Jennish’s AchillesBlog

10 days ago I agreed to have surgical repair of what my orthopedist insisted was a new rupture in the same achilles tendon he repaired 2 months ago. He based the diagnosis on a positive Thompson test (not a twitch) and the word of 2 radiologists who examined an MRI and saw a rupture with gap. Several miserable days passed before the scheduled surgery while I contemplated going back to square one after having already spent 6 weeks NWB and 2 weeks PWB. In recovery I was told that the tendon was not ruptured, no repair was necessary, and that the doc just sewed me back up.

Who do I trust? The surgeon or the radiologists? The surgeon, apparently unable to understand why I am concerned by the second surgery, admitted it could be a tear in the calf muscle, but that he had to open me up to be sure. (!)

Is there anyone out there who has had an incorrect diagnosis of rupture based on a mis-reading of an MRI?

At 8 weeks, getting used to a boot after 7 weeks of fiberglass casts, my boot caught on a cabinet door in the kitchen and I fell. MRI confirmed a new rupture and gap above the repair of my original rupture. Docs recommend surgery as best chance for a full recovery. Here we go again.

Just a follow up on weight bearing at 7 weeks in a fiberglass cast. Mind the difference in elevation of your legs when you begin putting weight on your healing ATR.

Within 24 hours of my cast change, the soreness of having foot in a newly neutral position had significantly improved. So of course I began to hobble about more quickly. However, I didn’t think about the insanity of hobbling about in a sneaker (Asics minimalist, awesome shoe BTW) and a cast w/ slipper thingy that elevates my left foot about 4 inches off the ground. After 2 days of lurching about the house my back went out. Not fun. Norm, didn’t see your comments about building up height of good foot until day 4!

Anyway, found an old platform sandal (beige with spangles) that made up the difference. The fashion statement is bizarre to say the least, but my back is doing better now. Let me be a warning to you.

well, partial weight bearing, with an odd slipper gadget on a fiberglass cast. Will be given cam boot on 11/5. Sore, incision is rough, calf feels like a deep bruise. Walking on the cast is no fun for lower back. Feel a lot like Frankenstein’s monster. You know, “Walk this way….” So fed up. Thanks for responding to previous posts. Rupture was probably due to antibiotics (spelled cipro), and doc is using abundance of caution, as I have had serious tendonitis in my “good” leg. Scared to death that my “good” leg will have a rupture too, although that would be too evil to contemplate.

Surgery to repair my completely ruptured and retracted achilles tendon began within 72 hours of the injury. The orthopedist/surgeon never told me about the option of non-surgical treatment. As it is, I had no idea what I’d be in for during recovery. This is not fun.