Both active and passive Achilles and calf stretches can be used to regain dorsiflexion range of motion. Let the healing take its course. I am much more afraid of the pain once I get going. Your Recovery. I felt no pain at all and never have done apart from falling onto my foot when I was on crutches which was excruciating. Hey Eric so sorry to hear about your ATR its completely sucks mentally. You will have to retrain your brain and get used to what it feels like to place equal weight on your legs. Some boots, like the VACOped, has a hinge system that allows you to adjust the angle without having to use wedges. Please dont do this. Minimally invasive and open surgical repairs are commonly undertaken to manage acute Achilles ruptures. I ruptured mine playing basketball on June 16 had surgery June 20. Start with light weights, and if your goal is to get back to running and jumping sports, it often works well to build up to weight that equals about 20% of your bodyweight. Take it easy Daisy and looking forward to hearing more good news from you soon. I had a partial tear, but my Dr. said it wouldnt heal on its own because I suffered from achilles tendonosis for so long before i finally tore it and I had lots of scar tissue along with the tear. I still cannot bear any weight on my foot but I am trying to keep the patience. Outside of cheer I workout daily and was in the best shape of my life, squatting 225# and weighing 125#. Eccentric calf drop exercises done over a step strengthens the Achilles tendon while also improving dorsiflexion range of motion. You can also do these over the edge of a small step or a book to help regain dorsiflexion (see video for demo). Hey all, I am 33 yrs old and 4 weeks post surgery. I am doing great Daisy, thank you for your wishes. I am 3 weeks post op from my left Achilles tendon rupture. Have trouble moving your foot to walk or go up stairs. I started becoming concerned about blood clotsthen I started reading articles about this following achilles surgerythen I was convinced. Good luck! In most cases youll be allowed to place your full weight (or as much as you can without pain) on your foot while wearing the boot and using crutches for stability. Your physio will be able to guide you one this. I Have One Huge Question !! My last sugery was on the the 11th and 2.5 blood transfusions. Once in a while Ill get a passing pain, but it goes away quickly. But then you calm down and realize that theres a life without soccer. 2 days after I received my walking boot I started PT. I needed to be with her spirit. I always told myself heel to toe, heel to toe. Free active inversion and eversion movements while keeping the foot pointed down into plantar flexion. Potential complications of Achilles tendon surgery. About the pins and needles: I think theyre pretty normal. Giant cell tumour of tendon sheath is a benign soft tissue lesion most commonly found in the flexor aspect of hand and wrist. BTW, your rehab schedule (7 weeks NWB in a cast?) Physical Therapy: PTTD is most commonly treated with physical therapy. Youre welcome to consult one of the team at TMA online via video call for an assessment of your injury and a tailored treatment plan. Of course, as you well know, taking it easy the first few months is really difficult! Achilles tendon ruptures guidelines." Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Phase II (2-6 weeks after surgery): Physical therapy appointments begin one to two visits per week. How long will this last? Healing the Achilles Heel. I was told the right one would most likely be fine. My doctor and PT say I have a high pain threshold but I honestly havent felt more than aches. I am 4 weeks post op from having surgery on my achilles tendon, my plantars fasciia tendon and also my peroneous longus tendon. This article describes the postoperative imaging findings and their evolution after surgery. Began turning mental and physical corner at about the 2 week mark. Be very carefully in the first 6 months (and especially in the first weeks after surgery). She passed away with liver cancer. Are the pins and needles normal? 3 days afterwards, I had a realization that someone might not have been right for a, Keep on working it but dont push it too hard! Everyone is different. Foot a bit swollen but it coped. With crutches. But when (e.g.) How fashionable is that! Im still in a wedge at week 11 and will be until June (had Haglunds deformity surgery not ATR). Although the surgery is quick and you can go home after the operation, you still can't start walking immediately. Rehabilitation and return to play following Achilles tendon repair. Operative Techniques in Sports Medicine. So no one get discouraged. I just tore my akillies playing soccer on June 13 09 and been in a cast because I also fractured my ankle. This can strain your Achilles tendon. 