I have never had a serious/long term injury in my life worst I have done is pulled a muscle, however that all changed on 26/08/15 when playing football my AT ruptured.
Went to A&E and was fitted with a temporary cast and was the fitted with a boot today. Never been on crutches in my life and really struggling.
Me and my wife have a 12 week old baby so she needs me and my wife is running between the two of us so I not only feel completely useless I also feel guilty.
I can't get up and down stairs, I can barely move room to room and just don't know when/if it will get better...
Anyone got experience of timescales and when it wil get easier?
It will get better. Take it day by day. I ruptured my achilles in the middle of May. I had the op at the end of may and was back at work on restricted hours by the last week of july. I suspect if you play football you are a lot fitter than me so your recovery period will be better. DON'T try to rush things. Listen to your body. Your wife will understand - you will just have to make it up to her when you ar more mobile!
I'm going the non-surgical route and will be back in work on Tuesday (less than a week after the rupture). I know it will get easier but at the moment it's so hard to keep positive!
I work on the 2nd floor of a building with no lift. They wouldn't have me back until I was out of the boot. A flask is good for keeping a hot drink to hand. Loop a small plastic bag on the handle of your crutches for for carrying things. It also toook me a while to realise it is much easier on crutches if you carry your bad leg forward rather than behind you body. Hope this makes sense?
Unfortunately my work doesn't offer sick pay so I have no option but to return straight away. Yes that makes sense on the bad leg.
Do you know how long it is until I will be able to put weight on the bad leg so I'm not struggling to balance on one leg? I find it is painful as all my weight is on my good leg.
Many sympathies but I'm afraid we've all learnt it takes a lot longer than you hop or expect and its really frustrating, BUT YOU WILL GET THROUGH IT. HONEST!
You need to call in all the favours you can, because you won't be skipping around for a while, and if you go down the conservative route,(as i did) then healing takes time and as little stress on the tendon as poss.
I was 4 week no weight bearing; that means crawling around and not stressing the tendon
Another 5 weeks on crutches, when I got back to work. Its practice and it will get easier.
Then another month of physio and a long process of getting the calf muscle back to strength.. the tendon was fine. That was 11 months ago.. i'm 65, and I'm walking about 75% as good as I used to ,,
Good luck, be patient and learn to lean on others a bit. :-)
Your timescale for weight bearing is up to your specialist. They got me back quite quickly but I obviously had the op and the protocol is different. If there is one thing I have learned from this forum it's that everyone is different.
Absolutely sarah; for a young and active person the risk / benfit of operation vs conservative treatment seems to favour an operation with a quicker return to functionality. You have youth on your side Geebz14!
It sure is a bugger of an injury. I did mine playing squash at the beginning of May and had the operation, however I am nearly 6 weeks into walking and driving and really going well. I tore my tendon at the top of the calf and completely ruptured it at the heel. My surgeon said he had never seen a double wammy before!
I debated the natural route but had the operation as i thought it was a more direct action. I was also lucky to get the op quickly after the injury and thank goodness I did because I developed a blood clot which wouldn't have been found otherwise.
In my opinion If going natural I would recommend a scan to see the extent of the severity of the damage as you don't want to waist time waiting. As an op may be an option to take.? They say it can make it stronger ? But there is a debate this info is correct.
I shared your mobility problems around the house etc..I have 3 kids all different ages all needing football, cubs, swimming activities. The pressure on my wife to carry out these dropping off tasks plus numerous other daily activities was awful and I felt so down and low with myself. But I promise you it gets better. You soon adapt your life. I was lucky that friends helped us etc..
Getting around the house was interesting. I improvised by putting my knee on a cushion on a chair and dragged around the kitchen on that. I bought knee pads to climb stairs and hobble about with. Knee pads were really helpful. Great investment.! Try not to hop about cause you don't want to damage there other.
Anyway, I wish you all the best with it. In a few weeks you should be in a boot and able to weight bare. Won't be long. Keep strong!
Cheers Dom, they did an X-ray and I was checked by two separate consultants on different days and both gave same diagnosis.
They put me in the boot after 2 days but no weight bare yet but will have my first physio in 2 weeks with them looking to take a slant out the boot and gradually move me to my foot being flat.
