10
May

Acute achilles tendinitis!

It’s been 5 years since I ruptured my right Achilles tendon.  While my right calf muscle was never the same, I was able to lift weights, run, etc.

Three days ago I did a bunch of calf raises at the gym (after stretching!) and now I have severe tendinitis on the right tendon.  It’s swollen and very sore.  I’ve been icing it all day but I’m worried that it will re-reputure.

Any advice?  What are the odds that people with past ruptures will re-reputure?   I have several important business meetings coming up next week that require me to travel.  This is terrible timing.  Oh, and I’m moving in 8 weeks :(

10
Mar

6 Month Follow-Up (and questions)

I haven’t posted in a very long time, but thought I’d give some follow-up on my case and get some feedback from others.  I ruptured my right Achilles’s tendon back in September and surgery.  Uneventful recovery and I’ve been back on two legs since November-ish.  I’m back at the gym and finally have the green light to run again.   However, I still have significant heel pain by the end of the day.  I notice this is especially the case when I’ve taken a long walk or exerted myself physically with my legs.  I’m a little worried that this may be a chronic occurrence and that running might worsen it.  I’m curious what others may have experienced.

Also, a question.  Does anyone know if the quinine in tonic water may contribute to ATR?  I know the quinolones have been linked and the two are chemically similar, but I can’t find anything definitive in the net.  My favorite drink is (I mean, used to be) G&T.  I’m an odd because I really like the taste of tonic water and often I would just have the tonic water w/o the gin.  But I’m wondering whether my consumption of quinine predisposed me to injury.  I’d appreciate any info (and cites!) that others might have.

09
Nov

Last wedge out, heel hurts

So I have about 2 weeks left before I’m suppose to move to shoes. Today I removed the last wedge from my boot and thus far I have no pain whatsoever in my tendon.

This past week my tendon felt pretty good. Initially, I had some stretching pain when I took the first wedge out, but that dissipated in about a day. I was able to get to the gym twice to do some upper body work, which was great. But I can also tell that I’m gaining some weight since I’m unable to do any cardio. Bummer!

The one thing that has me worried is heel pain on my injured leg. This is especially the case when I take the boot off and gingerly try to put some wight on my foot and take a small step (against medical advice, I suppose). The pain is tremendous and it has me wondering how on earth will I be able to walk in shoes in a few weeks. I presume that this pain is caused by being in the boot all the time, but it’s still disconcerting.

Nonetheless, I can say to all of you PWB folks out there that there is hope. Once I moved to FWB, my life improved a lot. So keep that in mind when you’re feeling down in the dumps!

01
Nov

Removing Wedges

So, I’ve been FWB for a whole week and it’s been great. I’m now able to actually do things and get around. This has been very liberating!

Now that I’m done with the first week of FWB, I’m suppose to remove one of the wedges from my aircast. I tried this earlier today and when I stood up I felt a strong stretch in my tendon. So much so, that I decided to put the extra wedge back in to be on the safe side. I didn’t have any pain, just the sensation of a strong stretch.

My question is whether the feeling of the stretch is normal. While my tendon feels very good overall, I’m downright paranoid about re-rupture. This injury has been so debilitating that I don’t want in any way to endanger my progress.

I should also mention that I decided not to use the vacocast. I ordered it, but never used it and sent it back. My thinking is that since I’m only going to be in a boot for 3 more weeks, why spend $300? Plus, when I looked at it in the package, it seemed very complicated - and the instruction booklet was pathetic. I know there are videos online, but I really don’t want to spend 3 hours trying to figure out how to put it on. Now, I have the sense that returning the vacocast is going to be difficult. The company requires that you contact them and provide all sorts of information and obtain a return authorization. This really shouldn’t be necessary for any product that is unused and returned within the first week. We’ll see how the handle the return.

The other good news from this week is that I finally was able to return to the gym.  Of course, I can only do upper body work, but that’s worlds better than sitting around on my rear end all day.  For the first time since the injury I can say that I’m really feeling optimistic.   I know that I still have a long recovery ahead of me, but being able to be on two legs is absolutely wonderful!

24
Oct

4 Weeks, back from doctor

Well I’m at 4 weeks post-op and just came back from the doctor. Doc says that I can transition to FWB over the next few days with the boot on. I’m happy to get this anticipated change but I’m also fearful of a re-rupture.

Also the doc says I can slowly remove the wedges form my boot over the next month - one at a time. No cardio at all for at least 6 weeks, though.

So I came home and started moving around with one crutch putting more weight on my foot. Foot feels mostly good, but I can tell that it’s going to take some time. I also realized that there’s quite a height difference between the leg with my boot and my uninjured leg. This seems like a challenge and may not be as freedom-producing as I originally thought.

