clarabell’s AchillesBlog

I should have kept in touch …. But it doesn’t take long before life takes over again and it’s not all about your Achilles’ tendon . Which , on one hand is great because you begin to live again . On the other hand , the exercises and stretching slide down the list of priorities .

I have progressed steadily and have no limp and have full range of motion . However , I’m now 9 months post rupture ( conservative non surgical ) and feel sick to my stomach with fear . I am getting twinges and niggles I’m my “bad leg ” as  I still call it . I’m discharged now but called my physio anyway . I haven’t been stretching my tendon and ran / hurried for a bus on Sat after a day out for lunch and wine ! I am terrified I have done some damage as get light shooting pains and am just acutely aware of every twinge in my tendon  and  calf .  I feel so stupid for running for the bus .  I have had no problems , probably because I have been so careful , and now I’m terrified of a re rupture . Physio advised massage and movement with plenty stretches and most likely some shortening due to lack if stretching and overworking it . Thinks it will settle down and advised heal raise now I’m wearing flat pumps .

Please reassure me , I hope this is just a reminder I’m not out the woods and need to re prioritise my ongoing recovery !!! Thanks Clare

Good morning all !

Well , the 18th October marked the day of freedom from my 6th and final cast .Ten weeks post ATR. The following week was difficult , awaiting PT appointment .My foot was nowhere near neutral and I was frustrated that I didn’t know what exercises to do .

Thanks to other bloggers , I felt reassured that my situation was not unique and I called the PT dept to seek advice.

My NHS PT appointment was 8 days post cast off and after that , I felt much better . Half the battle is confidence .

I worked on my theraband /towel exercises and quickly got my foot to neutral .

The following week I was asked to try the wobble board and do step ups as well as walk without my crutches !

What does work for me , is that my PT explains things well and gives me a challenge to work to the following week . Goal setting works for me . Also , the way my PT reassures me , for eg I haven’t broken a bone so my body can take the weight . It’s obviously the stretching and strengthening that is required .

So , two weeks after cast removal and I am walking without crutches .

Dont get me wrong , I walk like a zombie out of Thriller on freeze frame , but walking nonetheless . So , PT on Wednesday I have achieved ditching the crutches but need to get enough stretch to push my good leg past my bad one .

At present , my walk is not flowing as I stop each time my feet reach the same point . I can feel it in my hip as I’m favouring my bad leg .

Although my leg was atrophied as expected , now I am in two shoes my calf is pretty enlarged . It actually looks bigger and more solid than my good one . Is that common ? I appreciate there will be swelling but it looks solid .

Speak soon

To actually format the appearance of my blog page and I stall the timelines !!!

Maybe I am over thinking this and I know I need to wait until I get a proper PT evaluation but I don’t think my foot is in neutral …..

For me to put my bad foot flat on the floor ( with heal raise and in a shoe ) it is a full step forward in front of my good foot .  To me , neutral would be the ability for my bad leg to be completely perpendicular to the ground …..

This makes me think there will need to be some serious stretching done before I will be able to take any weight on my bad leg …..

I’d appreciate some reassurance please !!

I’m cast free since Thursday . I’m waiting PT appointment . My ankle feels solid and I have little dorsoflexion . I’m on crutches and trying to put some weight through my leg . I have been rotating my ankle regularly and successfully . I can’t walk at all , even with crutches . Please tell me this  is fine and early days ???

Well, my foot is now in neutral position and I’m allowed to weight bear ! I was not able to get my foot into neutral at the first attempt 2 weeks ago . Returning the following week it didn’t work out either as I could feel  pain when the nurse tried to move my foot . I really felt so disappointed and wondered if it was because I was so tense ! I kept tensing my thigh muscle and holding my leg up when I was supposed to let it fall relaxed ! It’s very difficult not to be anxious , I find . Anyway third attempt this Thursday and success . Foot in neutral . The nurses reminded me ” it will take as long as it takes ” . I think it’s important to remember that everyone is different and we heal in our own way , at different times .

I am also surprised at how many people want to tell me of horror stories of complicated or unsuccessful Achilles ruptures !!! These people are supposed to be friends !!lol

Two weeks and my cast will be removed . Then PT . I know I will be anxious about losing the protection of my cast .being able to bear weight does give me more independence but I still use my crutches and I’ve pinched a nerve so my pinky and ring finger are numb . Must master walking without !

Good morning , I am on the conservatively treated side . I ruptured my Achilles tendon second week into a boot camp . Funnily enough , my gut kept telling me band resistance work was not a good idea . I should have listened to my instincts but Im competitive . I was impressed at how my fitness was really coming back in such a short time scale and pushed myself to the limit …. Literally . My training partner was standing behind me . Both if us , with the band around our waists . He stands stationary ….I run away against the resistance of the band . I sideways negotiate a bollard …..SNAP.

As I hit the deck . I said I’ve snapped my Achilles tendon . I was right . Turned out the girl next to me heard a loud pop . I knew I was right , particularly as I could insert my fingers into the back of my ankle .

My training partner took my straight to A@E where I was given the option of both surgery or conservative treatment but put in a plaster equinus cast overnight . The following day I met with the Consultant and we discussed risk / benefit of both routes . We decided on conservative route for me . I was fortunate to have gone straight to hospital and be cast within hours .

I find the injury more frustrating than anything else . I am extremely independent and have a little one . I try not to dwell on a couple of things …. If only I hadn’t …. Should I have had surgery …. And reruprures . My consultant genuinely felt for me … He didn’t want to operate …. And I have to trust him .

Im now on week 3 of equinus delta cast and I get my new cast next week . The pain is less certainly now . But I know I now have to rest . The first week I was doing too much .

I am a little nervous about this cast coming off and how my leg will be handled at the nurse led clinic , but we will cross that bridge when we get to it ………..

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