2 The specific type of surgery will depend on where the Achilles tendon has torn. Its still stiff and I would imagine that it will be that way for the rest of my life. You can restore this by following a structured rehab programme. Please note that surgeons may have very good reasons for prescribing different programmes. How long will this last? The consultant told me to think about coaching instead! Until then Ive been doing some simple flexing exercises with the boot off. I stepped on a glass and completely sliced through my achilles tendon. I am about 10 months out almost 11 and Ive been back to normal. It is rare that I can comfortably wear a shoe with a back sneaks due to an ever present little lump at the heal. Best Wishes, there is a rainbow after the clouds! Once that is easy, gradually increase the reps until you can easily do 5 x 25 reps in a day. hi, i am just in 2nd week after surgery. Sorry Kate! Achilles tendon repair reconnects the ends of the broken tendon so that you can use your foot again in a normal way. I took care of her in her last days, she didnt want anyone else to care for her. I am 9 and half weeks after surgery. When a body part is injured, it lacks the strength, endurance, and control to handle your regular daily and sporting activities. You can do them by placing a weight on your thigh or using the seated calf raise machine in the gym. At week 8 I stopped wearing boot completely (at this point I could also walk with no crutches in boot). (yes xmass and new year in a cast), It was just a casual Sunday morning game with my mates which turned into a nightmare as I have a phobia for doctors, operating theatres and all that comes along with itso wasnt a walk in the park for me It helps you walk, run, and jump. You should wear your boot whenever youre upright and moving around. To prove you're a person (not a spam script), type the security word shown in the picture. As per my Doctors advice, I have been using Maderma and scar strips and I really think they have helped. Need more help with your Achilles injury? I actually thought I had stepped on some dried out branches when it happened. So, doing active stretches and using eccentric exercises to stretch your Achilles and regain full range of dorsiflexion may be more beneficial than doing lots of strong passive stretching. Youre right, staying positive and being patient is the best thing you can do. 4 weeks in a none weight bearing cast. I had no PT scheduled and had a scar tissue tear and relaps which put me back to ground zero (crutches and boot). Being on crutches, A story of caution. Your physio will let you know when youre strong enough to start with these. Have your foot further forward from the chair to avoid getting dorsiflexion in the ankle. I ruptured my Left Achilles tendon during soccer on May 9th, had surgery on the 17th. Ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging provide crucial information regarding the morphology, structure . Surgery for Achilles tendon repair involves mending the ends of a torn or ruptured tendon. Progress them as follows (see video for demo): First, get comfortable doing 10 repetitions, slow up and slow down, with 75% of your bodyweight on the uninjured leg and only 25% on the operated one, 5 times a day (these can be spread out, but if youre doing them in one go, rest at least 60 seconds between sets). I have never blogged with anyone before so Im really not sure how this works, but here it goes. Clearly, compared to the many dynamos like you on this site, I am just a wimp! "Slowed-Down Rehabilitation Following Percutaneous Repair of Achilles Tendon Rupture." . All the very best in your recovery, Gus! I have a remedial massage at least every week and this has assisted particularly with the elimination of swelling and controlling the scare tissue. Plyometric exercises develop the explosive strength and function of the calf-Achilles complex. But an AT slice probably doesnt cause that same muscle recoil, so the process of gradually stretching everything out should be different (and easier and quicker) for your group. Had my Surgery on Aug 4,09, I have two pins to hold down tendon to my heel. Always wear the boot when youre standing or walking. Be smart, but push yourself to what doctors/PTs say are ok. I am running 20-30 miles per week along with snowshoeing and hiking. First few days after surgery were the worst days of my life, enormous amount of pain, nausea because of Vicodine. I am at the 10 week mark and making steady progress, was not on an aggressive program, no PT till August. Mic I have never been confident in doing anything that would put undue stress on my repaired tendon like running or any activity where you are not constantly aware that it is damaged and compensating for it. A little swelling after walks and in the evenings, I use lots of ice packs throughout the day that helps so much. NOT that I dont hope to go back to ballet work as soon as possible and be far LESS inward (grin) but it really has been and is a genuine learning curve beyond just the mechanics of post-surgery. There is also limited evidence that a progressive programme may allow earlier return to sport and work. I am 41 and Love Playing Soccer it the first injury i have ever had ! So no one get discouraged. Preferably mens basketball shoes. 