Achilles tendon rupture: Anyone with experience of Conservative treatment?

[bogstandard]

Achilles tendon rupture: Anyone with experience of Conservative treatment?
Ruptured Achilles Tendon Sprinting over the road my left foot met the pavement edge and I went down - this on on 25 December 2006 . Due to time of year and ignorance I am now in a fiberglass boot - so due to the passage of time I suppose I must contine with conservative treatment. Any experiences would be appreciated - any fast track aggressive treatments known off?

[Elmoblue1964]

Hi ........reading your thread, i take it you never had surgery.......if not ,sorry 2 say theres no quick fix........time and patience........is all there is......rushing things, will not help.....its TIME.....LOADS OF PHYSIO AND what the consultant says is all you can do........sorry but hope you get fit quikly........(i no have you feel as, i have a complete rupture)......unless some one knows different........be nice to no.........

[ircych]

I raptured my right Achilles just before Christmass and had surgery Dec.26/06. Everythink went smooth. I was put in cast for 2weeks (leg up as much as you can). Then nurse removed staples. (sounds like office , but staples heal better these days) Then I was put in cast again for 2 more weeks. After 4 weeks Dr. ordered for me the removable booth (10 deg of 90 position). What a relief. Finally normal bath. and lots of scratching as I had a rush on my leg. Few days later rush was gone, still scratching a little. Life is good now (4 weeks and 4 days), I went for Physio and was given light excercises (streching) to do, no weight on the leg yet. Just spelling alphabet with my foot (no forcing) get the some movement going. I am to do this for 2 weeks. So ar is going good. Some benfits since I had injury (if it will make you feel better) : I get massage from my wife since I dont move much, dont have to cook and food is served to me all the time I request. She is great. Hope your partner will make your life enjoyable to forget about your injury as quickly as possible. After 6 weeks I will have the boot adjusted to 90 deg and begin bearing weight on the foot. Walkiiiiiiinnnnng. Yaaaaaa.:)

[achilles5579]

Are you saying that you can't have surgery after 2 weeks? I've researched and it seems like there isn't any time limit on when an achilles injury can be treated surgically.

[dougdigital]

You can have surgery either the next day right after you have ruptured or torn your achilles or you can have surgery 2 weeks or later. As always the sooner the better.

[achilles5579]

Thanks- unfortunately I have to wait. Is there anything I can do besides Rest Ice Compression and Elevation to aid the success of the surgery while I am waiting? Such as to slow the buildup of scar tissue??

[dougdigital]

As far as I know that's really all that you can do for right now.

[Elmoblue1964]

Hi ACHILLES......sorry to hear about your injurey....just to say i completely ruptured my Achilles, on the 14/12/06.......i worked on it for 3 weeks before having surgery ON 3/01/07 (walking on it for 4 hours a day as i am a delivery Postman/Mailman ).. i also could move it all ways, the only thing i could,nt do, is take off on my toes,as it just would,nt let me........so hope you recover to full fittness,,,,,any more you need to ask , and i can help you out , plezzzzz ask ........bear in mind loads of people are told Different things in Different countrys,.....am in the UK....

[RoannaO]

:( I injured my achilles over 2 years ago and just recently (11/2 weeks ago) had a tendon debridement. I am in fiberglass cast now hoping for a boot within 2 weeks. I tried everything for 2 years to rehabilitate this tendon but bottom line the surgeon got in there and found only a strand of remaining tendon and a lot of scar tissue. My surgeon told me that some people live this way forever and I can not imagine. I could not live with that pain any longer. Good luck to all who anger the Achilles, its a tough injury that I could never have understood until I lived with it. Upmost sympathy for all who have to deal with it, Looking forward to physical therapy, and hopefully ending this chapter of my life.

[A killies]

Hi RoannaO - Good luck with the recovery, sounds like you have had a tough time.

I am new to this forum, but it has helped me focus on what needs to be done - I ruptured my AT (right leg) on 6th Feb - was put in plaster cast (talked out of surgery by A&E Dr) - however reading this forum and other internet sites, medical reports etc, it all pointed to surgical procedure as best way forward fo this injury. I was confused and was given all kinds of different advise about surgical and non surgical management of the injury. I finally managed to get information on a consultant who specialises in this injury, went to see him on the 19th Feb, discussed my feelings about the injury and my back ground on sport involvement.........he booked me in for surgery the next morning! It has been 3 days since the surgery, leg is very sore, but I feel very optimistic, more than when I was in plaster cast. I have found it difficult to accept the injury, I feel you have got to be mentally strong, clearly RoannaO you have been (after such a long time). This forum has helped me a lot, thank you everyone for posting your AT experiences. There is still a long road ahead for recovery. I think people under estimate the seriousness of this injury and how mentally and physically it effects your life style.

[swagman]

Hi there i seen your story and sadly i have the experience you are looking for I ruptured my right Achilles in mid February 2006 my 2nd day of planned living in the USA well anyway to cut the story short I thought i just had a badly sprained ankle to start with and as i had no medical insurance didnt go and see a doctor by the 4th week i booked into see a doctor after diagnosing the injury myself from information i found on the web, the doctor confirmed my achilles had ruptured and referred me to an orthopaedic surgeon whose $7500 fee was required to be paid b4 i Had the operation so i decided to fly back home to Australia I made an appointment to see my local gp b4 leaving the states eventually hobbled through 2 many airports to get home seen doc he referred me to surgeon got in straight away and that is most unusual in australia especially if you dont play afl anyway back to the story booked in for surgery very next day getting close to 6 weeks post injury anyway into hospital i went got the needle on the table expecting to wake up with a cast on my leg but to my surprise was woken up by anaesthetist informing me that the operation was not a success as they couldnt get the oxygen tube down my windpipe and i ended up in HDU for a couple of days where i was told by the surgeon that he must now treat my rupture non surgically after that i spent 3 weeks in plaster followed by 4 weeks wearing a moon boot which i would only use when walking and take of while sitting or relaxing it was 8 months after the injury that i could start putting any real weight on my foot and feel that i was stable its now 13 months since i injured it and i am doing pool walking, sitting and standing calf raises and i would say that i have another 6 months of exercising it ahead of me b4 i can say that it is better and all i can say to you is hang in there and dont over do it you will be able to feel when its getting better there is no doctor on this planet who could give an accurate date for an achilles being better I have heard that heat is good for the tendon lots of water and not to much alcohol foods that contain copper will help with collagen repair and xylitol found in some artificial sweeteners helps increase elasticity also make sure you keep the good leg well exercised and stretch the calf muscles to help prevent muscle apathy in the bad leg