achilles rupture/ no surgery healing

[cherrypepperpot]

EX_QB_
I could almost picture that scene in the bar with the drunk and the cowboy - made me chuckle out loud.
Cherry
x

[EX_QB_]

Cherrypepperpot- U weren't diagnoses for 6 weeks? I wasnt for 3 (now almost 5weeks) and was told a few blogs ago that healing starts during the first 4 weeks. Were u limping around for 6 weeks? Did u start toe down at 6 weeks? Im just curious because Im worried mine wont heal properly too.

I remember right after I was injured, my calf wouldn't respond when I flexed my toe down, but now it does. I'm getting in to get an ultra sound to make sure I'm connected. Can you flex your calf muscle?

Did u give yourself a Thompson's Test? or have U gotten an ultrasound to confirm a connection? let me know about this.

Best of luck.

[cherrypepperpot]

Hi EX_QB_
I had a partial tear back in December, I ran across the road, heard the pop and looked around to see who had kicked me. I went for an xray, but as no fracture they sent me on my way. As I had only felt an initial stab of pain, which soon subsided to a dull ache, and could hobble, I accepted it without question. But as the weeks went by I was finding it increasingly harder to walk, especially climbing stairs. Then in Janauary as I was coming down the stairs my foot gave way completely and I could not walk at all. It was only then when my Doctor asked if I could stand on tip toe that he thought it could be an ATR.
I then waited two weeks for a consultant appointment at the hospital, Thompson test and Matles test confirmed a complete rupture.
I have done 10 weeks in a cast, planter flexed with three adjustments, and recently completed my third week in an aircast. Very conservative treatment , I guess because of the delay. Not once during this time have the consultants done another Thompson or Matles test. I have and there is a twitch.

I saw the consultant yesterday, it's been a different one each time. He had a prod and said he is happy with the healing, although when he asked me to push against his hand I had difficulty. He felt this was because I was reluctant out of fear, but I really couldn't do it. I asked him about the swelling, colour changes, bruising and cramps and he said this is all normal. So now he removed the final wedge, and said I should ditch the boot in a week, keep the crutches and await a referral for physio - very scary.

[Fiona-Sussex uk]

Cherry,
That all sounds scary.....just be careful, and perhaps keep the boot an extra week if you feel you need to/want to.....Doctors always seem so matter of fact about it all, they just dont realise what pressure it puts on normal life, and that yr life is on hold for a bit....it's such a pain in the butt.....be careful xxx

Hi everyone else, i'm off for my raucous weekend of drinking, eating, drinking, clubbing all weekend .....argh.....am a bit nervous.....oh well, will be a test of stamina and strength, and will probably have to have my "alcohol tested for blood" by the end of the weekend....lol....!!!!

Well, hope everyone is doing ok, and speak to you soon, if you dont see me on "booze britain" (rubbish reality program on tv over here)........oh dear, i really am nervous about this trip......but i know it'll be fine, 2 glasses and i'll be happily slouched at a table muttering about bloody monkeys....all my love,
Fee xxxxxxxx

[EX_QB_]

Cherrypepperpot- Wow, that's brutal... at least have a twitch with the Tompson's test... that means u have a connection and it's just a matter of time before U heal. 13 weeks sounds like a long time tho. Is it because of your delay in diagnosis? Maybe it took longer for you tendon to attatch because it already began healing? Perhaps u had difficulty pushing with your toe because your muscle is very weak and shaky? What did your doctor say about that? Hmmm...

I took my boot off yesterday (keeping my toe down the whole time of course)and was twitching (flexing) my calf muscle while feeling wound area and I could feel the tendon reacting, then compared it to my good leg with the same flexing, with similar tendon reaction (actually the sheath around the tendon) Have u done this, Cherry? I am some time before I can adjust my foot angle, so I dont yet know about my toe strength, but I have good toe strength from the pointed down position (plantar flex?) hmm... I will be going in for ultra sound hopefully next week.

Let me know how your doing. Im just healing.

[VERN]

Hi again all..

thanks to those who gave words of wisdom... much appreciated

I stayed away from you lot for a few days as i was still coming to terms with the injury.. however i have spent all day reading nearly every page and its helped me immensly..
DomJuan, nomorejumps, markj ,fee, jomoj,, dunc, boston guy, wdave to name but a few have gave me hours of amazing insights into their injuries (poor fee) you are a one off!!lol

So, just a brief update.. 2.5 weeks in, no pain, just mobility problems... have sellotaped sponges to my crutches and can't wait to get the boot!! Any ideas of what to say to get it earlier?? do I ask my Doctor? bit worried about scar tissue like fee?? never got an answer!!

