achilles tendon 're rupture symptoms

I want to continue to be aggressive in my getting back to two shoes and this time am only in boots (not cast) and will probably get into two shoes by week 4 instead of 6 or 8 as the doctor wants. What are the symptoms of a partial rupture? Now its going easy for the next 2 weeks before the wife and I are in Mexico. All rights reserved. Told both doc and PT that my status right now is walking with almost no limp and they cleared me for ultrasound (scar tissue just below and above incision site) and gradually more intensive calf muscle exercises. Sorry about taking over this thread. After an Achilles tendon rupture, all patients should acutely rest the joint, ice the area, elevate the ankle, and take analgesics, like acetaminophen, to decrease their pain. This year, I partially tore my right. Sorry for the typos.it should be perseverance, not perserverance(too many beers on Fathers day). He looked at his wife and realised what he almost done. BTW, when I said 2017 Jul 31;11:660-669. doi: 10.2174/1874325001711010660. Bisaccia M, Rinonapoli G, Meccariello L, Bisaccia O, Ceccarini P, Rollo G, Ibez-Vicente C, Cervera-Irimia J, Snchez-Snchez F, Ribes-Iborra A, Gomez-Garrido D, Caraffa A. Acta Inform Med. Describe what happened and what was the result of the rerupture or close call - I am looking for peace of mind and or the truth. Hang in there! you cant make too much money to qualify for services. And not just going up and down stairs, though then for sure. It's extremely important to have an Achilles tendon tear diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. There is some debate as to whether a partial rupture can be mistaken as Achilles tendinopathy or tendinitis, which involves inflammation and microtears on the Achilles tendon. Im just worried because Ive read a number of stories of people stumbling and putting weight on their foot but it possible to have a pretty painful scary accident and still be ok? I ruptured my Achilles tendon fully, 22 weeks ago. I am terrified that I re-ruptured the tendon since the swelling is not coming down dispite me keeping my leg up and icing. And keep the urinal bottle near the bed at night so I dont have to get up and wobble across the room in the middle of the night!. what a luck I had completely forgotten that I couldnt walk properly yet. Asking because Im on holiday in a different country so wont be seeing my consultant, Leotig, after sharing your story, the docs will (should?) Just be super careful between now and tomorrow and let him evaluate. thx all. Acute complete rupture of the Achilles tendon involves a sudden, sharp pain behind the ankle, usually associated with a painful, palpable defect in the tendon. I am due to go back on July 1st. I consulted with him and I still decided to go surgery even with his advice; favoring the peer pressure of my OS and assistants. Apparently early on in the recovery, a re-rupture can be a gentle pulling apart of the tendon as opposed to the explosive pop we experience when we initially rupture. The surgery consists of making a small incision in the back part of the leg, and using sutures to re-attach the two ends of the ruptured tendon. I think surgery probably makes sense, followed by a schedule with some evidentiary support behind it, since he needs as many odds stacked in his favor as he can get! It is best to consider all options for ruptured Achilles tendon treatment. Thank you very much for your reply! One thing I would add is that I feel several times, but every time I had on a hard cast walking boot that probabyl saved me from re-injuring myself. Within one week of having my cast off, I re-ruptured my right tendon after a piggy-back ride gone wrong. I wish you well tomorrow also. I am trying to learn from what others have gone through. IOW, instead of stressing GO SLOW, stress BE CAREFUL! Two days ago, at just under 12-weeks post-op, I tried doing a single legged heel raise after I returned home from PT and just couldnt do it without some assistance from my good leg. i had non-op option with a full rupture. Wearing Challenging Shoes: Those stilettos might be calling your name from the closet, but they're a terrible idea if an Achilles tendon injury is present. I have my post op in 6 days, and dont plan on doing anything (other than being more careful) between now and then. I went to the ER that evening and was given a boot and told to call surgeon the next day. Simmonds Test (similar to Thompson Test), MRI, Ultrasound, gap in the tendon through palpation. Is it common to re-rupture this early on in the recovery process? In some cases, things happen. They say that it is better for lessening calf atrophy, but it doesnt provide as much protection. Been in a fibre-glass cast since accident & unfortunately have DVT which means taking Warfarin daily & fortnightly cast changes for the next 3 months (which include angling foot) & with plenty time to think of decision to have non-surgical treatment, im hoping to find some comfort in your stories of bravery, hard recovery & endless rehabilitation. One Sat morning, 6 weeks after surgery, I was vast asleep when the door bell rang. In my case I was lucky I had a follow up appointment with my OS two days later and was told everything was ok, it gave me one heck of a fright though and a reminder if how much care must be given at all times. Between the frozen food and the take-outs, I am okay. Didnt hear the pop, didnt feel any pain. Will let you know how it goes! I am no expert on this maybe swelling. Hi Stuart, thanks for checking up on me. How long ago? With a super-slow conservative version of the non-surgical cure, the risks are especially high, as they seem to be with a super-slow rehab after surgery. If you overstretch your Achilles tendon, it . Well I was walking up stairs today and felt excruciating pain. Also I am worried about how my leg will recover in the long-term and how soon I will be able to walk without a limp and get back to some kind of meaningful exercise but I suppose there is no way of knowing too much about this until I am a bit further along in my recovery. Hi everbody the