39 year old Right Achilles Tendon rupture recovery

by Steve Kumar
(Mason, OH, USA)

Post achilles rupture reattachment surgery

Post achilles rupture reattachment surgery

Thanks for this blog. Its very informative.


My name is Steve. I'm 39. I ruptured my right tendon on Mar 17th 2012. Had the surgery on Apr 5th 2012. It was a complete rupture.

Apr 5th - Had the surgery. Was put in a splinter cast with a pointed feet and no weight bearing. I was on a serious bed rest the entire week with foot elevated.

Apr 13th - 1st doc visit post surgery - The splinters came off. Doc was satisfied with the progress. Put me on the fibre glass cast and told me limited weight bearing. But I need to use crutches for walking. Noticed the staple pins on my leg. It was really creepy, didn't have any idea i had those stapler pins pinned to the leg.

Apr 15th - Tried walking and I was able to walk with the cast. No pain experienced. I didn't go outside home, but inside the home and walking up and down the stairs with the cast.

Apr 23rd - Second visit to doc. The cast came off, the doc was happy with the progress, the staplers came off. Doc put me on another fibre glass cast for 2 more weeks. Interestingly he said limited weight and no walking. It starting to itch like hell at the incision area. With the cast on the leg, I can't do much. I'm using hair dryer with cool hair setting as well as taking benadryl. Its helping little bit. But how I wish I didn't have this cast.

Now, I'm waiting for May 7th, the doc says if everything goes well, he will put me on to the boot.

The frustrating part is, I'm not sure why Doc doesn't want me to walk with the cast. He wants me to use crutches. I don't have any pain walking without
the crutches. I think Doc is over cautious.

Well, the healing process is extremely frustrating. It seems like traveling thru' a time machine.



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Joshua Answers:

Hi Steve.

Thanks for sharing, and for the post surgery picture too.

If you're frustrated by the length of the recovery etc, just wait till you get impatient and start walking/running/jumping too soon and the repaired rupture rips again and you have to go through it all again.

Just because you don't have any pain (lucky you) does not in any way mean that your tendon is strong enough to have load placed on it.

Achilles Tendon Rupture is no joke. A huge chunk of tendon ripped in half. It got stapled/sewn back together. It doesn't have direct blood supply.

Keep it moving, but for god's sake don't push it. This is once scenario where the wisest option is to be super conservative.

You can always rehab it later (because you'll have to deal with the Tendonitis dynamic), but first thing's first, don't re-injure the tendon, let it heal back together.

See: What Is Tendonitis



How'd the 7th meeting with the Doc go?




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The Tendonitis Expert
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Comments for 39 year old Right Achilles Tendon rupture recovery

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Jan 30, 2018
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		muscle cramp after tear
by: Anonymous

Since everyone's talking about Achilles ruptures and the pain after surgery, I thought I'd add my experience. After the face plant caused by the rupture and the obvious tear ID'd by the obvious semicircle indentation in the tendon I was splinted.

An hour later at home my calf muscle decided that it should cramp up. Since it was no longer attached it went up behind my knee.

All behind my knee, and the absolute worst pain of my life. On Valium for the week prior to surgery and then the several months long journey of dealing with casts, boots, etc.

Calf muscle has never regained pre accident circumference. Cause? Age, muscle too tight, exercise? All of them? Never played racquet ball again.


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Joshua Comments:

Cause? All of them, plus lack of nutrition.

Unless you've ever taken a fluroquinolone antibiotic like cipro/ciprofloxacin, levaquin/levofloxacin, etc, in which case, that can be directly to blame.

Did they initially send you home from the hospital with just a splint because they were going to do surgery later? Or was splinting all the treatment they were going to give you?

As far as the calf size not returning to normal, that's normal/to be expected. The muscle can't work like it used to for various reasons, so the unused parts go away (basically).
Aug 28, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstar 		need advice after an achilles rupture possibly from Levaquin
by: robert t.

i am 79 years old and ruptured my tendon in march of 2014.no surgery.been out of boot since 6-18=14.cant seem to get back any calf muscle. levaquin was probably the cause of rupture. any advice


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Joshua Comments:

Hi Robert.