10 weeks post surgery today, it has been quite a journey. I completely ruptured my left achilles 30 July 09 and had suregery three days later so Iam about 3 weeks out. The heel wedge is usually reduced to a quarter inch, or 0.5 cm. Doing weighted calf raises in sitting can also be useful, as it targets the lower portions of the calf muscles more. This should not replace the exercises you do out of the pool. I am now receiving a series lymphatic massages. Treatment for a ruptured Achilles tendon often depends on your age, activity level and the severity of your injury. Thanks for any comments on this, i know everyones different, but i am 40 and have had achillies tendonitis surgery. Tina, Thanks Tina, Oh sorry, I wrote that I had my surgery on August 5, not! I am week 7 and 5 days almost at week 8. Then, add extra weight. Hello It sucks! The first 2 weeks I was in a splint and then in a cast for 10 days. Looking forward to hear progress on your recovery. I am about 20 days older than you on this ATR. I am a 30 yr old gymnast. Just follow doctors advice and you will do fine. Very interesting to come across this post on my 11-week surgery anniversary of full left ATR. Well keep mein yyour prayer on my road to recovery. I am at the point where I am building the leg muscles back slowly. (2018). (Here are some. This is why some exercises or activities should only be started after a certain number of weeks. I always thought that I could walk on my 6-8th weeks and I was wrong. I hope that I can be without the crutches by the end of this month. I finished my PT after 18 visits (3x per week for 6 weeks). Free active plantar flexion and dorsiflexion up to 0 dorsiflexion (neutral) or less if you start to feel a pull in your Achilles tendon. I will still take it easy for several more months but being able to walk at just 3 weeks Im ecstatic. Im waiting for a great pair of Dansko clogs of mine to be repaired at the cobbler and I think theyll help a lot. So to all of you STAY POSITIVE, and GOOD LUCK! The only thing that I hate is none of my meds work for more than an hour. I go back to the doctors in 2 weeks for another check up. A good way of stretching your tendon is to do your calf raise exercises over the side of a step. (2019). It's the largest tendon in your body. I think they have done their best. My students applauded and cheered! It has been almost a month now and they have put several boots on my foot since my surgeries. Told me that I can take my boot off after 2 weeks because Im going on vacation in Cancun and he told me I did not have to wear it there if I felt comftorable walking. Try to use a normal walking pattern, landing with your heel first and rolling over your foot to push off with your toes. You're still wearing a walking boot, but the heel lifts are adjusted to put your foot in a more neutral position. Hey I am just a little behind you, I think, and Im still hobbling along in the Aircast boot. I have also continued to dance - as well as I can. If you haev a good surgeon, then the rest just takes timeThink about it this waywould I give up all the fun I had playing sports, and being active the past 35 yrs to have this injury and maybe have a short 6-12 month break from it all? Interested in what your surgeon says as it goes against most thoughts on the injury. (2022). It takes about 8-10 weeks to walk, depending on the person. Do not go past 0 dorsiflexion (see video for demo). It was hard to be positive at first, but for all of you that will get this injury that will read this, dont worryStay positive, and your body will tell you how much you can push. I worked out at least 3 times a week, ran whenever I had time. It is normal for your Achilles tendon and ankle to feel very stiff for the first 12 weeks after surgery. Theres a sort of zen aspect to ATR recovery, I feel. and then I should be starting up. Kate, somewhere on this site (linked from the Main Page) theres a list or table of whos logged in and some basic facts including HOW we did our ATR. Restrictive vs. progressive rehab programmes, Example of a post-surgery Achilles rupture rehabilitation programme. You can see my progress by the blogs, and I know Im still a long way from being a 100% playing soccer, snowboarding, tennis, basketball, etcbut I can walk with a limp, swim, ride a stationary bike, play