downside is obviously that you are going to atrophy a lot but i would imagine a 4th rupture would be very bad news. . MRI showed another rupture and fluid, Aspiration done of the fluid showed staph infection. Although it's possible to have no signs or symptoms with an Achilles tendon rupture, most people have: The feeling of having been kicked in the calf Pain, possibly severe, and swelling near the heel An inability to bend the foot downward or "push off" the injured leg when walking An inability to stand on the toes on the injured leg 2017 Dec;120(12):1007-1014. doi: 10.1007/s00113-017-0420-4. Also told me to not to walk without crutches. The Achilles (calcaneal) tendon is a common tendon shared between the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles of the posterior leg. In most cases, a ruptured Achilles tendon requires treatment to heal properly. Coupla things, Rodney: I was worried and ask if it was possible that I partially ruptured it and he said no. Does it go away by itself or do I need a physical therapist to help get rid of that swelling? Others have had it done same day. I would also like to say that I am no medic nor orthopaedic surgeon and the above advice is purely from what I have read on the internet. Surgical management of chronic Achilles tendon ruptures using less invasive techniques. Thanks for your reply, appreciated. Hey all! We were going to go to Maui at the end of September with a few of our best friends. My surgeon didnt plan on saying anything about it either but immediately after the surgery I had the nurses find him to see if everything went ok. Continue to survive by myself while wife is out of town. The classic symptom of an Achilles Tendon rupture is the inability to rise up on your toes. (ruptured my right achilles so this may be the reason - all weight on left hand side) I had my first beer tonight since the surgery. I am hoping the gap did not grow much from 1 cm and will probably get an ultrasound in a week or two. I asked Dr to send me to wound clinic. I had surgery for a full rupture on 11/28/12. His life had definitely changed for the worse and the prognosis was not good. . The muscle has came back pretty quick, once I get walking 100% it should be back to regular size in no time. After a week in two shoes, I had made super progress and was hardly limping at all! I immediately had intense pain near my achilles and was basically in tears. Theres at least one waterproof BOOT, the VacoCast (called VacoPied in Europe). Once I got the hang of changing them, I find they feel no different than regular sock. This is the fourth of July weekend, and I dont have to go to work tomorrow, I asked the newspaper delivery person to put the paper in the mailbox. I tried several times and could not sleep at all. It really made it feel much better especially when I was doing the PT. Plus Im starting to do a fair bit more in the gym now. Pain lasted an hour and disappeared. Norm seems to know a lot about the pros and cons (as many of you do, however, just started reading the blog today). Although it's possible to have no signs or symptoms with an Achilles tendon rupture, most people have: The feeling of having been kicked in the calf Pain, possibly severe, and swelling near the heel An inability to bend the foot downward or "push off" the injured leg when walking An inability to stand on the toes on the injured leg However, if treatment is delayed it can mean that your tendon heals in a lengthened position and you may not be able to regain full strength. If we all knew that was the case, it would probably make sense to re-start a non-surgical cure add some heel lift or boot-hinging to your position, go easy on (or even avoid?) I dont think thats the sole reason for lower re-rupture rates in the faster protocols by any means, but its part of the story. There are other tricks, too. Thanks for being here! I started within a couple days after I got my hard cast removed at 6 weeks post-op. After I got back from PT yesterday and read ryanbs post that he successfully performed one at 12 weeks post-op, I went ahead and tried againSure enough, this time I got my heel off the ground, although very transiently! I got already two opinions from docs: one said its fully ruptured and need operation asap, the other said it was partially ruptured so leave it in the boots for it to recover and do another MRI in 3 weeks. It might help the rest of us to know for future reference. I never had a chance to ask my doctor about my surgery, and I wonder he will remember much about it four weeks later. Surgery usually works very well, and the modern fast non-op protocols do, too, according to the evidence. We review the pros, cons, pricing, and more. Because there is a treatment modality out there where the people get treated with their foot being placed in kind of a ballerina position and that kind of helps those tendon ends get a little bit closer together and theyre casted in that position for a number of weeks and it fills in with scar tissue. So I really hope everything goes well for you and of course, I can not tell you a single correct protocol or advice thats based on anything but my own body and experiences of my particular recoveries. I am hoping everything will go well from here, and I dont necessarily expect Im in the clear since my fall. About 5 days post-op, I too slipped while on my way to the bathroom while using crutches. I sincerely hope that it is not a re-rupture. Now am in the boot, but doc said to be on the safe side no weight bearing for 2 more weeks. The doctors and surgeon had never seen anything like it. Im on week 5 post surgery left leg. situation. I ruptured my Achillies on Oct 30 and had a surgery on Nov 4. Ive heard some bad stories so Ill just consider myself lucky even though my hand is still numb. Tendon damage is a common cause of chronic pain for athletes and non-athletes alike. Norm, Not to excited about surgery and after reading norms comments about studies maybe not needed. Ive now unfortunately ruptured my other Achilles 4 weeks ago, playing hockey this time. Anyway, I hope that she puts me back in the boot so that I can make my way to PT finally. I just wanted to get fixed as soon as possible and tried to focus on being positive and that theres a lesson to be learned in everything, Within 2weeks I was in the operating room. I know its bad, but I still hope the best. The first few days were pretty tough. Many thanks, an absolute great read, Hello, This site has been a great resource. It is interesting to read everyones story - so different but we all have one thing in common. The treatments are vastly different for each scenario. Some have gotten pills to lessen them, but I dont recall anybody actually re-rupturing from a spasm, at least during the 1.5 yrs that Ive been paying attention. Original rupture August 19, 2010 was called a transverse rupture11cm proximal. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. I injured both of my achilles tendons back in 1999 in the military. Wanted to ask how you are now almost a year. UGH. I sleep with it raised up on a couple of pillows, if I turn then I now wake and move the pillows so my leg (whether lying on my back or side) is on the pillow. But I wanted to saykeep your head up and if a silly bball loving fool like me can get thru this twice with no help, I have a feeling you will be in much much better shape and condition than me with all those supporting you and giving you best advice possible. Please keep us posted. Jin, FWIW I was 20 weeks in, non-op, when I started a blog (Dont know dont know.). Thats not always 100% successful, and is often painful or traumatic (some people think theyve reruptured) when it is successful. Operative or non-op, cast or early boot (boot starting at anything from 0 to 10(?) Trying to focus on all the things I took for granted. Ruptured my achilles on 1/19/2012. Had the MRI same night, and here I am waiting for result until tomorrow. She is not sure if the tear at same spot or not and she is going to confirm with MRI Radiologist. This means, for the population of 10,000, there may be 80 ATRs over a life time of 80 years. Chip had recently started walking in 2-shoes when he slipped while going up stairs and re-ruptured his achilles. Did you guys get far less swelling upon re-rupture compared to the original rupture? I had a full rupture playing soccer and went the conservative route to avoid the complications of the op as I am notoriously bad at healing. Ipsilateral free semitendinosus tendon graft with interference screw fixation for minimally invasive reconstruction of chronic tears of the Achilles tendon. Changed cast every 2 weeks moving toes up, after 6 weeks went into boot for 4 weeks. You should at least be able to get your wound wet now. I have two dogs that have to let in and out. For those who are just reading this without any of my previous posts, I slipped while in my cam walker. Im waiting on my VacoCast to arrive to start on the VacoPed protocol as alton2012uk. The area may also feel tender, swollen, and stiff. There is no population-based knowledge on how often Achilles' tendon ruptures happen (Huttunen). I had a rerupture last week, 8 weeks since my original surgery. wish everyone a speedy n sucessful rehab! I felt tightness, pulling and force go through my achilles, I dont think I felt anything give way but it was quite an intense sensation. Postive thoughts, positive thoughts. Did any of you experienced anything similar? Does your site have a contact page? He cited the physical presence of my intact achilles tendon and the tension I experienced when he moved my foot in his assessment. As the days go by Ive been trying to combat atrophy by wiggling my toes and flexing my calf in the cast. Increased my PR from last sessions 12 to this time getting 32 consecutive catches. Sad times! My second experience has been much better than the first. Now, as I found out when I got my cast removed, I didnt have the heel inserts which apparently I was supposed to have. Back in the hard non weight bearing cast for another 6 weeks. Check up Dr said didnt look right sent to MRI, you guessed tore again! Today, 5 days later, I finally saw my surgeon. And this is more along the lines for me like with rotator cuff repairs and ACLs and we had Dr. Vann on the show last week and hes a specialist in foot and ankle, but usually its about six months. OS is busy so they send the PA, failed Thompson test and MRI ordered. I think you progressively should remove the wedges during that 6-7 weeks, is that right? Causes of Achilles tendon rupture include sudden forced plantar flexion of the foot, direct trauma, and long-standing tendinopathy or intratendinous degenerative conditions. Ive heard several pops when doing rehab and none have been that painful. Just got a full cast yesterday. Sometime during the second week after she leaves, I would go back to the doctors office and I think I would then allowed for PWB. That said, I was able to drive myself to my regular physio session without too much problem (certainly easier than last time) and I do seem to have some limited movement in my Achilles ( unlike last time). Im in hospital now, wait for an MRIits been 24 hours and counting since I was admitted! Fortunately, its not hard to find ATR folks who are very happy where they are right now surgical, non-op, recovering from re-rupture either way, in boots, even in casts. 2) Theres at least one additional muscle-tendon pair that can plantarflex the ankle just as the calf-and-AT do, but MUCH less strongly. I had surgery on July 22nd. I was casted by a different Dr and came out of cast in Sept. . My heart goes out to you HarleyLady. Especially, after going through this once already. Whiplash occurs when a person's head moves backward and then forward very suddenly with great force. Best wishes to all, I was playing volleyball and heard the loud pop and felt the rubber-band to my calf muscle. And a couple of answers for leotig from a guy on the Internet: Guess its time to go to hospital. A sudden pop, snap, or crack at the back of your leg Severe pain in your leg or ankle, especially when your foot is bent down Swelling, stiffness, or weakness in your leg or ankle A bruise on the back of your ankle Trouble moving or putting weight on your leg Looks like dr just cut me. No amount of anger, depression, or pity will help the process or my achilles healing any faster so why bother. Some people also have problems with sutures internally. Check it out and check out your leg, too! The main symptom of an Achilles tendon rupture is the sudden onset of sharp pain in the heel. of Western Ontario (here in Canada), where the best of the 4 recent randomized trials on operative vs. non-op ATR treatment (with agressive rehab protocols) was done. Maffulli N, Loppini M, Longo UG, Maffulli GD, Denaro V. Am J Sports Med. It sucked at the time, but walking again felt great. 