Well, I was supposed to start PT this past Tuesday but it was a no go. Instead the doctor scheduled another surgery for a debridement of the wound area from the first surgery. The surgery was earlier today. Now I’m sitting at home with a wound vac on and have a prescription for Clindamycin HCL. Lets hope the drainage issue is over after this. I want the wound to heal and to start PT.
Well almost. I’m upright and walking, but with a limp. I’m at 5 1/2 weeks post-op and today I was given a walking boot with a 12 degree heel lift. I keep the heel lifts in for 5 days, then i tear away a layer every two days for the next week and a half. Then I start PT. It feels like I was just thrown a fast ball right down the middle of the plate and I hit the game winning home run. It feels great to be able to walk again. My big question though is, what can I expect in PT? Will it hurt? Keep in mind, when I ruptured the tendon it didn’t hurt (I swear, it’s true), so will PT hurt? Thanks for taking the time to read my blog!!!! Cheers!
I had drainage from my wound about 3 1/2 weeks post-op. I’ve been changing my gauze for the past 10 days. Went to the doctor on Tuesday and the drainage is decreasing. The doctor also liked the way the wound is healing. Doctor also told me if the drainage has stopped by next Tuesday and the wound show more improvement, I’ll be able to walk out of the office (5 1/2 weeks post-op). I’m hoping the wound is closed by next Tuesday and the drainage has stopped. It will feel so good to walk again.
Almost three weeks post-op. Went to the doctor today and when they removed the splint a lot of drainage was found. The drainage was from the past 4 days. So now, if this wound doesn’t drain I’ll need another out-paitent surgery to drain the wound. I have to change a dressing once a day (twice if needed) to keep the area clean. I’m also prescribed Bactrim, just in case. Everything was going so well, then when the bandage was removed today I saw all the drainage. I just hope this is a minor set-back to what has been a good recovery so far. Doc also said I’m close to walking. Taking it one day at a time.
I’m currently 2 weeks post-op from my achilles tendon surgery. My doctor told me I had a unique situation, one he’s never seen before. I have a condition called Neurofibromatosis and some of the tumors were interfering with my achilles tendon (it may have cause the subacute rupture I had). Well, 2 docotrs took care of the tendon and the tumors, but my biggest fear is a re-rupture of the tendon. I went back to the doctor two days ago and had a cast put on. After 24 hours the cast fell off. I had to get a ride back to the doctor and had a splint and several ace bandages put on. They were put on loose and started to come off earlier today. Luckily, when I called the hospital they told me it wasn’t to hard to re-wrap it myself (with help). I hope all these bandages and stuff falling off isn’t causing damage to the surgical area. I did have some heel pain for the first time after re-wrapping the bandages. So, I unwrapped everything and the pain went away. I then re-wrapped it and some of the pain came back. I’m thinking the splint might be rubbing on the stitches (at least I hope so). As I write this the pain is almost gone (I’ve taken 2 Motrins over a three hour period). It’s tough getting around with one good foot. I’ve managed to adapt to it. My doctor also told me he’s going to put me in a walking boot 5 weeks after the surgery (less than 3 weeks from now). Hopefully it’s not to soon. This is something I hope to never have to go through again. Sorry if this is poorly written, it’s just random thoughts.
Thanks for the concern, but not in PT yet. After the surgery the doctor sent the tissue to the lab to see what type of infection I had. 8 days later the results came back. But, yesterday I started to get the drainage issue again. The doctor changed my prescription earlier today so hopefully the drainage will go away now. The medicine he has me on will more directly attack the type of infection I had. I’m crossing my fingers this thing clears up.
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Hope you made it to PT and you’re back on track.
I didn’t have any pain at all either when it happened. I had a little discomfort after surgery for a day or two but no pain since. Like others the only thing that kinda hurts is when they massage the soft tissue around the tendon. But it’s not something that you can’t get through. Everything is else is like your having a good work out but focused on that one leg…
My rupture didn’t hurt either, at least not till the post-op aching.