golf again(carefully), and get back to daily routine without crutches, and bootCan you imagine what the next few months will be like? Had ATR with surgery 5 years ago on the left foot and as far as I remember I was on full weight bearing after 7-8 weeks (ok, in weeks 9 I managed to rupture my scar from the inside, a very scary and bloody experience. You can find advice about how to diagnose complete Achilles tears and the pros and cons of conservative vs. surgical Achilles rupture treatment here. Weak . The Achilles tendon is one of the most vulnerable tendons because of the poor blood supply to the middle and lower segments 1 , 2 , 3 .Acute Achilles tendon ruptures are most commonly treated surgically, mainly because nonsurgical treatment has been demonstrated to be associated with greater risk of rerupture 4 .However, the rate of complications after Achilles tendon suture . In open surgery, the doctor makes a cut (incision) at the back of your leg. Deep vein thrombosis is a dangerous condition, which can be fatal if the clot breaks off and travels to the lungs (Pulmonary Embolism (PE)). This is actually consequently suggested to select a rotating bike along with a low ten-kilogram balance wheel weight. The best way to introduce running is to alternate between short periods of running and walking. Good luck to everyone! I have my first round of golf scheduled for this Sunday. Look forward to hearing more about your progress in NYC! But at Treat My Achilles we don't just value qualifications; all of us also have a wealth of experience working with athletes across a broad variety of sports, ranging from recreationally active people to professional athletes. As soon as the pain starts I immediately will fine a different position to place my foot, the pain subsides quickly. Return to play post-Achilles tendon rupture: a systematic review and meta-analysis of rate and measures of return to play. Br J Sports Med. Im about 12 weeks out. Crikey, that would be a wretched turn of events! Just keeping a foot NWB for over a week would probably make it tingle, for most people. At 12 weeks I am able to walk with one crutch and 95% FWB. I am 3 months post op, and I ruptured mine playing arena football. The first week was really depressingnot only was I stir crazy with my leg elevated ALL day, but the thought of the long, tedious recovery was difficult to process. Had the operation a day after. I would rather stay out of surgery and focus on rebuilding you calf muscles with activities like jogging (not cross country yet) or similar. Hate them. Mark, was your recovery from the tendonitis surgery any quicker or easier than post-ATR recovery? The rehab programme outlined in this article is a progressive one, as it allows for early weight bearing and ankle mobilisation exercises, from the third week, when the patient is still in an orthopaedic boot. Congratulations for making it to FWB! The first 4 days after surgery was the worst. Being in water reduces your weight, and it can be a great way to practice walking and placing weight on your injured leg. Please note: These repetition goals are what I would typically prescribe for an active person who does sports. congrats!! Among the differences I can think of: (1) When an AT ruptures normally (from over-stress), the surrounding tissue, including the sheath or paratenon, is almost always still intact. As with kmny34, tore it playing flag football (right foot). This is why it is important to also include exercises to strengthen your glutes, hamstrings, and quad muscles. If not, it will come in time. It makes us realize how important it is to be able to stand on our two feet and walk. Please remember that were all different, and everyones programme should be tailored to their unique circumstances. You can meet the team here. What exercises you do and rehab targets you aim to achieve during this phase will be determined by your end goal. It is rare that I can comfortably wear a shoe with a back sneaks due to an ever present little lump at the heal. 2016. But one week after walking boot I feel great, I dont feel any pain, and when I take out the boot and do some massage and little movements, I feel great, no pain The wound was very well dry and good, the doctoir said. I am hopeful that one day I will be totally pain free, but from what I have been reading, Im beginning to wonder if I will ever be. The rehab plan for someone who just wants to get back to walking will look very different from that of someone who wants to get back to running or jumping sports. I had surgery on my achilles to cut out the bad part & re-attach it to my heal Oct. 6, 2011. After such a long time I doubt that youll ever regain full strenght in calf muscle again. The Achilles tendon is one of the most commonly ruptured tendons in the human body. tiffany29582 Hi, I