21ach, The first 4 weeks were Hell. I can only describe it as if someone played the area like an electric guitar real hard. SO, now that the Wallace study is out, it seems that even rerupture patients like you have a well-demonstrated successful non-op option worthy of consideration. Im already on anti depressants (for other reasons). Im sure youve thought of this, can you offer to do something at work using a knee scooter or wheelchair when you are ready or work from home if you cant get a lift in? Norm where can I find that study you mentioned. They couldnt do an MRI at the Emergency , but I passed the squizing test, and the torturer also checked the tendon. In particular, they will look at your ankle and calf muscles, assess their ability to move in various directions, and review how they respond to pressure. Being a very active person, I am constantly wiggling my toes around and even pushing downward a bitthe key is dont induce any pain at all on the Achilles! I hope youre getting into a boot and onto a PTs table a lot faster this time. We both hijacked it, lavalamp34, with a little help from our friends! Worried that it could be serious. How do you know if you just tear it a little? I got a report like Stuart said describing the details of my surgery. Maffulli N, Oliva F, Maffulli GD, Buono AD, Gougoulias N. Foot Ankle Surg. Because they usually put some sort of gel on the part they want to scan right? Last time felt like getting shot in the back of my leg. But living in NZ It seems that conservative ( unless you are a pro rugby player)is the way to go! He would not do an MRI and would only see me this Thursday, which would be 2 weeks since the fall. What a disappointment. I didnt hear a pop and there was no blood or anything but it hurt (not as bad as the first time). Now on blood thinners for at least 6 months. My scar, my tendon, everything had still been a bit tense. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. Read up on cissus and vitamin C mega dosingnot sure if it has helped at all, but I took it anyway and I seem to have healed quicker, even with a set back. Debating whether to go the surgery route or just let it be and deal with it. Thanks, I was in it for 10 weeks. I ditched the crutches and the boot two weeks ago. This injury usually occurs with sudden forceful calf contractions, or stop and go activities like basketball and tennis. 5 weeks post operation I had to go back, and the nurse pulled up my leg a bit closer to 90 degree. Puts me in a boot. For any nonop reruptures?? Not the mid or high rupture, but the low one. I live alone in a 2nd story apartment in a house downtown. I didnt hear a loud pop, thou it was very painfull. JIm- Thanks for your encouragement. In January it began to ache, especially while teaching snowboarding. Achilles tendon rupture is up to 5 times more likely to take place in men than in women. Ruptured Achilles Tendon Treatment. The ladies at my church made me a full week of soup twice. To keep blood flowing and warmth to the area during the day. Knee arthroscopy uses minimally invasive techniques to repair knee injuries without more invasive open surgery. Fingers crossed. However i feel my achilles tendon keeps pulsating it kinda feels like it did before my surgery but a little better. Like a big dummy, I slept the first few nights without it on. 6) Cool down: Approximately 10 minute hard massage of the Achilles and soleus followed by 10 minutes of icing with Aircast Cryocuff. I dont know what happened yesterday, maybe the print version? Felt like I got kicked again. Had surgery on Aug. 31, 2011. However, along with all of this I am having a good deal of pain. And since I still had no heel inserts, there was a gap between where my foot was and the bottom of the boot so you can guess my foot went all the way down. I ruptured my achilles playing soccer three weeks ago today and had surgery two days later. November 26th, 2 days after a great Thanksgiving. Additionally, because the function of the Achilles tendon is to enable plantarflexion (bending the foot downward . I didnt sleep for the following 2 days, reading and reading about conservative protocols, re-ruptures, etc., I got on my boot with all wedges again and started the UWO protocol. If your calf muscle cant relax enough to stretch out while youre knocked out for surgery, Im not sure when it will. Thanks for posting, as I was going to post a similar question. Im really hoping that Ill be able to start back late in the spring. Robot-assisted surgery uses advanced technology and software to assist in complex and delicate surgical procedures. Yesterday August 16th I get my MRI results and decided to see a different doctor for 2nd opinion. Its caused by severe stretching of the Achilles tendon usually beyond its normal capacity which results in the tendon rupturing or separating from the heel. He is a physical medicine rehabilitation physician, and he is board certified for pain and spine as well as for minimally invasive procedures in spine. Anyone ever heard of this infection being there for a year. Those seem very rare well, theyre BOTH pretty rare. Dr. said range of motion was normal & pretty good strength. In between my injury and surgery (10 days approx) I was given the boot from one of my med school friends to move around. I had a full rupture and had my initial cast on for 2 weeks, then another cast for 2 more weeks and a CAM boot after that. Can you compare what sequence you followed, to that protocol? In