Has the Achilles Tendon reconnected? Was it a full rupture?

Any other symptoms of levaquin?
Jul 10, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Hey ya'll help me after complete achilles rupture
by: Terry berry

How's everyone?

I'm so nervous I have a complete rupture of my right achilles.

I did it playing basketball on a cruise last week defender came down on back of my ankle, surgery tomorrow morning What can I expect?


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Joshua Comments:

Hi Terry.

I expect that you better either get surgery to get it reattached ASAP or check with the ARPwave guys to see if you're a candidate and get to work with The ARPwave System (that may be able to heal/reattach the tendon without surgery) ASAP.



Complete Achilles ruptures are not to be left without treatment. For the most part they will never heal/reattach on their own, and your leg just won't work right the rest of your life.

Keep me updated.
Apr 21, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Ruptured Achilles Tendon, 2 years post-surgery it's not perfect but I can do everything
by: Matt

I have never had Achilles tendon problems before I ruptured my Achilles tendon playing basketball. When the injury occurred I was convinced somebody kicked the back of my leg, hence the pain.

The trainer looked at it and told me it was a bruise.

So a few days go by still limping. I go to the doctor and then to the orthopedic doctor and they inform me that my Achilles tendon is torn after a simple examination and scans of my foot/lower leg in question. They recommended surgery ASAP and put me in a walking boot.

The pain of my Achilles tendon when it occurred was a 4 the following days a 2 (mostly discomfort and weakness/no lift at all). The week following surgery even with painkillers was very very very uncomfortable, I had to stay in bed with my leg elevates above my heart (standard).

The surgery was easily the worst part of the ordeal. The recovery time was set for 6months for me to return to high impact activities. I felt about 75% then and didn't truly get back to 100% till about a year.

It is a slow recovery. All I can recommend is to find a good surgeon, go through to an aggressive recovery program which allows weight bearing 2 to 4 weeks after if you are healthy enough to do it. Do everything your physical therapist asks you to do! At home and during sessions.

It is still 2 years later an injury I am very conscious of but fortunately I can do everything I used to do before the injury. Good luck!
Dec 17, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Levaquin and Achilles tendon rupture
by: Dave

My right Achilles tendon rupture took place while I was installing a piece of 4x14 drywall one part was almost in and I figured a push would help. I leaned on my right leg and heard a loud snap.

During this period of time I had a sinus infection and was on the second round of Levaquin. My wife is an RN and she began hearing that Levaquin can cause tendon weakness.

The use of this antibiotic may have weakened my right Achilles tendon.


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Joshua Comments:

Yes, unfortunately, it very well may have....
Dec 07, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		two failed ruptured achilles operations and no were to go
by: Julie

My husband ruptured his right achilles tendon march 2009.

He tried conservative way of healing didn't work he had the outer sheath removed and it shortened didn't work and finally he had a total tendon transfer hasn't worked he is on so much medication it started to not work the pain swelling and burning keeps him awake all the time we have a suspicion that it ruptured again august last year and there is only scar tissue fixing it.

The doctors wont refer him again as he said nothing can be done next stage morphine if that doesn't work its amputation.


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Joshua Comments:

Hi Julie.

Why in the world did they remove the tendon sheath??

I'm sorry to hear that, that's a really bad spot to be in. And I get really mad when I hear of surgeons behaving like that.

How have things progressed?
Feb 10, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Heading back in for Achilles tear surgery.....
by: RootyK

My Achilles pain started after a partial tear in October 2010. I had just finished a 5K, after chatting with some friends, I turned to sprint up a hill back to my car and felt a rip and dropped to my knees. I saw a doctor and he said everything seemed fine to him. So I iced and took a couple of days off from running. I continued to run until the pain was overwhelming in August of 2011. I saw another doctor, he prescribed a boot and therapy. After two months he referred me to another Orthopedic surgeon. He did a platelet-rich plasma (PRP)shot in October 2011, horribly painful and I do not suggest for ANYONE!! That did nothing so we scheduled a debridement surgery this past January. I did PT but still have pain that I describe as level 5 all the time. Had a follow up appointment in November and am scheduled for surgery on January 2nd. This time he will excision the damaged tendon and replace possibly with tendon from big toe.

