along the outside edge of foot, but no longer painful to touch.  I still have pain going down stairs as my ankle is still a bit stiff when I flex it.   I lost an inch in my right thigh and calf and am back at the gym working on regaining my stamina I lost being NWB for 8 weeks and then in a boot for 6 weeks with wedges for 4 of those weeks.  Walked with a cane for another month.  The Achilles was shredded by a bone spur that fractured in it. They transplanted a tendon from my big toe to fix it.  I was told it would be 6 -12 months for full recovery.  I am 62 and really just getting to where I can do a lot of walking.  Going down stairs is the only thing that still bothers me.  It does not keep me from working out at all and I am finally back in my actual size shoes.  Had to buy larger shoes for a while.  

I just got my date for surgery, how long was the hospital stay? I go  on the 27th for pre op appointment. 

?you think the dr would have told me all this stuff before  . I really hope this works for me. 

?you all have a lot of information . I'm so glad I stumbled across this site. 

Hi Diana. My surgery was outpatient. I was the first of the day and home by afternoon. The surgery itself took nearly 2 hours.  I received a nerve block so was numb and felt no pain the first 2 days, but needed painkillers the 3rd day. After that I was fine as far as pain goes. That was back in January. I am now in a boot and down to 1 lift. Should be completely out of the boot in 3 weeks and will begin my physical therapy.

Bonnie  mine was outpatient. I did not have a nerve block as the Dr couldn’t seem to do it. He tried.  Don’t know why it could not be done.  The first night was horrible. No pain killer touched it until 5 am the next day.  

Will be one year on March 21.  Still have some numbness on the outside of the foot and pinky toe but no pain.  

Am now able to do most everything I could prior to surgery. I am able to keep up with my 6 yr old grandson, which is what I wanted    Will be going on two trips in near future which will require a lot of walking and feel up to it.  

Hang in there.  It will get better. 

Hi Bonnie:

Sincere apologies for the delay in replying to you.

 I too was a partial rupture.. as I could still hobble although incredibly painful   I was on holiday in June 2017  when it went.  I stayed in Italy for 6 fays .. with my wife on the holiday. Then I flew home and went to see a physio . She did the Thomson test and I had no reaction .. she should then have sent me off to a consultant .. but she didn't. Then after two weeks with no improvement I self referred . I went in and saw the consultant and he said.. your tendon is ruptured I can feel the gap. I wish you had come to see me earlier as I could have solved this without surgery .. but it was too late ,, even worse , he was going on holiday so I was operated on 6 weeks after rupture. 1 night in hospital then home and immobile for two weeks . then plaster ( I was mobile because of the wonderful I walk - 2

) hardly any use for crutches.then into the boot and finally free. played 18 holes of golf today. walking pulling a trolley. Ankle blew up like a balloon .. but no pain and I would not even know I had had the injury if it wasn't for the enormous ankle and swollen leg. But heigh ho hopefully that will go in time.  Even though the muscle in my left leg is now smaller .. it doesn't feel weaker. I have a personal trainer working me out two hours a week. and can jump onto a BOSU with no problem. I started playing golf again in November after a July operation. Surgeon said my recovery was exceptional... but I cant tell you why it was so good

Hope this info helps

Best Wishes

Robert

Thanks for your reply. I do feel like I am getting better every day and happy to hear your recovery has gone so well. It makes me hopeful!

Thanks for your reply Robert. Your injury and repair sound very similar to mine so I am hopeful the recovery will be similar also. I am a tennis player and coach and hope to be back on the court by fall. I also have a trip to Italy planned for July 2019 so I need to be able to do a lot of walking by then. My doctor seems to think the surgery went exceptionally well and I feel a little stronger each day so hoping for the best. Good luck to you also!