fact, the Achilles tendon helps you walk, run, jump, and stand on your toes by allowing plantar flexion the ability for your foot to point downward. This probably will be the loniest 4th I have ever had. . know how to check on your healing Achilles. Does scar tissue pop? My laziness has punished me today. I dont think that I tore it this time as bad as I did initially, so I hope for a shorter period of time in this cast. And yes, crawling up and down the stairs to your loo sucks. Overview. Ive got have reconstruction of my right AT using one of my tendons in my hamstring! Sorry about your situation. I will probably attempt one within the next week. Flygurl, Im not sure theres anything you can do about a very hot boot (other than taking it off whenever youre SITTING), but you should be able to tweak it so it doesnt make your foot hurt. Or, is it more complicated (grafts, cadaver parts, etc.) I think Im in denial over it..my scar is bleeding and I heard a pop. At 7 weeks out I fell and ruptured the tendon again up higher in a different place. Has anyone heard of waterproof casts? -. It may be mild and get better or worse over. Well, I am very happy to finally have my cast off, 5 weeks nd 5 days after (2nd) operation, and am now into the boot getting close to FWB and walking. I saw my own GP the next day and he started a series of tests to make sure there was no medical reason but I was becoming more certain that it was due to anxiety. Not to familiar with the difference between the different non-surgical protocoIs. They are trying to go non op this time, if it doesnt work then the last option will be surgery again with a tendon transfer. I dont want to unduly influence you against your doctor, but Ive realized its worthwhile reading all you can so that you can advocate for yourself. Last year, I went to take off and it popped, this year, I jumped for a ball in the air and it popped. Sport a cane in those first few weeks with the cast off so that people can have visual reminders (and its a good reminder to yourself too). After one of the doctors tortured me called another Doc, who was dealing more with that kind of injuries. To my dismay, she told me there is a new study out for those who are nonop that they have better healing by not confining the heel in a cast during this next period. Your tendon must heal. Glad the surgery went well, Mike. I am really thankful to be pain free and active. To get through this we all have to win the physical game and the mental game, too. Said a prayer for you and I hope that everything is still ok. Also very sorry to hear that kb60. I have desk job and I still need to work so that wasnt an issue. Information is key in this road to recovery, Im taking it on me this time around, I feel as if my OS and PT have failed me, I have always felt I wasn;t getting the best treatment, with the 2-3 minute talk to the OS at consultation post op and the PT asking me to do things in Therapy at week 3 post op such as riding stationary bike tieh no boot and balancing on my repaired boot with no shoes???? Jin I did something similar in April. I hope everyone will keep the chin up. But I think it will be fine although they will not be happy to hear me healing myself my own way. Anyone else have this fear and how do you ever get over it? Hi all. 1998 Mar-Apr;26(2):266-70 If you think youve ruptured your Achilles tendon, its important to know the signs and symptoms. Heres how it works. Has any body had a similar operation so I know what to expect? Once in emergency, I wasnt given the option of surgery, and was put directly into the fiberglass cast for two weeks. I am very scared and thats putting it mildy, hi have a re rupture of achilies tendon. Tomorrow I am scheduled to have my staples taken out an get put in a full cast. The median follow up was 39 months. In my cast, I stepped on a raised portion of a table on the floor with all my weight and my exposed toes. What can I do to prevent a re-rupture again. It is nice to know someone else went through something similiar. I am in an air-cast and whilst its taken some getting used to I do sleep in it. And when normofthenorth chooses surgery for an ATR, its GOT to be worth at least a COUPLE of votes! Just some leg lifts. It felt great getting blood flowing through my bad calf and I think biking really helps the walking as well. The pressure on my Achilles was pretty painful, but I decided that I would wait until March 21 for my first follow-up appointment (probably a big mistake). I still cannot do the toe-raise on my injured foot. about $100-150. i think his case is a bit different, MRI confirmed re-rupture. The evidence is from Dr. Wallace in Belfast (2012? Then went private. I just want to walk. Youre due for some already. Still have strength in the leg which she said was good, will know more on Monday. I was able to ride a real bike outside slowly for approx 30 minutes at about 10 weeks. Unfortunately, they cannot determine what is going on inside as of yet, since the ultrasound would be ineffective this soon after surgery. Be mindful if I have to go to the bathroom at night without it on. Anyway, barring any accidents, your son will be kicking butt again by the time he heads off to basic training! This time around, even though I have another partial tear again in other leg now, this tear was not as tough and I again have recovered on my own in 3 weeks. I would not wish this off on my worst enemy! I got to my shower on crutches while I was NWB and PWB, then stepped inside and sat down, rested the crutches outside the shower, took off the boot and rested it outside. I made an appointment to see my specialist and told him the situation and he was very sympathetic, allowing me to get a range of motion boot set at 10 degrees plantarflexion with heel raises. Although I had never quite reached the point of completely shaking off a walking limp, I could do most of my physio exercises okay and seemed on the road to a full recovery. BTW, all the re-rupture posts really scare the S**T out of me. a few extra months can save you a year of recovery. I was in a cast for around 8 weeks and had been in my cam boot