I am nervous about recovery. I'd love to hear other peoples results.


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Joshua Comments:

Hi RootyK.

Had surgery yet?

1. For anybody reading, if you feel a tear and fall to your knees, and the first doctor you see tells you everything's fine, go see another doctor and/or demand/get an MRI.

2. Tears happen for a reason. Rest and immobilization won't fix the reason. Which is part of the reason that pain continues even if the (small) tear heals. The forces and factors that caused the tear are still at play.

3. Depending on how motivated you are to A. heal fast, B. recover from surgery fast, B. run as much as you want in the future with out pain etc, you may be interested in The ARPwave System.


For more on this topic,

See: Achilles Tendinitis A Continuing Nightmare

See: 43 Year Old Runner Achilles Debridement And Hadlands Excision Getting There
Jan 22, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Constant pain and enlarged tendon after achilles tendon reattached
by: David

In March of 2004 I severed my right Achilles tendon. A local Orthopedic surgeon repaired it by surgery. After a week there has been a moderate amount of pain. After the cast was removed I noticed a large bulge and the tendon was several times larger than my left tendon.

It has been 8 years and the pain has increased from this bulge down to my foot it always hurts. I returned to the Orthopedic surgeon 6 months after surgery but he said "it happens, learn to live with it".

The pain has increased to the point where my primary care physician has put me on a low dose Fentanyl patch for pain.

I wish something could be done. Not very happy at all.


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Joshua Comments:

Well, if the Achilles Tendon severed it basically had to be reconnected. Unfortunately, surgeons and doctors never dealt with WHY it severed in the first place (unless it was cut or you were in some kind of impact accident).

And it's unfortunate your doctor would be so unprofessional and uninterested that his advice is to 'learn to live with it'. What a load of BS.

So all those factors, including those that make up the Tendonitis dynamic are still at play. Specifically, at play on the newly reconnected tendon.

See: What Is Tendonitis

The enlarged achilles is due to scar tissue, and the fact/concept that the body shapes itself to the forces placed upon it. So those original negative factors are still putting too much load on the tendon.


See for relevance: Soccer Player 30 Years After Achilles Tendon Surgery

See for relevance: Ruptured Achilles Tendon From Pushing A Car Reattachment Surgery Two Days Later


So what to do?

The two real options at this point I see are:

My Reversing Achilles Tendonitis ebook. It's the basic fundamentals that you need to work with.

The ARPwave System is definitely pricier, but it's FAR faster and more deeply effective.

It's good to deal with both options, ideally. You'll learn that the larger tendon isn't actually the issue, it's just a symptom. It's unlikely to get smaller, but it's totally possible to be pain free with it being exactly where it's now at, as far as size etc.

More questions, more answers.
Aug 01, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Maria's Achilles Rupture Surgery Story
by: Maria

So, it happen on April 11,2012 I was working out doing step and I heard a pop I knew right away it wasnt sprained. So I went to ER and they referred me to a Ortho. It has been 7 days since my surgery. Today the Dr removed my cast from surgery and took out my Stitches. He has right away put me in the Cam boot. I was surprise he did since I have been reading blogs here and most everyone is put in another cast.

At first I was nervous about the idea but he said the recovery time would be much quicker. So now I will be in Boot for 6 weeks no weight bearing on that leg at all. He also wants me to do stretch exercises to work on twice a day. So far this is my start to recovery down a long road. Im hoping it goes fast....


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Joshua Comments:

Hi Maria.

How's things since the surgery?
Jul 16, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		44 year old Firefighter Down with Achilles Tendon rupture
by: AP

I've never been in the hospital before this. I took a 2 day church men's advance vacation. I was shooting some baskets, then all of suddenly, I thought somebody shot me in my left ankle. I was very confused on what just happened. It felt very bad, I was 4 hours away from any hospital.

