Achilles & DVT recovery

[unlucky]

Hi All,

On March 1 I slipped on some sweat on the floor of my local gym whilst doing a class & snapped my achilles. It was operated on that afternoon & put in a front slab. A week later I was put in a full cast on the Thurs, & on Sat I felt a slight burning pain in my calf, which would travel down to my achilles & by Sun was going down to the arch of my foot. Monday I called my surgeon who sent me for a doppler ultrasound just to check & found that I have 6cm blood clot in my calf. This was irrespective of the fact that I was taking daily injections of Clexane to hopefully prevent the occurance of a DVT. I will go back on Thur for another u/s to see if my twice daily injections of 85mg of Clexane have helped the clot to disappear.

Has anyone else expreienced a DVT with their Achilles? I am a mother of 2 boys under 4 & am finding this healing process rather frustrating - it is virtually impossible to keep my leg elevated all day.

How long did it take for your DVT to go?

I have noticed that others have been active, what are some recommended cardio exercises that others have found useful? It may be a little early but when the time comes I want to get back into running. It is not until something like this happens that you really appreciate what you were able to do & what you took for granted. Not to mention I am petrified of this happening again:(

Lets hope this nightmare ends soon!

CYA:eek:

[CottH]

I snapped my achilles about two weeks ago. Had surgery to repair it a week later. Now, I too am limping around with a cast up to my knee. When it first snapped my whole heel went numb. Just talking to the other guys who were playing basketball with me, I had a good idea what it was. Needless to say, after the surgery and the 6 months of rehab in front of me, I definitely dont want it to happen again. I feel your pain, and glad that I'm not alone in trying to get back out onto the court

[unlucky]

Wow a week later, how could you tolerate the pain for that long. I literally heard mine snap & I passed out from the pain. Now with the DVT I am currently in my 3rd cast with another new one on Thurs, however the Physio might put me in the boot a week early & I just won't walk on it. I would have to say my biggest fear is of it happening again - I can not go through all this another time. Although my gym instructor did hers & I look at what she does every day & for a living, so I gather the likelyhood of it reoccurring aren't that great.
If I didn't have kids it would be a different story, but I can't just sit around all day. Oh well just one day at a time!

CYA

[unlucky]

Just a quick update for those of you reading, I went for my 2nd ultrasound today & found that the blood clot is still there & has travelled further down my leg - irrespective of the twice daily injections. So will speak to my local GP today & determine the next step.
The physio put me in the boot today - it's HUGE! but at least I can take it off to shower & massage my scar (& shave my leg :). A bit concerned about reinjuring it though - considering it only happened 4 weeks ago - well at least I am out of the cast! I can not walk on it or put pressure on it yet, and will still need the crutches for another 5 weeks or so -damn!
That's it for now! CYA

[CottH1]

It was a hard week, but I endured It. Like I said though, it didn't really hurt until I went to the E.R. and they put me in a temp. cast. But my surgery went well, I went to the Dr for a check-up on it yesterday. He put me in another cast for about another 2 weeks and then I have the "boot" to look forward to for the next 6 weeks. But, I'll keep my fingers crossed for both you and me for a speedy recovery

[unlucky]

Well the boot is definately the lesser of 2 evils!!! Heavy & uncomfortable, but you can take it off when resting, however it still needs to be on when sleeping. Big & bulky - mine cost me $115 - same as a fibreglass cast. I now just go back to the physio weekly to adjust the degree of the boot & go back to my doctor on the 20/4.
I have now realised how much I took for granted, from getting around, the hating the cleaning, and now I miss going to the gym (who would have thought) I drove past it today - a little depressing!!! - Still I haven't heard from them re reimbursing my medical costs either (Grrr - over $3000. so far).
So I hope you are a really good basketball spectator - because it will be a while. I just hate seeing people jogging along the road, because I want to do it!
Oh well - no point in complaining!
Enjoy the boot! CYA sasha

[injuryupdate]

Reimbursement from the gym of medical costs will depend on what the public liability laws are like in your state. If you have grounds to sue them for the slip (i.e. if it is allowed under your state law) they would do very well to get you to sign a waiver and pay all of your medical costs and refund your gym membership.

In NZ you would have all medical costs paid for by the ACC but be unable to sue.

In NSW, civil liability act has reduced the ability to sue in circumstances like these, but I am no lawyer so couldn't tell you whether your current circumstance is in or out.

I think the rationale for these laws is fairly sensible. If everyone who got injured at the gym sued for damages, then the insurance premiums would mean that no one could afford to buy gym membership.