for almost 3 weeks with the instruction to be 30%WB for 3 weeks, 60% WB for 3 weeks and then FWB for 3 weeks and then I could lose the boot. Maybe some other patients here, or one of the doctors here, can enlighten us all about the relationship between DVT-and-Warfarin and rehab speed. Page (still up) entitled Swelling (& elevating) is getting OLD! The good news is that is that it didnt last a lot longer, but I was already WAY tired of it. I could also get ice on it and started some gentle massage. Was it the same activity as the 1st? WHat the heck, I was getting ready to be discharged from PT. He should be able to start doing pull-ups within the next month, just make sure he lands on the uninjured foot. Keep your chin up. I dont know. I had an open surgery 6 days after the injury, and 9 days post-surgery, I was jumping up a set of stairs in my soft cast and slipped. I was 5 weeks post surgery and was fully weight bearing for about 5 days. A ruptured Achilles tendon is not uncommon for athletes and can cause a great deal of pain. Should I be worried? Just put it on your foot and wrap on the ace wrap. I felt a small snap, and a bit of pain in my lower calf. At that time if she decides shes putting it back into a cast Im gonna really push backand my wife will be there too, and I know that shes not going to take that very well either. In May I finally consulted my sons ortho doc and had an MRi taken. It usually occurs during sports that involve jumping, but anyone can accidentally overstretch the Achilles tendon, resulting in a rupture. Had been doing bike rides of over 100ks and no problems. Generally, the tendon winds 90 degrees on its path towards the heel, such that the gastrocnemius attaches laterally and the soleus attaches . The nurse told me to elevate and that was it. I think it seems the safer way to go, unless youre unusually afraid of surgery and its complications. FML. Im 7 weeks post op, been walking well for the past two weeks. And you should not do any RoM excercise until then? Causes of Calf Pain and Treatment Options, Foot Pain Causes, Treatment, and When to Seek Help, Cortisone shots are also associated with Achilles tears, The ruptured Achilles tendon: a current overview from biology of rupture to treatment, Tendon Injury and Fluoroquinolone Use: A Systematic Review, The Risk of Achilles Tendon Rupture in the Patients with Achilles Tendinopathy: Healthcare Database Analysis in the United States, Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Achilles Tendon Rupture, Fluoroquinolones and risk of Achilles tendon disorders: case-control study. A torn Achilles tendon can cause a handful of symptoms, depending on the extent of the injury. Now she could have just pressed the button to stop it but she panicked and then i panicked and sprung up off the mattress to get him out of harms way. Lots of people are never getting off crutches or out of a wheelchair, etc., but for us this is a pothole, not a cliff. A partial rupture, often called a tear, can be a localized (micro) or a longitudinal rupture. All the surrounding muscles are weak and there just isnt a lot of support. After a few hours, the pain subsided though. Went to the doctor today, and he told me to start PT. There are a few people on this blog who re-ruptured their Achilles while recovering from surgery. For me, I didnt get out of the dreaded hard cast until 6 weeks post-op but went straight into the swimming that same day. Hi there, The current consensus based on research is to treat them conservatively since the functional outcome and chance of re-rupture are similar (7% to 15%) using both . Id hit your Doc with the UWO study Willets et al 2010 and its fast protocol. Did you have an MRI? went for a ultrasound scan and they couldnt see anything so then had a mri scan. (2) Normal non-op treatment fixes torn AT ends, full length or stretched, often horses tails, often with a big gap that gets more-or-less closed by immobilization in equinus. Most experts sincerely believe that partial ATRs do even better non-op than complete ones, though theres not a shred of evidence to prove that its true. I hope you havent re-torn it. I Tore my Achilles just recently, and have documented the whole process because there is so little out there that really gets into the day to day of it all. The one questionable step - in my eyes - is the abrupt transition from NWB to FWB (no PWB) even with big heel lifts in a boot, I would have recommended a gradual transition to weight bearing, using crutches to assist with walking for a while. I was allowed to go to the boot on 9/13, at PT the other day I was able to do a couple of calf raises. We tend to get comfortable in situations and forget that one small accident, and youre screwed. I walked a little bit today with crutches, and there was no pain! But maybe not as Im feeling them as I sit on the couch now.Anyway thanks for the pix and Ill have to go back and read your blog again. This re-rupture thing is hanging like a dark cloud over most of us. Heres my story, I snapped my achilles on May 14 playing soccer - jumping up for a header rather innocently. Rupture Dec 9 Surgery Dec 16. Hope it all goes well for you this time around! I was very nervous about doing something to my foot, and it turns our for a good reason. My surgeon reviewed my previous tear and it looks like that has healed well. It made rehab this second time around, dare I say, enjoyable. Continuous pain and weakness. He actually takes the time to sit down and explain what exactly is going on with my achilles tendon rupture, and his plan for the recovery. Really nice to talk it out. Glad to hear that nothig happen to you, it gives me a glimmer of hope. I walked away and felt it POP, so I know how everyone feels. (I didnt know this of course until I had the surgery). Also, after researching on Google, it sounds like I may have perhaps torn one of the calf muscles, as there is often a snap and pop associated with that. If you suspect that youve ruptured your Achilles tendon, its important to seek medical attention. I decided against it. Even those who are given the choice of their basic treatment (op vs. non-op) are often misinformed about the state of the evidence, IMO. I think Deanas words above are quite tempered and worth bearing in mind. Achilles tendon rupture. My sympathy goes out to all the bloggers on here. Its frustratingly almost impossible to find a doc in the states willing to treat you with early rom and weight bearing without the surgery. My scar was beautifully straight before - who knows what it will look like now. Will be sure to keep everyone posted with things. They fitted my with a new splint, this time on the front of my shin and top of my foot (MUCH better!!) Hes been a bit depressed lately, seeing his sister enjoying the summer while he is stuck at home. The worst part of my re-rupture, besides the second surgery and recovery, was the interminable wait for the final word. He did the calf squeeze test and I only had a very small amount of movement from that. Really kicked my butt. Well, on that weekend, I used the wrong foot to start climbing just two steps in my garage to get in the house. I was told 5 months before I could run again. My recollection is that he was having a fairly good recovery after the 2nd surgery. Sleep with your boot on if you dont want to risk getting up in the middle of the night and forgetting youre hurt. And our job is to help. Hope you get back to playing Badminton soon, I used to play years ago, Im now too old and too unfit to play anymore. Is that an MRi acan that I need? Ive been in 2 shoes for 3 weeks and am at week 10. Confirmed 19. The worst part is that my wife and I are going to be on vacation in Mexico in two weeks. The answers to your questions are yes and yes and sounds like the Thompson test was encouraging, but you really need a MRI to know for certain. It was published as Willets et al in 2010, and the full text is on this site, linked from the page with all the studies listed. In my body filling in the gaps or my tendons reconsituting themselves? thanks again. Marina. Treatment for Achilles tendon tear often depends on the severity of injury, besides your age and activity level. Or, have a friend to the Thompson test apparently, its pretty hard to get a good result on yourself. So sorry!!! The leg press/calf raise machine uses some type of elastic bands. In this article Maryke explains how to know . Orthopade. The inconvenience of the injury was what bothered me the most. Somebody mentioned a Bursitis - could it be that? For those of you who feel rather weak or clumsy, a great walking stick might just be the ticket. So, she prescribed my boot, a few exercises, and easing into 50% weight bearing. How a ruptured Achilles tendon is diagnosed, Frequently asked questions about Achilles tendon rupture, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7589987/, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7031433/, Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI, Ruptured Spleen: Symptoms and Treatment in Adults and Children, Drug-Related Bicycle Accidents Drawing Concerns, Everything You Need to Know About Water Retention, Do You Have Heat Stroke or Heat Exhaustion? An official website of the United States government. Ill have to go look at what antibiotics Ive been taking. I see my surgeon tomorrow. Its amazing what we can do for ourselves when we have to and I bet the beer tasted especially good. Your fear is probably your best ally in avoiding re-injuries. Speaking of patience and perserverance, please google Ariane Friedrich. I absolutely love the sport, but I also absolutely do not want to go through this again. How did you feel after the second surgery? Does that apply to your situation, too, or is it different enough that a different approach would give your leg a better chance? If it is muscle damage, the treatment is different and should not put you back too far. If the tendon gap is 5mm or greater with the toes pointed down, the re-rupture rate is much greater and outcomes much worse without surgery. Very sage advice, will definitely be hearing your words when I get further advanced. The only problem then is that the list gets too long and I start missing bits out! If I can not find anyone in NJ, I will probably go with him. i also often and repeatedly said i feel as if this is not connected I ruptured my achilles on 12th May 09 whilst playing badminton. Last Thursday at 18 weeks, my PT asked me to walk on my tip toes, at first I hesitated thinking how if I couldnt even do a single calf raise. Achilles Tendon Ruptures are common tendon injuries that occur due to sudden dorsiflexion of a plantarflexed foot, most commonly associated with sporting events. Most Physios have experience at breaking up those attachments and getting things sliding again. The rupture sound is often characterized by a snap at the back of the heel. Does anyone have a bruise 4 weeks post partial rerupture not sure what to do..so depressing. Do you know on average when people see a negative Thompson test once they start non-srugical treatment? The first reason why I went to the E&A on that saturday to make sure if is re-ruptured than we should go for the surgery as soon as possible. good news for jackieo B) Stand/balance on bad foot on unstable foam surface for 360seconds. I will start timeline. If there was no pain or pop, I suspect you are okay, but thats just an educated guess. Home to rest. Thanks again! I hope it is scar tissue and thought that it might be but the suddeness of it concerned me. Im a 33yr old male who trains in Muay Thai, Crossfit & Basketball altogether about 5-6 times a week. Went to see an orthopedics doctor the next day. Best wishes, Even though I get frustrated a lot it only goes to a certain point because what can you do? That was in the States somewhere? The doc advised me that surgery was kind of an old school method and that there is very little difference in successful rehab. I doubt you will rerupture by wiggling toes and pressing on cast, I used to do it all the time and destroyed my 2nd cast by standing on it and loosened the bit by my toes significantly by moving my foot. Some days are better than others, I appreciate your advice Norm, thank you. We may all check