I'm only in pain when I move around and I can lift my leg without much effort along with being able to curl my toes easily and without any pain
I just can't wait to be able to move round with a bit of ease even if that means I am just limping around!
Crawling was best for me, pushing a tray with tea/ coffee / soup in front of me. Up and down stairs on my backside worked for me. I also took to wearing a skirt I got from a charity shop; easier to get on and off than trousers! Good fun going round the supermarket in a battery buggy that they have for loan.. good turn of speed down the isles! There is an up side :-)
If you are in a boot for any length of time, I found a shower protector really good. google "limbo boot". I found them really helpful in getting the size right.. also got one for my partner when she had a foot opp
Thank Tim it is all so so new and so hard all at once with almost no guidance from my local hospital. They literally put the boot on and sent me on my way.
One thing I am finding is that while still there is zero pain feels like my leg is fine, however once up on my crutches with my leg dangling it's very painful.
I never had any pain at all the the rupture; for some months before, I'd had tendonitis and that made walking uncomfortable; i was undergoing various treatments for it, but the pain was pretty constant and niggling. When i stumbled in a field and landed badly the tendon ruptured and after a couple of minutes of really bad pain, it subsided to nothing.. just a floppy foot!I've had no pain thereafter either.. its such a variable injury
Thanks Tim; I am lying in bed now and it's as if my leg is healed! However once I move it will be stiff and painful, hopefully it is just because it is a new injury and will become less painful soon.
Hi. I did mine playing football on May 15th this year. In boot after 2 days. Non op route. Partial weight bearing (balancing) after 2 weeks, partial weight bearing after 3 (walking with crutches) and full weight bearing (walking in the boot) no crutches after 4 weeks. Boot off after 7 weeks and walking slowly / limping. Shower tip - specialist boot cover £10 from ebay with elaticated pull cord with swing bin liner over the top was great. small pack pack to carry around essentials was useful. Bum shuffle up stairs 1st week and carefully with boot after that. Keep boot raised as much as possible when resting to reduce swelling. I walked and played golf (12 holes) after 10 weeks and am getting slowly better, walking mostly OK with only slight limp if I do too much. Biggest issue now is calf muscle build up as it withered so much in those 7 weeks & this is no easy task. It is a long process, take it steady and listen to your body. It WILL get better, but full recovery to running, playing sport is 9months+ after injury & I am nowhere near this after 4 months. BUT I can walk a few miles & do all I need to. Keep positive. The 1st week is disbelief what has happened, 2nd week is feeling grumpy as you figure out how bad it is and what you can't do, then once you have come to terms with it, it gets better and you adjust. These forums really help, but also know that many folks on these forums are those who are still having problems and need to know they are not alone. This is a common injury and many people recover well and quickly (& dont post on these forums). Best wishes over the next 8 weeks and keep posting and we can help you through this.
The forum does not allow personal details to be shared, so look me up on FB Stephen Cartwright and personal message me for my phone number as I am happy to chat over the phone to give you some help/advise.
im 9 weeks now post op. i am a year older than yourself at 29 and i too found it somewhat of a shock.
i agree that the 1st and 2nd week are the hardest. try and do something everyday. for me it was watching jeremy kyle. not a great choice i know. a simple trip to a coffee shop/cafe certainly perks up your mood.
your foot will feel strange right now. It heals with scar tissue.so whilst your foot is immobilised scar tissue builds up in the gap between the tendon ends.
i would say the following things have really helped me in terms of healing:
good diet - high in protein
vit tablets. 1000mg vit c a dayalong with other things
staying active.
calling in favours.
you cant get through this easily unless you have close friends and family.
my friends are on a promise of some jamaican food when i can drive. that seems to balance out hundreds of lifts
Cheers James, I haven't gone down the op route however day 5 and leg feels like nothing is wrong however I don't dare put weight on it!
I am still struggling on the crutches but getting the hand of shuffling my bum up the stairs so it is getting easier.
I don't get any time off work so I am straight back in on Tuesday!
I have managed to arrange daily lifts to and from work with a friend of mine who jumped to help as her husband had this injury a few years ago so understands the pain!
Thanks for your tips I will be changing my diet and will look at getting some vitamins.