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Ruptured achilles tendon 4 days ago.

Posted , 5 users are following.

breeze61
breeze61

Hi All, 

I have joined the long list of achilles rupture patients and it's been quite a shock to my mentality. I'm 69 and have been walking up to 6 miles at least weekly and cycling up to 35 miles twce weekly so its a shock to have to rest up for at least 4 months. My ruptures was nothing to do with sports but trying to stop a car that was free wheeling down the street.

I went to the A and E and it looked like the tendon was still in place although the left hand side was mushy and there is no way I can push off my toes or walk without two crutches. I heard a loud explosive noise and pain coming from my ankle so I knew straight away what I had done because of reading about it before. Since the rupture I've been bed bound and resting the ankle as much as possible with the foot flexed by the splint. 

I had an xray  with no spurs or fractures and had a splint fitted which stops me pulling my foot up. I've been told that a consultant,  phyiso and a nurse are doing a virtual assessment of my treatment tomor without me being there which I find strange that they can do this without an MRI but will wait to see what they say. 

I would like a non  surgical fix if possible because of my age and possible complications with surgery at my age. I know it is said that non surgical treatment leads to more re ruptures but willing to take that risk as I dont do any explosive type of sports other than swimming, cycling and leisurely walking. I am aware that this passive treatment could lead to my tendon being too long and sloppy and then need to have an operation and another 4 months treatments. 

I'm trying to keep myself busy with other things like studying Spanish whilst I'm recuperating and will do some upper body exercise in another week or two.

I just wanted to write on here for advice and encouragement and to see if there are others going through the same type of problem.

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • bobbers9
    bobbers9 breeze61

    Posted

    Hi .your posting is uncanny in its similarity to my experience i am 14 months on from completly rupturing my right achillies tendon and partial rupturing higher up whilst rocking my car when the starter motor had jammed .I was also 69 .I went for non surgical because of my age and lifestyle .I was put in a medical boot with 5 wedges

    And gradually got my self mobile again .I had some therapy at the hospital but tbh the very best therapy was walking my two terrier dogs twice daily very gently at first .it happened april 5th and i was so glad to get back driving in August just short trips .in my experience i think I've handled it right I now do the same things as previous to my experience (except pushing cars ) my achillies is still sore at the end of the day but not agony (taking naproxen ) Which I believe is tendonitas but is ok in the morning .so take it slow and listen to your body .and you will get through it its a horrible horrible injury .best wishes .

    • breeze61
      breeze61 bobbers9

      Posted

      Hi Bobbers, 

      Thanks for your encouraging reply, and youre right its horrible injury. I had my right hip replaced in December and that has gone well, so have enjoyed getting back to cycling and walking again when ''Bang''.

      I find today that my ultra sound and diagnose is to be next tues so glad its not too long to wait. My only worry is that I get the start of cramps in my calf first thing in the morning when I probably forget I have a problem and pull up against my splint. I wonder if some of the tendon is still intact for the calf to go into spasm or can the uattached calf spasm on its own.

      Thanks again for the encouragent and at least I can look forward to, or not, the world cup in June.

    • bobbers9
      bobbers9 breeze61

      Posted

      Best wish .BTW my tendon has not got long and sloppy .
    • breeze61
      breeze61 bobbers9

      Posted

      Thanks bobbers, And all the best to you.

      My ankle is a lot less painful than it was but I still get a 5 mins bout of cramp on waking in the morning.