I had to drive and got home in 2 in the morning. Went to the hospital on Saturday morning and doc said I completely rupture my Achilles Tendon, I was in surgery 10 am the next morning. Today is June 30, 6 days after surgery.


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Joshua Comments:
Hi AP.

How's life after Achilles rupture reattachment surgery?

In short, if you want to be jumping rope in in 6-8 weeks, check out The ARPwave System. It's the only thing that can have your recovery be 6-8 weeks (maybe 8-12 weeks, depending on your level of health) as opposed to 10-12+ months.

My Reversing Achilles Tendonitis ebook will definitely help the post -surgery rehap.

I'm just assuming that you're an active, burly fire fighter kind of guy. Do know that you can speed up the recovery times.
Jun 20, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Achilles Debridement and haglands surgery story
by: Gillian

I feel all your frustations too. I am almost 8 weeks post surgery after debridement and removal of heel spur and Haglands deformity. First 2 weeks in splint,with no weight bearing followed by 4 weeks in lightweight cast. Am now in the boot which is a pain in the heat, but at least it comes off at night.Developed a wound infection but it cleared up with antibiotcs and am now in boot for 4 more weeks and use a crutch when out and about although am fine round the house.

BUT am so fed up. Miss my exercise sooo much and feel a bit down sometimes and wonder when I will be right again. My Right calf has totally wasted away, 5 cm varrower in diameter thatn the left. Can do simple back forward stretches and rotating ankle fairly well.Went to hospital but have been told by physio that can do no more than that until 12 weeks posy surgery.

Wonder when I will be able to swim or spin, and when (if ever) I will feel confidant to run again. Good to know others are in same situation.
Jun 05, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Week 8 Post Surgery Updates
by: Steve Kumar

Folks

It has been 8 weeks since I had the achilles tendon surgery.

Sorry I couldn't get back to you earlier. I had number of visits with the doctor since I last posted my updates.

Around Week 5, the doc took the fibre glass cast out and put me on the boot with FWB.

The first 6 weeks post surgery has been a breeze. The worst experience of the whole process started around 6th week. After I started to use the boot, I used to take the boot off for shower and while sleeping. I had excruciating pain at the bottom of the feet (Sole), especially when I brought my feet 90 degres to the floor. It seemed like quite a bit of fluid was flowing from top to bottom continuously and was making my foot really sore, sometimes pins and needles pain.

Sometimes I would have burning sensation. Sometimes I felt as though my bottom of the feet is full of blisters and I'm walking on it. The only way I was able to get some relief is when I keep my foot flat on the floor. But this made it difficult to sleep since I can't sleep with my foot down on the floor.

The doctor didn't think anything was wrong. He said some people experience this type of pain. Just then I remembered I never had any such pain when I was in the cast, but as soon as i came out of cast, these pains started. So I started to wear the boot 24 hrs a day except when bathing. This helped a lot. At least, I could sleep a bit.

Now I've completed 8 weeks since surgery, I had a doctor's visit this morning. Doctor has asked me stop using the boot and I've been walking without the boot for last couple of days. Feels great.

The pain has subsidied quite a bit. It isn't excruciating at least. I've been taking Tramadol for last month or so to keep the pain under control during nights. This helps me sleep.

I will be going to PT soon. Will keep you posted.

Except for the pain in the sole of the foot, the ATR surgery has been quite normal and was going according to the book. The pain around 6th week really wore me out. I have lost more than 20 pounds since I had the surgery.
May 22, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		I feel your frustration!!
by: Stacey

I have a new found appreciation for patience. I had surgery for a partial tear of my tendon on Feb 7. So, almost 15 weeks later and I am in the walking stage. But, that's all I am allowed to do still.

Hence, very frustrated!!!

Doc reminded me that this is a 6-12 month recovery process and it takes time. No therapy yet for me and doc just put me BACK in my air cast for work-I work retail and am on my feet for 6-10 hours at a time. It's been a painful couple of weeks since I started full weight bearing. As a matter of fact, it's the first pain that I have experienced since the surgery.

Hang in there! I hear it eventually gets better :-)

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