Ruptured my achilles playing football on 01.11.14 and it is not a week since then and i am in a fibreglass cast. As with most i am pretty active going to the gym and playing football for a total of 5days a week.
I had ACL reconstruction surgery in Feb 14 and seven months after i was back training with the team and playing indoor football easing my way back to outdoor competitive games when this happened.
Went to the A&E dept the following morning 02.11.14 and was diagnosed me with ruptured AT and was sent to fracture clinic for ultra sound scan. Long story shot, am not urgent case and placed in a fibreglass cast and given two crutches (NWB) and referred to a consultant in another hospital this monday (10.11.14). I am hoping to have a scan to find out how bad the rupture is and how high/low and what recovery period would be advised.
I was initially thinking surgery is the only option as i am very active but now i am all but certain that i am taking the non-surgical route.
I have read many progress reports on this and several other sites but have not seen any info on how people got on/recovered in the first week or two.
In my first week, i have been going to work (financial accountant) and have had no problems/pains with getting around apart from the nuisance of NWB. Now in the past few days, i have been able to wiggle my toes, curl my toes to the point where i can contract the back leg muscle (whether AT is being contracted i don't really know because of the cast) and i can also hobble and handle partial weight on the foot with no pain. I can also flex my foot to the point where I can put some pressure on my heel within the cast and flexing downward to the point where my tendon is contracted.
Now i am wondering what all these means?? Does this means i am healing or is this all normal??
I continue to take my protein shake (once a day now rather than twice due to the nuisance of getting around), and take daily vitamin and Omega3/6/9 tablet as i would any other times. No idea if these aid or regress recovery.
I am pretty sure the consultant will leave me in the fibreglass cast and won't give me a boot which is what i will be asking for.
Giving the varying healing process, it seems there is a consensus on the sooner weight bearing is undertaken the faster one heals obviously listening to your body!?! I was discharged 3months ahead of schedule post ACL surgery as i took this same approach without actually knowing this during my ACL recovery stage and listened to my body adding exercises i felt i could handle within limit.
Any feedback on first week/two would be great. Thank You
When you first had the injury did anyone try the Thompson Test. Very simple test, kneel on a chair and someone squeezes your calf. If there is no movement of your foot it's a complete rupture. No need for ultra-scan if this is a positive test, but I guess if there is some movement ultra-sound could detect the extent of any partial damage.
If you have full or partial tear my understanding is that either way non weight bearing movement of foot is good as it limits atrophy of the calf muscle.
If you've a complete rupture you couldnt stand on tiptoe with the busted AT, and the Thompson test will confirm if its busted. Plus in my case you could feel the gap.. no tendon.. weird.No scan needed. I was no weight bearing NOT AT ALL for 4 weeks with toes down to let the tendon heal itself.. and you just let it heal and don't move it.Then the next 4 weeks partial weight bearing with crutches, Aircast boot from the start. 2nd 4 weeks i could take it off in bed, but MUST be on for any sort of weight. Now into week 10 and looking good but its a really trying time.. DONT try and take short cuts unless you are told you can! Physio booked for 2 weeks time.....
Good luck tomorrow, let us know what happens!
Meant to say, first week after rupture I went into work as normal on the monday, but it didnt feel right.. booked into GP in the evening and confirmed rupture by manipulation, got an appointment with the consultant on friday and told to keep weight off as much as possible. Straight into an Aircast boot and crutches for the next 2 months.. see below
Thanks folks.
The A&E nurse did the thompson test and comformed rupture; a gap in the tendon and mentioned surgery as i am active. Didnt asked if it was partial or full as didnt know anything about rupture. She referred me to the fracture clinic within the hospital and they did less test and said its more than likely simply partial rupture as full rupture would mean the foot would be hanging. They also asked me to stand on my toe and couldn't even get off flat foot at all. The orthopadics/docs in the fracture clinic were not really helpful and woundn't answer general questions and said they don't want to say anything till a scan as been done.
Keeping my fingers crossed and will update tomorrow.
This forum has been really useful in comparing treatments; and gleaning info; I'd assumed mine was a complete rupture as I could feel a gap, but it must have been partial; foot not floppy dangling, but that weird unable to tiptoe feeling!! That explains why it has healed so well (fingers crossed.. at least it feels like its solid again) though the foot is stiff with good movement. I'm 65 but active.. think I strained it at the gym in May by not warming up enough and had tendonitis till it failed when I stumbled in the dark in a field! Good luck again :-)
Seems am on a similar part as you tim50stroud. Saw the consultant today and no scan as he "finds them unreliable on this sort of things". Did a few test and concludes the tendon is still there and back into another cast for 3weeks (making 4 in total). After this, i will be in a boot and will commence physio also.
Forgot to ask if it was partail or full rupture but am guessing "if the tendon is still there" its partial. While the cast was off, i could flex my feet no problem (except for it being tight) which i couldn't do a week ago.
Consultant as apparently been doing it this way for 20yrs and has worked for him and won't be getting in the boot any sooner. As most have come to know, he didnt really seem interested in anything after he did his test.
Talked to the nurses putting the cast on and maybe to get info that doing my ACL bed exercises was ok.....heel slide, quad contraction, static leg raise, hip abductors. This would at least help me feel better if nothing else.
Now off to work to tell the boss the news! 
I feel really fortunate having the aircast on from the start; even in the no weight on period I could take it off and change the sock and give it a careful wash.. care not to flex the foot.
