Partial Achilles rupture

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi guys,

I guess like many here I was drawn to patient.info after rupturing my Achilles then sitting in a&e googling the hell out of Achilles ruptures lol

I'm 37 years old, active gym goer (5 days per week), weight lifting and boxing.

I snapped my Achilles 2 weeks ago during a boxing session. Did my usual warm up and was about 10 mins into my session.

I pushed off from my rare foot to get within punching range of the bag and I heard the infamous snap sound. Looked behind and accessed the machine a few feet away, then realised the floor felt like sponge and had lost all power in my foot.

It's one of those injuries I've always known about but had no idea on treatment / recovery.

Made my way to a&e immediately and they confirmed a partial rupture, put me in a cast and sent me home to await my referral.

I returned 11 days later and they confirmed the rupture was partial and that it was higher up the tendon, mid-portion.

Initially they stated 3x3 weeks in a cast, but on further inspection of the injury site they said it won't be that long in plaster, but didn't confirm how long.

Can anyone share their own experience of a partial rupture? Most of the search results I get refer only to full ruptures down by the heel bone. Lots of acknowledgement of a partial, but only go on to describe full rupture treatment and recovery for full ruptures.

Many thanks

LS

2

Hi I had a partial tear on the 21/4 and was in cast up to 21/6, doctor gave me the all clear.

Went on holiday on 24/6 and I was limping quite bad and foot was swollen. I was really careful on holiday and used ice pack twice per day.

3/7 I was walking and tripped on the hotel carpet and it went again, tore Achilles twice in 10 weeks. Came home on 8/7 and was operated on 13/7.

I was in split cast until 29/7 and it was removed, I now have an air boot on. I can walk small distance without the crutches.

Give your self plenty of time with the cast on, if I could turn back the clock, I would have got an Op the first time.

Good luck, hope this helps

3

Sorry to read mate.

Was your tear closer to the heel.

Mine is around mid way between heel and calf, not much swelling when they checked it at the clinic.

17 days in plaster so, back in the clinic on 8th August

4

Hi

I too have ruptured my achiellis 2 weeks ago tomorrow. When I had my initial scan I remember him saying that mine was further up my calf about 6cm and the rupture was about 1.7cm. I don't recall anyone saying if it was partial or not. ( the first emergency doctor at hospital that I saw first originally thought I had done my calf muscle)

But in saying that this does feel different to my other leg which I completely tore 5 years ago. So I begged for a moon boot this time straight up instead of the cast as I remember the cast did my head in last time and I was a bloody wreak. I choose no Surgury again as I did with the other leg.

So put in Vaco-Ped moon boot and, giving crutches and told NWB until next ortho app which the hospital originally said was 2 weeks but then letter in the mail says my next ortho appointment isn't until 17th August ( 4 weeks after ) so guess I will find out some more answers to my questions then.

Good luck with your recovery, it's a long hard road

5

Hi, it's been 1 month now now since I ruptured ( partial and higher as well) my Achilles' tendon on my vacation in Florida , the sad news is that Florida's ER sent me packing with meds, partial cast, and crutches , then preceded to tell me that it was only a sprain. It was not until 3 weeks in and with the ORA Doctor here in Iowa, that I was told I had ruptured my Achilles... So now I'm in a boot for another 4 weeks, (1 week in). Have you dealt with Charlie horses in your calf ?! I wake up in the morning with them,,,,  This started the first week, ended once I started the boot, but now it's back, and this morning the spasm even went down the tendon all the way to the ankle!  I have never had a Charlie Horse lover than the calf before!! 

6

speedy recovery for you too!!!

7

Yes I got horrible calf cramps within the first two weeks or so of being in my cast.  It helped to eat foods high in potassium and drink lots of water.  I am in a boot now (3 weeks later) and have no more cramps.  I think the cramping was also caused by how pointed my foot was in the cast, so now that the angle has decreased it's taken off some of that tension on my calf muscle.  Hope it's gone away!