When I stand I am resting my cast on the floor and trying to weight bear as much as possible.. i ve tried walking with only one crutch....is this insane or 'the future'??

vern

[VERN]

ps..

Fabianski!!!

[fasteddie]

I had injury back in october. I didn't see anyone until four-five weeks in I saw a physical trainer. They said I was fairly flexible and enough strength to push down on her hand gas pedal style..no real pain. waited a couple more weeks and saw an ortho. He thought I had a partial tear, but because I went in after f ive six weeks, I may have had a full tear since he said it is possible to move achilles /walk with a torn one. Does anybody really know if a person had a full tear how long it would take it would take to reattach if you were not in boot right away? I have always wondered if my achilles had reattached and that I maybe had a full tear as oppsed to a partial tear.


when I saw ortho first time, he did thompson test, said my injured leg reacted the same as unijured achilles. Put me in booth for month, then heel lifts for 3 months. Last saw doc a few weeks ago, said I could take out heel lifts. I used to have pain soreness if I walked alot, but that is all gone now, I can walk without soreness.

I noticed my calf is smaller..doc said it is smaller but wider in certain certain areas which is a good thing, he said that means another muscle is getting stronger which is what you want. He gave me th option of phusical therapy, but it is too expensive. He said for me to do 3 sets of ten reps where I lift up achilles and hold for six seconds and then lower. at first I had a cramps in calf but those are now gone. Problem is that I can't lift up on injured achilles , maybe a centimeter with some help from my arms (I weigh 220 pds)
MY unijured achilles is very strong nimble. I am worried though that my injured achilles is so weak, can't really do the excersise without assiatance. He said at 9 months I could start running again , but I find that hard to believe.

The "sparrow egg" lump at the back of my achilles is gone, and the tendon is fairly uniform but five times in thickness.

I am very tired with my job, so I don't excercise as much , but I get on a elyptical machine and get cardio that way


I know some people in UK are not all that happy with NHS, but at least you have decent coverage AND plenty of laws for vacation time/sick time. I believe people in UK get people 5 weeks vacation annually and probably liberal sick time. In Us, you have to work for a a company at least 10 years before you get 4 weeks, and many employers here are really stingy with sick time which might affect you deoending on job you have.....gotta pay for those billion dollar battleships somehow

[Fiona-Sussex uk]

Hi all, just a quickie before i shoot off....lol...,
Vern: have had that said many a time......beginning to think perhaps i'm a bit odd....lol....!!!

Fast Eddie: you sound like yr doing really well, i still cant imagine lifting up off injured leg on its own, calf muscle is in there somewhere, just needs to show itself....lol..., and NHS not so bad i suppose....i couldn't afford to pay for everything i've had done...lol..., but work wise, some companies are good, i get 2 weeks holiday a year (but i'm classed as part time-4 days a week), and got statutory sick pay for 26 or 28 weeks-not sure really. But that was a pittance because of the part time laws here....bummer being a working mum.....lol......Can't believe yr country is so harsh with holiday stuff etc......mind you, those ships do cost a lot...lol...

Take care everyone, and see you after my weekend of revelry....xxxx

[dunk]

week 9 + 1/2

Vern - I cant advise you what to say to get the boot (because I was given it from the very start) but it is well worth pushing for it if you can - maybe say you have read up about the benefits and it will cost them less because you dont have to have so many appointments and cast changes.

fasteddie - you are way ahead of me but it sounds like you are doing ok, even though there was a delay in getting treatment you did get the boot and wedges which will have worked. It just takes a long long time to get back to normal after the initial treatment.

Fee - somehow I think you might be just a little bit excited about this weekend!! (understatement of the year). Remember to tell us all about it and stay away from monkeys!

My big news is that the boot is off, yipee. although I think the boot is great (like most other people here) you do get sick of it. Wearing my normal trousers and two shoes makes me feel human for first time in ages. took it off after seeing the consultant on Wednesday, who said I had a nice continuity of the tendon and it is a good result so far - but he didnt know too much else about my next phase of recovery and referred me to physio. Saw the physio this morning who simply took a long history then felt my range of movement (which is ok) and gave me some exercises to improve foot mobility until I see her next week. she didnt do any massage or ultrasound or even really felt the tendon - is this normal at this early stage? should I get some private physio too?

Top tip - when you take the boot off each day for a change of sock, use baby wipes to clean your foot! I did it everyday for 9 weeks and never had any problems with my skin.

Have a good weekend everyone.
Dunc