jsk945’s AchillesBlog

That’s not too far off from the treatment I had. I don’t think I had that third round of cast, tho - if I remember, I was in a cast for a total of 4 weeks, then the boot.

It all seems to be going so slowly. Then, you look back and wonder, “Wow, it’s been four months, already! Where’d the time go?!”

Good to hear that the incision is ok. You’re on your way!

achillesblog.com/johanna/ works.

Good luck, jsk! Your docs are out of date, which is still way too common with this “boring”, “don’t get no respect” injury. You may be amused by an old blog here from a young woman in Connecticut who faced a similar choice and fought it. She went by two names, IIRC, johanna and firstdayofsummer. Try ‘em both after achillesblog.com/ and you should find her amazing story.

I would never try to push a surgeon to do a surgery (s)he was uncomfortable with. But non-op ATR treatment isn’t surgery; we put surgeons in charge of it as much from habit as anything else. Usually the PT really runs the show, if not the patient…

The main downside I’ve read about min-invasive ATR surgery is the elevated risk of damaging a nerve (suris, or something?). Hope you escaped that — and all the other “bumps in the road” that we all face(d), of course!

I would agree with your brother and your friend. At my orthopaedic centre, they can offer both operative and non-op, and be completely competent with each.

If any of the doctors in my hospital did it your way i wouldve gone non surgical for sure. My brother and doctor friend advised against pushing a protocol the hospital doesnt normally use though. My doctor did seem to be agressive on rehab following surgery so hopefully my body responds quickly.

There is so much information out there, and it is more difficult for us laymen to take on board because we research the data, such as the rapid rehab you’ve mentioned, then find that some medics either haven’t caught up yet, or don’t have the financial resources for fancy boots, lots of physio, or the insurance won’t pay, etc. Seems you have a good guy though.

In my case though I took the ‘rapid rehab’ or accelerated/aggressive route. I was in a cast for 2 weeks, then moved into a very good, adjustable, boot (and immediately begin weight bearing, losing the crutches mostly) for another 7. Shoes followed a week later. Basic physio began after week 2, increasing over the weeks.

I’m in the UK where this protocol has become very popular over the past few years, and I’ve read that it is gaining more favor in the US too for the right patients. The timeline at ‘my’ clinic is the same for surgical as conservative. In case anyone wonders, ‘conservative’ does not equal ‘easy’.

Have a great recovery. The time will fly!

Hi, this is a comment.
To delete a comment, just log in, and view the posts’ comments, there you will have the option to edit or delete them.