       

  • Kevious
    Kevious breeze61

    Posted

    i went for non surgery, and re-ruptured 5 months later. Had non surgery again and 1 year later I was dancing with the wife in a family talent show! Although the muscle loss is my issue, but it’s down to me to find the time to join a gym. I’m 38 with 2 sons under the age of 8, working full time. Good luck with your recovery! Ps, cling film over your cup of tea to avoid spillage when you are moving about in the boot! 
    • breeze61
      breeze61 Kevious

      Posted

      Hi Kevios,

      Thanks for your story and the cup of tea trick. from what I've read I thought re ruptures usually occured in the first 12 weeks. Can, I ask how you re ruptured yours so that I wont do the same thing. It really is a worrying thing to have to live with as this bloody condition is the pits. I had a hip replacement 6 months ago and I would much rather have a hip replacement than this rupture. At least with hip replacement one can go for longish walks within 3 weeks and not have to waer a boot in bed. I wonder if some people take their boot off before they should say at  3 or 4 weeks instead of wearing it in bed for 6 to 8 weeks.

      Good luck

    • Kevious
      Kevious breeze61

      Posted

      You are right that most reruptures occur within 3 months, doc says that I was “just unlucky”.  I couldn’t shake off the limp first time around, and I could feel a lump on my tendon (scar tissue). This is where the rerupture happened. The scenario was my dog pushing past me in pursuit of a cat, I was shouting at her to come back to no avail. I was pretty cross and took about 4 steps and I could hear a tearing/crackling sound from my ankle, no pain, just a loss of power in my foot and down I went again. (Original injury I was playing football, I went to pass the ball and my standing leg just went) Next time around I kept my foot elevated more often and put early weight bearing through my foot. Also I took the wedge off my boot when sleeping.  I did take the boot off completely to sleep in the end, when I felt it was strong enough to do so. I was a lot more aggressive with my recovery 2nd time around. Even now I get strange sensations coming from my tendon such as a feeling of something brushing past it when there’s nothing there to brush past it. Usually I rest it then and tell myself that it’s in my head. There is definitely a mental side to this injury too. I remember sitting on the path after the rerupture wondering to myself it that really happened or was it a bad dream! By which point the dog had come back and was staring at me in a “I’m sorry” kind of way. I think it didn’t heal properly anyway, not the dogs fault infact I could of done with it rerupturing earlier as it would of stopped the muscle wastage a bit. You have been through it a bit with a hip replacement as well as this injury! Just think 1 in 5 rerupture, so statistically 4 people will have a better experience of this injury than me, hopefully you can be 1 of them! 
    • breeze61
      breeze61 Kevious

      Posted

      Hi Kevious,

      Thanks for the reply and I'll be ok because I dont have a dog, lol. I can understand the mental thing, I was in a bit of shock the first two days. I dread the thought of re rupturing and your realisation the second time must have been more shock and desperation.

      It seems like weight bearing early on is becoming the norm and as you say lessons the risk of rupture. I have been weight bearing quite a bit but lots of time resting on the bed  too. At 2 and a half weeks I potter around the garden and house and the last two days have gone for 200 mtr walks with two crutches. The doc said no physio for 4 weeks so not sure if this is good or not, might give it a miss for a week.  At the end of week 4 I can take one wedge of the 4 out , then another the week after which I'm looking forward to as I believe I should be able to follow through with the injured leg when walking better.

      Can you remember at how many weeks you took the boot off to sleep?

      Yes, It's been one of those years regards injuries and operations, I'm normally quite fit and active. Things have been building up over the years. I've had osteoarthritis for 20 years so had one hip done last december and the other probably nest year. In April I had a HoLEP procedure for an enlarged prostate which has gone well, and I'm seeing the consultant for getting my gallbladder removed cos got two stones and had a few attacks, not pleasant. but, once I recovered from all those ops and Injuries, I should be good for a few years., if only life was like that.

      I hope your recuperation goes well for you but I thought the re rupture was at 12% , suppose it depends on whose literature you read.

  • mj20
    mj20 breeze61

    Posted

    Had surgery 4 weeks ago in splint for 4 weeks and was just put in walking boot with 4 wedges and fwb. Got home from the doc yesterday and walked with 2 crutches then 1 and then was able to walk without any. I have to remove a wedge in a couple days then 1 more before i go back to see him in 2 weeks. I feel the earlier u fwb the faster u will recover. The boot is secure just inflate it pretty well and walk with the heel part going down first
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