Much of my physio has been good stretching - some discomfort and pulling but nto really painful - until she massaged the tendon area (!) but that doesn’t hurt now either. Some subsequent deep massage on the soft tissue was also very painful but all the stretches/calf raises/wobble board etc have been good discomfort. I’ve had quite a slow steady regime though and have a relatively high pain threshold - will be different for you.
It is great to be back on 2 feet again, however slow. Well done.
What is uncomfortable for some will be pain for others. Everyone is different. The higher your pain threshold, the more your therapist will be able to do and the quicker you will advance to bigger and better things.
Everyone will be different, and each PT is different. Tell your therapist what your goals are and ask him/her how quickly you can realistically expect to get there.
You are one of 20 or so that the PT sees each day, so you have to, in a way, manage your own program and make sure you communicate openly.
k270 - That’s a real nuisance. Take it really easy and we’ll all cross our fingers that it was just a minor blip and all will be well.
Smoley
Thanks for the well wishes. Everything felt fine. Noticed a small blood spot on the ace bandage when I climbed onto the table. Had no pain, didn’t even know until I saw the spot. Then they cut away the bandage and it looked disgusting underneath.
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that sucks man. Did you feel any pain or discomfort in the wound area or did everything feel perfectly fine until the doc appt?
I hope the wound drains and you can avoid another surgery!
I had a actual cast. The MA who put it on put it on loose though. When I went back they put on another ace bandage and a splint. It too was way to loose and was coming off. I re-wrapped that twice with no luck. So I went to the ER this morning and they put on a different kind of splint with ace bandages. This feels a lot better but I’m still getting some movement. I’m going to call the docs office first thing Monday morning and inquire about the boot. I have a feeling I know why the cast fell off. I mentioned having neurofibromatosis. My leg isn’t a normal shaped leg. The upper part of the lower leg is twice the size of a normal leg. The bottom was de-bulked some due to the neuor… tumors, but is also a little bigger than a normal size leg. I didn’t think it would matter. I guess it does.
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I am not sure I understand how a cast could fall off, maybe you never had a full cast, just splint.
But if you have difficulty keeping it on, you could ask the dr to put you in a boot right away, without weight bearing. Boots are bulkier and uncomfortable to sleep in though, as they were meant for walking, with a heavy sole.
For me the answer to many problems is duct tape…. 
Like the others, I’m mystified about a cast falling off, although I never had the pleasure of a cast.
I was lucky to be put in a splint immediately after surgery, and never had anything else. My splint was on the front of my shin and the top of my foot, held on with an ace bandage. I was taking my splint on and off a few times a day to do exercises between five days and four weeks postop, so I got to be something of an expert at putting it on. I had just one ace wrap that was about six inches (15 cm) wide and about two yards/meters long, though, not “several.”
The main thing with the ace wrap is to get the right tension, not too tight and not too loose. Too tight can definitely make your foot ache, and that could be what you are feeling. If the wrap is too loose, the wrap may slip out of position. It didn’t need to be nearly as tight as I initially thought. With a little practice, you will get the tension right.
I learned a useful trick to keep those little metal grips that hold the wrap on from falling off and getting lost. I wrapped so that the grips were on my lower shin, a little above the ankle. Then, I put a
[...]k270 - like Sam66, I’m confused! When a professional puts something on, you don’t expect it to drop off so you have to do a DIY job at home! Are you allowed to put any weight on the injured leg? Are the removable bandages because you are likely to have extensive swelling following your surgery? Take it very easy for the time being. RICE and all that. Most people have their repaired tendon immobilised for several weeks post-op and for good reason. I hope you get sorted soon! Best wishes,
Smoley
I’m not a doctor, but not sure I understand how the cast could fall off?
The cast/splint are there to immobilise the leg as the tendon heals, so do keep the weight off it and don’t put any strain on the tendon in these early stages. Have you got the hang of crutches yet?
The cast etc can rub on the wound area particularly with any swelling.
But do insist on seeing your doctor again if you’re worried about anything - they’re there to advise you and look after you!
Best wishes,
Sam
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