Hi M15243, i had surgery 3 weeks ago for my Achilles repair surgery. I have heard many stories of people who have taken the non-surgical route, and 7 months down the line being told they have made great progress, it’s healing yet they can’t even tip toe?
Before my surgery I couldn’t tip toe / push my toes off the ground whilst sitting down my foot would "flop". My Achilles was a clear full rupture. but after 3 weeks in a cast I put my tip toes to the floor and was able to push up (bit sore which you can expect, but I was curious) So there is me 3 weeks after surgery i can push my toes to raise my calf and I hear non-surgical route, 7 months down the line not able to do what i can do. Either way non-surgical route or surgical route is a long process.
Yeah have read varying progress report and its quite interesting the difference in progress especially with those going the non-surgical route. Have read some people having the cast/boot on for 2months+ so i dont feel too bad that i will be two months in total and can start physio in 3 weeks time.
Plan is carry out additional research over the next three weeks so as to be able to make a comparison once the cast comes off. A formal request for a scan and surgery might be on the cards if i feel am not as far on as i my research as shown.
Am fairly happy that i could flex my foot today after the cast was taken off and i know that is only a small step and different to standing and putting weight on the leg.
Don't mind the long process and have cleared my schedule for quite some time 
.
Jordidude01, It would be great if you could continue to post your update on a weekly of bi-weekly basis just so i know what one might be able to do (taken into consideration you went the surgical route).
Are you now undertaken physio sessions? If so, at what stage/week did you start?
I also did abit of research into which route to take up, i always planning on taking the surgical route after hearing results everyone had. It wasn't my choice in the end anyway due to the rupture being a clear break.
Flexing is a great start, Yes small steps but with achillies rupture its one baby step at a time, a very long recover process we both aint going to enjoy.
I am in the early stages still i was told 4 weeks i would be in the cast, but due to the NHS actually getting me back in, its going to be on for 5 1/2 weeks. Not chuffed about it, but cant do much about it.
Currently in my 4th week of cast now, on the 26th i will be introduced to the "open boot" with wedges keeping my foot pointing down, then by each week a wedge will be taking out streching my achillies back to normal.
I will be happy to keep you informed about my progress!
When I quizzed the consultant, his comment made sense; theres a good prospect that the tendon will heal by itself if not a complete rupture. Cutting you open has its own risks. After 4 weeks they still have the option of surgury if it hasnt joined up. My second month was easier, boot off to wash and I've been wiggling foot quite happily, and massaging it every evening. Calf muscle is noticably thin. Not using crutches except outside for a bit more stability.
Does anyone know whenthe boot can come off for driving?? (Left foot, clutch pedal.) Been driving an automatic to get to work, but i want my car back! Physio starts in 10 days, after 2 weeks of no wedges.
tim when i got my angled boot off they told me up to four weeks before i could drive , mine is the right foot, even then they said it is when i could do an emergency stop and be confortable . as well as insurance etc .
rob
LALALALALALALAL I dont want to hear that!! :-)
Mine is left, so an emergency stop should be ok... I drove back home after I popped the tendon using the heel and leg to de-clutch....
Have to agree with tim. Tendon in my right leg is ruptured but still drove myself home using my heel after it happened.
Was told no driving for about two months after my acl surgery and was out driving after few weeks. Once my cast comes off and am on to the boot i will probably start driving when i feel up to it which will likely be sooner than am told.
One will have to be extra careful when driving and be more aware of other drivers and "try" not to end up in a situation where you will need the emergency stop.
I've been driving an automatic that the company i work for has rented, but I think they are starting to wonder how long its going on for! Plus my MOT on my manual car is up in december!
Tim, given you are about 10weeks on, what is your flexing ability like?
Also how much time would you be spending in the car?
I started a new job a month ago which requires driving about 15-20mins 2/3 times a week to a different location and rest of the week is simply 5mins. I am currently simply getting a lift to and from the 5mins location which is good.
To ease myself back into driving, i will plan to go out for a 5-10mins drive in the evenings when i know the roads will be quiet. Outside of emergency break, the feet wont be doing anything that it shouldn't be doing.
Read the leaflet i was sent home with and i will be "on a hinged boot" once the cast comes off. It also says that the boot can be removed to shower, when going tp sleep, when sitting down and during physio which is a lot more than most are told from what i've read.
Are you currenty wearing the boot 24/7??
hi i had the hinged boot with neoprene inner i did wear it 24/7 for a good while even for bed which is a little strange for a time .in the end i took it off for a bath which was a good releif i was just rying not to slip and land on me bad side . its been a week with me angle boot off and still not drove yet i will give it a go on a quiet industrial estate close to home on a early morning to get the feel .
I've had an Aircast Airselect Standard right from the start, no plaster cast. First month on 24/7, 2nd month off for washing and sleeping but NO unsupported weight bearing. It holds the foot rigid, and I've had heel lifts gradually removed in the 2nd month. Not seen a "hinged boot". In the evenings watching tv with boot off and flexing the foot is no problem, just feels tight with the skin stetching. Walking round the office with no crutches now. The journey is a 30 minute commute, through rural A roads
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I cheated from the start, taking the boot off on the bed and carefull washing it with "Hibiscrub" with assistance every 3 days or so and changing the sock. Lots of Fabreeze spray and odouraters! I was VERY careful not to move the foot, but i thought a bed wash was safest