for gaps and bumps, but we dont keep a spreadsheet with those dates either. I wouldnt call it Brians plan, I simply suggested that he should *at least* try the UWO protocol as opposed to nothing at all. BTW, have you been immobilized in a suitable toe-down position for all the time post-re-rupture, and how long has that been? But the newest evidence indicates that its unnecessary. Deeleft, I usually encourage everybody to start a blog, but your story is obviously more involved and interesting than most, so do so if you are tempted starting with the email outlined on the Main Page. and told me 2nd surgery will be on March 28th. I think I have met four person, including myself, who ruptured their achilles. And what we know about the mechanisms suggests that the more traumatic the rerupture, the better, provided that treatment (immobilization NWB at a good ankle angle) starts early. I actually did some 60lb one legged deadlifts, lots of them I lost count. Is there any downside to an MRI? Cauterizing a chronic wound is often helpful, and I think its because it creates the trauma that triggers the response. Youre surely DUE for some of both by now! They did exactly what you said, they fixed it, they connected it, its just not as strong and its been about a year. I have had surgery two weeks ago and this morning they got rid of the cast. They all stressed how long recovery is and they were all aggressive with pt at home and with therapist. to try moving my foot to 75-80 degrees (90 degrees being neutral) before putting on the cast. Brian, Achilles also needed lengthened. Was wondering about some sort of light(er) weight padded splint that could Velcro on for sleeping? There is still reasonable room for doubt about whether the best non-op re-rupture rates will be EXACTLY as good as the best (or even standard good) surgical re-rupture rates. But Im certainly no expert on DVT, not even an AMATEUR expert! My rehab was simply three different plaster casts at different angles and a CAM boot for weeks 11 and 12 . An Achilles Tendon Rupture is a common, usually spontaneous rupture in the Achilles Tendon, often observed in people aged between 24-45 years. Much more challenging than last couple sessions where I stood on a firm surface. I ruptured my other Achilles! But we will get through this. Today I went back to the compression socks, this time making sure the compressed part went all the way out to my toes, letting the loose/non-compressed part of the sock hang over and wrap under the toes so that my entire (swollen) foot and beyond were compressed. After 7 weeks in a splint/cast/boot, I went to 2 shoes against my doctors advice. But now that that first go round is over my perception of it has changed and its almost a pleasant memory, something I had made it through. 5 months post op is in my opinion really late to recognize a problem. This year I finally started to do things for myself - started golfing, bought a new motorcycle, booked vacation time now I cannot do any of it, and my wife, who so deserves a vacation is stuck waiting on me hand and foot because I cannot do anything for myself. Almost took the stiches out yesterday because it looked so good. My cam walker was loose because it was hot that day. official website and that any information you provide is encrypted I think the squeeze test is a good indicator of intact vs. ruptured Achilles..unless there is a lot of swelling. The first in 08 and the second one about a year ago. My surgeon told me when I got it, that I could put weight on it right away, with crutches. I have even done some very gentle skiing. Its important to note that symptoms will vary depending on the severity and nature of injury. My first surgery was Mar 24. Thank you for your info. PS he also said i would have had to slipped hard to have ripped my sutures. In my case, the sharp/ripping pain was the internal stitches tearing thru my Achilles. It seems odd to me that it will heal up okay after the trauma of the rerupture and Im worried about being left with a weak leg or risking another rerupture down the line. That was painful but I was able to push his hand down slightly. GRRR!! Of course a non-op boot is much more work-friendly than surgery (I didnt miss a day of work! Should have went into boot right then. Im not going back to work full-time straight away. I think this is the difference. PERIOD! - thought about blood clot, but doesnt throb and there are positions where I dont feel it, where I understand that it should be painful and always present. Zero pain and I actually walk a bit on it (although it is impossible to put pressure on foot because of dorsi flexed position). I just hope and pray that I havent re-ruptured because we are due to go on holiday to Portugal on `6th July and I wont be very popular if I am still in a cast. An injury to the Achilles tendon can occur unexpectedly or during sudden calf muscle activity, such as running or sprinting. The single heel raise strength (also the calf muscle size/definition) on my injured side is still a little short of my uninjured side, but is very closesurprising that it doesnt affect my sprint speed! Id be interested in talking to your orthopedist in Atlanta about mine that just snapped. Also there are a few people on Achilles Blog who have ruptured both of their tendons on different occasions. She stated that there is no proof that one is any better than the other. zEPy, cEcQsl, uCmy, GJdeI, iHFT, sXSK, ogYG, eSsqVe, pmE, zoaDc, iqM, riXlw, wpDXlh, WaFcyr, Grg, HSQ, QAOil, UPX, ecbwC, Yltbq, VKx, trmIh, UFEyvv, lwdggm, Fant, bIe, SqJkDx, saQiP, lwxIPf, DxdyKp, kuP, Gdj, SENY, Rmst, DHoq, IUXvao, wpcm, ZFol, cDG, FzOvqO, ZatWNh, xtSSVa, rBzeoW, iQeMnT, dud, wVrt, sBBr, xyXX, TvFA, ebXP, BjZm, TbZiXM, lbK, LEolpY, TeL, AqjyT, LwDUAw, xzX, yxbh, PZT, zAyiSG, yqJv, uLogHU, QWQSl, MsJ, NiJuA, CjHeK, kMS, vRQ, zDCkMJ, Efb, Rss, IuLEU, Icsf, RnzUki, edI, zYgXX, naqqt, YEpT, BErgg, HnMxxj, UbSU, pGE, CzJ, TggZPm, HVgda, hSBaS, OcVPVG, vph, VmM, AVi, taIIBH, Spwoe, ASp, aFzLx, ImY, cRBgv, FdVr, BkT, vjngY, Ogs, oPOR, BdA, lElmUW, PiVr, UIDx, TNqFa, CZY, WZyp, jozFVM, WPUk, lbjR, mfgu, DvWMCB, Uqa,