am really hoping to get some feedback because i am really worried. "Current consensus for rehabilitation protocols of the surgically repaired acute mid-substance Achilles rupture: A systematic review and recommendations from the Gait study group." I want to know would I be able to play netball again and is anyone out there in dame situation .should I have the op as I would want to resume sport again. To all, 50:1325-1332. If you want to get back to playing a sport that involves jumping or running, you have to include plyometric exercises (hops and jumps) in the later stages of your rehab. It is only going to get better. This has assisted me with the movement of the foot. I want to look into the massage too. Theres so many stupid moves which can set you easily back for a couple of weeks (see my scar story above which happened when I tried to get into the bath tub). My issue is my ankle. I completed ruptured my achilles on July 18 playing tennis. This was a great site for me to find. Plantar flexion using resistance band - do not pull back past neutral dorsiflexion. Last week I was walking so poorly, but have been really good with my stretching exercises I am walking really good with a slight limp. I have not started my PT yet. Top tip: It's usually best to start by doing your calf drops and raises at floor level, but once you feel confident with the movement, you can move to doing them over the side of a step. Lingering on crutches and/or in a cast for a long time in the hope of just doing this ONCE doesnt seem to work in reality. I ruptured my achilles playing indoor soccer, and agree on the point that you can live without soccer I was playing since childhood. This is for initial sports participation, not high-intensity sport or competition. To correct these problems, a physical therapist may show you exercises or use hands-on techniques to ease the tension. I do have a quiver in my tendon & heal pretty much all the time & I feel like I have plastic wrap covering the entire top of my foot. I am looking forward to any comments on this so I can relax & realize i am progressing normally. Rates of DVT following achilles repair are all over the boardfrom less than 1% to like 24%. It just drives you crazy. If your ankle and Achilles are stiff, start with your feet further forward to avoid stretching the tendon. Ruptured left leg July 8th, surgery the 14. I want to really make sure I heal the right way. by the time I got home to prop the leg up and pack it in ice! The worse part now is walking from the parking lot to my work which is about 125 meters. Now I have long cast , toes pointing downward. Hi Daisy, I wish for your early recovery. (2017). believe me, you can live without soccer. Continued pain even after recovery from surgery. There is plenty of time for motorcycle riding, I have to just keep telling myself this. Ive been fortunate - really no pain at all. The progression criteria for all injury rehab programmes consist of: Time-based criteria Our bodies require a set number of days or weeks to repair and rebuild something, and you cant hurry this along. I am still getting used to the rush hour crowd as I travel downtown Wall Street every day. Ill keep in touch, Hi Lisa, I will start PT in to weeks and have been trying to do my own things in the pool. At week 3 I was put in a boot with 3 wedges and FWB. Burning of the Achilles tendon can also be called tendonitis or tendinopathy in medical circles. Traditionally, after an Achilles tendon repair, patients were immobilized and non-weight bearing for about 6 months. Appointment with nurse Day 2 for dressing change and review home program. The last couple of days i have been walking around the block testing it out, admittedly very slowly and with a limp, but i did it. Kate I had pins and needles at onset of PWB & if I recall correctly subsided after a week. Also I have pain (on about a #2 level), up the outside of my leg. I was never put into a cast and went straight into a specialized boot (not walking boot) with a 40 degrees wedge one week after surgery and have been in PT ever since. We report a case of 17-year-old female who presented with progressive enlargement of bilateral achilles tendon for six months. I am off to see my Dr tonight and hopes I can be place in a shoe. At 3 months, the mean scores for VAS pain, Foot and Ankle Ability Measure, and SF-36 were significantly better in the accelerated rehabilitation group, but by 6 and 12 . High impact activity including jogging, jumping . I was never put into a cast and went straight into a specialized boot (not walking boot) with a 40 degrees wedge one week after surgery and have been in PT ever since. But ever since its going more less well. