Ruptured Achilles Tendon Swelling
Posted , 7 users are following.
So i found out i had a ruptures achilles tendon about 3 weeks ago had a solid cast for a week and am now in a boot.
Im a bit concerned as i stil have a lot of swelling around my ankle and around my toes and have been feeling a tingling sensation in my foot. Is this normal. Its non weight bearing at the moment and im still working.
Any one have any ideas whether this is normal? Should i be working or just resting it and should i just go to the hospital?
0 likes, 9 replies
Rob9700 katie_90770
Posted
Katie,
So sorry to hear about your injury. I ruptured Achilles on 29 July 2016, had minimally invasive surgery on 2 August, went through the cast and boot, and I am in the long, slow recovery process. I still have swelling and that tingling feeling around the ankle as well as some numbness. As you scroll through the various posts you will find that different people have had somewhat different experiences, but the swelling and tingling seems to be a common theme.
It takes quite a while to get back to full range of motion and strength (i am not there yet). Physical therapy is a big help, I think, and a good therapist who has seen many of these injuries can provide some information about what "normal recovery" might look like.
Also, if you are really concerned, or things seem to be moving backwards, it is probably a good idea to see a good orthopedist to get a read on whether the issue is something to be concerned about.
I have found this particular forum to be pretty useful and friendly--with lots of personal experiences about recovery and setbacks.
I certainly wish you all the best for a speedy and complete recovery. Even pro athletes who get this injury (it is not uncommon in basketball and tennis) recover and often return to their sport. The best thing is to do the PT and be patient.
Regards,
Rob
katie_90770 Rob9700
Posted
Thanks Rob
Thats a real help
its quite a new injury so im in the early stages of recovery. Its very limiting and annoying. I know i have a long road ahead of me.
Also do you think it is worth pushing for an operation. They havent offered me one but i know its quite a bad rupture
Katie
Rob9700 katie_90770
Posted
That's a hard one to answer. I opted for the surgery because I am quite active; it seems that most people who get this injury are quite active (from reading the blogs). I guess that makes sense, because I don't think you can trash your achilles sitting on the couch. You get different opinions regarding the surgery; some of the research (we can't put links in these blogs, but you can google it) suggests that the chances of re-injuring the achilles are a little higher without the surgery. Of course, surgery carries its own risks. It is best to consult with an orthopedic surgeon. If you do decide on surgery, see if you can find a surgeon that uses a minimally invasive technique (which you can also google). I have about a 1 inch incision on the back of my ankle a few millimeters below where the tendon ruptured. There are no external stitches. The surgeon will discuss risks, but you are under full anesthesia. I am glad (so far) that I did the surgery. Have had no surgical problems, but my understanding is the recovery time is about the same regardless.
The non-surgical approach is the conservative treatment; surgery is more aggressive. It is worth asking about. There are likely good reasons why the docs may not have discussed a more aggressive treatment with you. It is worth asking about so you have all the information you need to make a decision about how to proceed that is best for you. There are some ruptures that do not lend themselves particularly well to surgical repair and are better left to heal themselves.
Limiting and annoying is putting it mildly! Good luck, Katie.
katie_90770 Rob9700
Posted
Rob9700 katie_90770
Posted
Forgot to mention: good compression socks help with the swelling as well as that miracle drug: ice. Won't fix it, but really help. You can find compression socks at a lot of sites online including searching amazon.
As for your last question, I went back to work (office setting) a week after surgery. My PT started right away and she gave me some specific exercises to do that were intended to minimize loss of strength and ankle mobility. Those were the same protocols for either the surgical or non-surgical route.
My opinion is, if your are concerned about something best to check with doc and not have needed to than not check and find out later that something is going wrong that could have been addressed sooner.
zaza05 katie_90770
Posted
Hi Katie,
It's normal. i also had swelling for 3 weeks then i went to go see a physio and the swelling has gone down since. I only get a bit of swelling after work. I am 5 weeks post op. You can call your doctor to get the best medical advice on that but i say it is normal.
katie_90770 zaza05
Posted
Thanks for your comment
ihavenonickname katie_90770
Posted
The tingling is because your foot is excessively swollen.
Greatly elevate your foot with the boot open and pack in ice as much as possible.
This will reduce inflammation, reduce pain, and increase healing.
kind regards
judith
linda61391 katie_90770
Posted
Yes. Katie this is normal. It can go on for a while. It will get better but loads of exercise When you are told to do it ..I am still in the boot but can walk on it but it's 12 weeks long old job ..but good luck u will get there in the end ,😃