Full rupture in late June, tore again almost 6 months later.
Sorry, I got click happy with the initial post.
I'm male, in my mid-40s and in OK shape. I'm 5'11" and weight about 205 lbs, I've put on about 10 lbs since the injury in June 2016.
I've now torn my Achilles again for the second time this year. The specialist at the Fracture Clinic recommended the non-surgical approach. What concerned me about this approach was the higher percentage of re-injury.
And now here we are...I guess I took too strong a step going up the stairs and it just let go 2 days ago. I had a followup with my doctor that very day about a bump that had formed on my heel over the past month or so. The only thing I can attribute it to was my physio when they had me do a heel raise. I felt a pretty significant twinge, but nothing like the pain with the initial injury.
I had a pretty active lifestyle, playing sports 1-2 times a week, weight training 2-3 times a week and I eat relatively healthy. The only vice I have is alcohol -- I have a nightcap (wine/spirits) at the end of the day to slow the brain down. I am not a smoker, I have not taken steroids in my lifetime.
I tried to stay off my feet as much as I could the first time around. I wore the boot from early July to late September, roughly 13 weeks. I had been doing physio since.
Does anyone have advice on diet, supplements, therapy, exercises, etc. that they feel contributed to their recovery?
Also, does anyone have advice on what they did to stay strong mentally? Any good books, advice, activities they started doing to deal with this?
Thanks very much.
Oh no!
How did you do it again?
Took too quick a step going up the stairs...believe it or not
Nightmare. I did mine in May and was quite fit and playing sports/massive walks before then. I am now a fat blob sitting around waiting for the foot to mend enough to do some exercise. I hate it as I can't stand not being active. I feel as though I've lost all my fitness and have just become an eating bad stuff machine!
Determined to start doing park runs (walks) to being to build some strngth back. I'm so scared of doing it again though as this is the second time it's happened. (in 15 years)
Bites dude I am almost 4 months since I ruptured mine. I am 48 on my feet all day go to gym 3-4 times a week. PT every other week down from two times a week. Had xmas party last week was a dancing machine. My only issue is occasional pain opposite side of incision but am told it's muscular the way I walk now and heel numbness. Otherwise feeling good. My surgeon opted to have splint like cast for two weeks, start PT soon after and back in boot for 6 weeks. I hope to not have another rupture as it is my intention to play softball again once I am cleared to run and jump. It's unbelievable how scrawny my calf looks and its still a long way from full strength. I hear if you take certain antibiotics this can happen. Otherwise another surgeon is what I suggest. Freaky injury though. Ouch and goodluck.
Ok thanks...wow dancing at 4 months...maybe surgery is the way to go. I'm worried about my right Achilles now with added stress on it.
Would you opt for surgery if in my situation?
Did you have surgery first time? If so I hear it's a little more invasive. Either way I'd do surgery chances are less you rerupture
No had splint for two weeks and than right to boot. It has never felt great but I think I may have pushed myself too much here and there.
I'm hoping surgery because to do this a third time...baaa-rooo-talll.
Wow okay somewhere song line something wasn't right I was classic rerupture I removed splint about a week later couldn't sleep ofcourse during day I put back on. Wow goodluck seek another surgeon then.
Oh no!
I'm trying to take the positives from it. The first tear I spent time with my son and trying to understand ADHD better and parenting differently. This time, I'm going to re-prioritize and not worry about work so much and focus on my wife and friends I've lost touch with over the past few months.
Does anyone have any recommendations on books on mindfulness, dealing with stress, etc?
Nate99100,
I am 67 YO male, had been very active and pretty fit, ruptured my achilles on 29 July this year working out (running intervals) and had surgery on 2 August. Opted for surgery to reduce (although not to zero) the risk of re-rupture hoping to maintain activity as long as possible.
Similar recovery protocol to others who have posted: 7 weeks in Boot, PT, exercise regimen. Feeling pretty good now, although still some swelling and discomfort reported by others around ankle and heel. Biggest issue isweakenss in right calf and foot. Frustrating and slow.
If you opt for surgery, see if you can find a surgeon that uses a minimally invasive technique (if indicated by your situation). Mine used a system called Arthrex PARS (percutaneous achilles repair system) which is basically a very small incision just below the rupture, and most of the work is done through the skin. Surgical risks are somewhat lower than more traiditional techniques because there is not such a big incision. (Mine is 1" transverse to achillesjust below the rupture).
I think it is worth considering surgery since you are very active.
How did you tear it the first time and then again the second time?
Touch rugby with friends the first time, second time I took kind of a quick, funny step on the stairs and it just let go.
I don't think it is a full tear this time but I did fail the Thompson Test at physio and at the clinic. I find out more when I meet with the Fracture Clinic on Thursday to decide what to do next. I'm thinking surgery the more I read, but maybe I should stop reading.