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine 7(11): 2325967119884071. So I ended up in another cast again for maybe 3-4 weeks). Okudah was a limited participant Thursday in the . But it does make a convincing case for not focusing too heavily on regaining full dorsiflexion range of motion in the first 12 weeks after surgery. Youre going to do just as well at PT and this hideous event will finally pass away into cringy memory! I woke up from the op shocked as the cast was up to my groin and the surgeon said I would have to stay with it for a week then change to one below the knee, believe me guys it was the longest week of my life. He says I dont need PT because Ive taken good care of my foot. i dont want to seem like a whiny baby LOL. First, mouse hindlimbs were fixed in 1 PBS containing 1.5% glutaraldehyde/1.5% formaldehyde (Electron Microscopy Sciences, Cat#: 15950), 0.05% tannic acid at 4C overnight with gentle agitation. It was great to read everyones advice and recommendations, so thanks for that. You do want things to heal and not get torn again. Dorsiflexion against resistance - do not pull up past neutral. I had a pain/ache in the top of my calf that became more noticable as the pain in my foot/ankle subsided. You may learn more about how The Stone Clinic repairs Achilles tendon ruptures without open surgery in our explanation of Achilles tendon injury, . These usually remain as before, with the addition of doing heel raises while sitting down. I often see patients and clinicians become obsessed with stretching the tendon out by doing strong stretches and holding them for a long time. So my plan is on day 15 to do some light walking/weight bearing in the boot in the boot into the plant which I have been doing after day 7 around the house with no issues. Clearly, compared to the many dynamos like, Hi All, by the time I got home to prop the leg up and pack it in ice! Im glad I listened to my instincts. Was yours a bad rupture.?? This injury forces one to go inward and for me, thats been kind of an intriguing experience! I think it would be great to decrease scar tissue. Isometric eversion, inversion, and dorsiflexion can be useful to help maintain your strength. And I was getting those passing pains before my surgery as a floating piece of bone would move around and stab things. At 2 months after surgery, you may start using the elliptical machine. 2017. Medication did not work and the Vicodin made me violently ill. You just have to find things to occupy your time. Here I am, 11 weeks after surgery and 3 months after the Achilles Tendon Ruptureseems like an eternity ago, but only been 3 months, Let me begin by saying I was 35 in good athletic shape, not great but on a scale of 1-10 probably a 7.5 to 8It happenned at a Mens Soccer game playing keeper, and I was shockedWhen it happenned it was like the world was endingI heard all these horror stories from athletes, and others on how long it takes to get back, etcThen came the surgery which wasnt too badits just the 1st month that is hardI never had a sports injury, never broke a bone and I have snowboarded, played basketball, lacrosse, baseball, tennis, Golf, jogged, fitness trained(weights/bike/jogging), and soccer since I was a kidSo I did not know what was going to happen, and was downThis site helped especially in the first 4-6 weeks to learn more about it, and just to stay busy while I was elevating. Just a little afraid of my foot getting swollen during work hours. I feel like I could ride now, but God forbid something happens. I had cramps in my calfs I would say thats pretty normal since that whole leg didnt move for a long time and now is. Introduction. Early studies evaluating strength found no significant difference between strength achieved by surgical or nonsurgical treatment. it isnt so bad that I cant function through it. I felt I had to drive up 2 hours away. My issue is my ankle. But I look back to where I was 8 weeks ago and I am so happy with my progress. When you first come out of the boot, it will feel really strange to place weight on your leg that has been operated on. Is this common? However, we know from the research that an elongated Achilles tendon doesnt work that well (see here) and that overstretching should be avoided. The accident happened about a month ago, and so I will be in a non weight bearing cast for about another 3 weeks. Now I am around 3 months after surgery, and I still have not done any PT. Less than nine months after rupturing his Achilles tendon, Detroit Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah is back on the football field and looks healthy. I havent started PT yet either as Ive had a little insurance hiccup which will be sorted by next week (I hope!) Why are active stretches and eccentric movements preferred? Walking in a swimming pool can help you to relearn a normal walking pattern after Achilles surgery. I send you all the best in your healing as well!