Week 1 of my Achilles rupture

Hi James, from lots of research everyone's treatment is different and a lot depends on where you live. In NZ surgrey isn't top priority, so I wasn't even offered the option. I had a complete rupture (in half) and it's healing. I'm now just over 6 weeks post injury and now walking in my moonboot. Was told at 5.5 weeks I could start partial weight bear on my foot ( that was 5 days ago) I can now hobble with no crutches! I have no pain just a weird sensation in my foot but that would be due to the foot not having any pressure on it for a long time. Not sure if my specialist wanted me to weight bear this much but due to no pain I'm just thinking why not! I was in a cast for 3.5 weeks then went into a moon boot. I will be in the boot for a few more weeks which is fine by me at this stage as the thought of walking with out it and moving the achilles does scare me. Patients is the most hardest thing with this injury. I keep getting told not to push myself but I'm so impatient lol. Hang in there, I think the first 4 weeks were my hardest, but once you get the all clear to start weight bearing you can see the light at the end of the tunnel! 

Thanks ness...it's just a pain cause it happen at work and I have a lawsuit and no one tells u nothing ...soo I'm guessing because of my job duties of walking for 8 hours a day I won't be back to a while

I've been told in being of this last July that it was a sprain ..then tendinitis ..then tendanosis..sent to therapy 30 times then back to work were I hurt it more and comp doc then said I need a operation lol

Yeah would say you will be off work for awhile  Gosh sounds like this has dragged out for you! Mine was fine then next minute it just snapped when playing netball. Had no issues with it at all before so was a bit of a shock. I have heard it can take up to 12 months to be completely right after this injury and after surgrey. Just take it easy and presuming if there's a law suit going on you would get compensation with having no earnings coming in?? Here in NZ we don't sue or have law suits for this kind of thing, but then the government steps in and pays 80% of your wages if you can't work due to an accident. 

Yea I'm getting workers comp check every 2 weeks .....here u can sue ...I was walking at work writing a ticket and I stepped wrong on unbalance sidewalk and felt a strain ....they had me coming..and going. For almost a year...I hope u feel better and a speedy recovery ..boots next I guess lol

Hi Denise

i am sorry to hear that you are in so much pain.

i have been very lucky apart from the initial pain when it happend, i have not had any pain at all. I do feel for you x

Did you get your knee scooter on the NHS ??

i have purchased an ' I Walk Free ' leg crutch - which i must say has been a godsend, although i did have a nasty fall off of it last weekend and manage to hurt my good leg, my knee came up like a tennis ball and my whole leg is bruised, but i still don't know how i would have coped with out it , like you i could not have managed all this time on normal crutches.

I did not have surgery, just a cast - which i have changed again yesterday and my foot is now at 90 degrees, but still no weight bearing , am hoping that when i see the consultant in 2 weeks time ( which will be nearly 9 weeks ) that i can start to weight bear, I am going to beg him for a walking boot !!! as i have had enough of the cast.

Mandy x

 

Hi Bryan,

I've just come across this discussion after Googling Achilles rupture.

I did mine last Friday night at a badminton match. Total rupture, went straight to A&E and got put into a back slab (I think that's the term they used - it was a plaster down the front of my leg only) then went back on Monday and had a cast put on. That'll be there for four weeks, then I'll have a further six weeks in a boot. Happy days!

Anyway, I'm with you on the blood rush in the leg when you stand up after having it elevated! Mine also feels huge and tingly for a while.

How's yours doing now?

Jo

Hi Jo

Im now 13 weeks post rupture. I was in a cast for 4 weeks and then a boot for a furhter 5 weeks. Im now back walking, albeit with a limp. Doing physio 1-2 times a week. Patience is the key at this stage and listening to your body.

Hope your recovery is going well.

Bryan

Hi Bryan,

Glad to hear you're doing well.

I'm now nearly six weeks post-rupture and have been in the boot for a week and a half, and I've got another five and a half to go before I see the consultant. I've currently got three wedges in it, and will take the first one out next week, when I can start some careful weight-bearing. I must admit I'm a bit scared about it, as I'll have to take my whole leg out when it's been tucked up safely all this time!

How was yours when you first started walking on it?

Please do keep me posted on your progress.

All the best,

Jo

Hi Bryan,

I took my leg out of my boot today and noticed I've still got bruising either side of my ankle/foot, which I'm guessing is probably normal, even after six weeks. I also noticed that around the Achilles area there's quite a lump and an indentation. I hope it's just a knot where it's healed and will stretch back out as my Achilles stretches back out, but I'm a bit concerned about it. I'll give the hospital a call tomorrow, but it'd be good to know if you experienced too.

Thanks,

Hi

Hi Jo

Sounds similar to my experience. I also had 3 wedges placed in my boot, took one out after 2 weeks, another 2 weeks later and then I had heels placed on two pairs of shoes, which I have been wearing for 5 weeks now. The physio is going to give me smaller heels to place in my shoes so I gradually come back down to 'normal' level.

Yes I still had bruising either side of my ankle at that stage. I still get swelling around my ankle, now commencing week 14. Doctor advised this would continue for a few more months at least. Just need to elevate it and ice it as often as possible.

Coming out of the comfort zone, as the boot was, was quite scary at first. I still wore the boot to work and to shops during week 7. After that I got more confident and haven’t worn the boot since week 8. Take it step by step and keep doing range of motion exercises. Your ankle and foot will be very stiff. The lump you have is probably a build-up of scar tissue where the rupture occurred - this is quite normal. Mine has gradually reduced over time, very minor lump left now.

Has your doctor/consultant given you any exercises to do yet? I know the protocol varies a lot from doctor to doctor, but doing early range of motion exercise can be very beneficial for when you start to walk. Even just crunching your toes, moving your ankle side to side helps a lot.

?Bryan

Bryan, thank you! It's very reassuring to know that it's all normal and part of the healing process. (Phew!)

I still get a bit of swelling too, so keep my foot up on a stool whenever I'm sitting (which is most of the time!).

I was told no physio until after the boot comes off, which will be at 11 weeks and even then it depends what the consultant says. I feel it would be beneficial to do some earlier, but have to do as the hospital tells me!

I've been wiggling my toes since I did it and have been exercising the rest of my leg several times a day to help keep it strong. The boot's quite big on me, so I can also slightly move my foot/ankle up and down a bit inside it. I'll do that a bit more now.

Thanks again, and I wish you a continued good recovery.

Jo