For those that have had healthy recoveries, can anyone provide advice on what they did for work? I went back to work as soon as I could, thinking it would help keep my mind off things. I'm wondering if I should this time. Does it make sense to take 3-4 weeks and just focus on staying off your feet, keeping it elevated, etc?
With the first rupture, I would take the brace off at night after a few weeks (week 8 after injury). Was that your experience?
When I do return to work, winter is now in full effect. I work at a hospital and the parking lot is typically a mess in the winter. I'm thinking of requesting to work from home for 3-4 months until the risk of slipping, falling, etc. has dropped off.
Thanks!
Hi Nate,
Sorry to hear about your re-rupture.
I'm a 27 YO Male, I ruptured my right achilles exactly 6 weeks ago today. I attended the hospital the day after the injury, and the diagnosis was ruptured AT
I was immediately placed in the boot, with 4 heel wedges, and no weight bearing, and was due to come back in 2 days time to see the consultant. When I spoke to the consultant, I had the option of surgery or conservative treatment, and I actually opted for the Conservative option, as it can decrease the rate of re-rupturing your AT dependant on how aggressive you are.
After 2 weeks I was told to begin full weight bearing in the boot, and had one of the wedges taken out of the boot (3 left in). Then every 5 days I then took another wedge out of the boot. For the last week I have been back in trainers, with a gel cushion for my heel, just to give me that support for another week or two.
I am now driving a manual car (right foot to Accelerate/Brake) without any pain or tightness. I am able to walk without pain, just a lot of stiffness once I stop and rest. I have been carrying out exercises on my AT for the past week to help mobilise the area, and this has really helped, and the tightness has decreased.
From reading some of the posts on many feeds about AT ruptures. It seems that most of the time, the Conservative approach is too conservative, and although the tendon heals, the fibres don't manage to re-align themselves effectively, so once X amount of force is put through the tendon, it can result in re-rupture, whereas early weight bearing shocks your AT fibres to align themselves vertically rather than criss crossed.
I would speak to your consultant on your next appointment, and see what he recommends around aggressive conservative treatment, because it's working well for me so far, as I'm 3 weeks ahead of schedule, and reduced discomfort each passing day.
Hope all goes well,
Chris.
Also, regarding work, I ruptured my AT on 6th November, and not due back to 11th January, I didn't want to rush it.
Even 6 weeks in now, I still keep my leg elevated at night, and when not in use throughout the day to keep the swelling down.
So if you could work from home, that would be more beneficial
Thanks to all for the replies and well wishes.
After the re-rupture on December 7th, I met with the ortho specialist again. He wanted to go with the same approach, non-surgical...splint 2 weeks and than back to the boot.
The first rupture in June, I went to the ER and they did the Thompson test and put me in a splint with a visit to the Fracture Clinic one week later. No MRI, no ultrasound, nothing. It struck both me and my wife as strange, but I put my trust in the system.
The second time, again no MRI even mentioned. I asked for it and was told I may have to wait for a month. I pushed for it this time and I'm glad I did. They got me in 2 days after the consult and the results were that the tendon was completely torn, it would not be able to re-attach by the non-surgical method. There was significant scar tissue around my left heel and ankle from years of sports, etc. After the first rupture, I had approximately 1/3 of an Achilles to work with and the specialist said I would have probably been back in 2 years if not sooner.
So now surgery on January 17th, 2 weeks in splint and 12 weeks in the boot.
I work as a Business Analyst and I hope to work from home, when it makes sense. My doctor has written an open-ended script to allow for tele-work, etc.
My team is short-staffed right now, with multiple folks out for different reasons. With the first rupture, I returned to work after 2 weeks when I was in the boot, but it was the summer. It's winter now in Atlantic Canada and crutching it into work is not an option, obviously.
With working from home, I wonder about the elevation factor in the initial weeks of healing. I find that the swelling, pain, etc. is less when I'm laying flat on the couch. Working at a desk this summer, I would have my foot propped up on a stool, etc.
Any advice from folks who have gone through this with respect to the amount of time to take off, elevation, treatments, vitamins, diet, etc would be huge.
11 days and counting...
Hi Nate, i hope you are feeling a little better. I am new to the boards and just underwent a second Achilles tendon tear repair surgery myself. I never knew how much this would take out of me as mine was within 6 months as well. It's nice to know I am not alone in this.
Hi, Sunshine.
It's a grind, for sure. I was told by the specialist to go with the non-surgical approach with the first tear. It never healed properly, through no fault of my own or therapy. My tendon was almost half with scar tissue when I injured it (an MRI showed this after the second tear).
I had surgery on January 17th. I'm in a cast until next Thursday and then back into the walking boot with crutches/knee scooter for another 3-4 weeks before putting weight on it. I'm 45 and will be shutting down most sports for some time, particularly court sports. I hope to do some downhill skiing next year and focus on rehab all year, possibly some yoga to get mobility and strength back.
You are not alone in this! This injury is prevalent...particularly for folks with sedentiary type jobs (sitting at a desk) and then trying to stay active by running, sport, etc.