On that note, I decided to splurge on the vascocast and the even up for the other foot. I’m hoping that it will make the transition to FWB more enjoyable or, at least, bearable.

So that’s where I am at. My hope is to be able to make it to the gym next week to do some upper body work. I’ve defiantly put on weight since all I do is sit around all day. I am back at work, but I’m sitting most of the time. One thing I am looking forward to is not needing my IWALK to go to the bathroom. That makes it quite the production!

24
Oct

Just back from the doctor

Well I’m at 4 weeks post-op and just came back from the doctor. Doc says that I can transition to FWB over the next few days with the boot on. I’m happy to get this anticipated change but I’m also fearful of a re-rupture.

Also the doc says I can slowly remove the wedges form my boot over the next month - one at a time. No cardio at all for at least 6 weeks, though.

So I came home and started moving around with one crutch putting more weight on my foot. Foot feels mostly good, but I can tell that it’s going to take some time. I also realized that there’s quite a height difference between the leg with my boot and my uninjured leg. This seems like a challenge and may not be as freedom producing as I originally thought.

On the note, I decided to splurge on the vascocast and the even up for the other foot. I’m hoping that it will make the transition to FWB more enjoyable or, at least, bearable.

So that’s where I am at. My hope is to be able to make it to the gym next week to do some upper body work. I’ve defiantly put on weight since all I do is sit around all day. I am back at work, but I’m sitting most of the time. One thing I am looking forward to is not needing my IWALK to go to the bathroom. That makes it quite the production!

23
Oct

What will FWB bearing look like?

First off, I want to thank everyone who has commented on my blog; the information has been very useful.  Plus, it’s reassuring to hear from others who are or were in the same boat so to speak.

Tomorrow I will be roughly 4 weeks post op.  I see my doctor tomorrow and I hope she moves me to FWB so I can ditch the IWalk.  But this evening I had some thoughts/questions about this next stage of my healing process.  First, I noticed that my aircast is quiet bulky.  How on earth td people walk FWB when one leg is elevated above the other?  (even with a shoe  on!)   Second, will the doctor say FWB all the time or just a few hours a day?  Or will I still need my crutches sometimes?  Third, tonight I tried putting some wight on my injured leg.  About 70% and immediately felt some pain in my ankle and tendon.  Is that common at 4 weeks?  Maybe I still need to heal.

Tomorrow can’t get here soon enough!

21
Oct

Looking for more info on treatment protocols

Hi Folks. I’m aware that there’s lots of info on this site and around the internet about the surgical v. non-surgical approach to ATR. I already had surgery and I’m looking for information on different approaches post-surgery.

As best as I can tell thus far there’s wide disagreement on how long to stay in the boot, position of the wedges, and how aggressive PT should be. Most articles that I’ve read that examine these issues do so in the context of surgical v. non-surgical question. Does anyone know studies that look at what’s best for those who’ve had surgery?

The best I’m come-up with so far is the Kearney Physiotherapy 98(1):24-32, 2012 study and even that one examined the issue within the surgery v. no-surg context. That study was basically inconclusive.

I have my next meeting with the doc on Thursday. I’m thing that she’ll move in to FWB now that I’m 4 weeks post-surgery. I’d love to have some info when I see her so that I can talk about treatment for the coming weeks. Thus far she’s been pretty unenthusiastic about PT, which I find somewhat surprising. I’m certainly not afraid to be pushy, but want goof info at my hands.

21
Oct

Why did it happen?

I’ve spent the last week or so pondering why I have an ATR. I’m a physically fit man in my early 40s. I always stretch before I exercise, including my calf muscles. On the day my injury happened, I was playing with my son in the backyard. I was knelling over to pick-up a football with very little pressure on my Achilles when I felt a tremendous pain in my calf muscle (but no pop sound).

Needless to say, I’m now anxious if not downright paranoid that my other Achilles might rupture. It has felt a bit sore since I spend so much time hopping around on it. My doctor tells me that I lack flexibility in my Achilles and I’m at risk for a rupture in my healthy leg. So, several time a day I try to do some stretches on my healthy leg, but I have this nagging feeling that it’s not enough.

I also wonder whether the leg that has the injury will ever be 100%. This injury is just so strange because I never worried about my Achilles before and now I feel that it’s the most vulnerable part of my body.

19
Oct

Newbie here, 3 weeks since Achilles surgery

Good morning folks .  Well it’s been 3 weeks since I had surgery on my right Achilles’s tendon..  I was throwing the football around in the backyard with my 4 year old son on Sept 23rd when I felt a sharp pain in my calf.  Initially I thought my son had accidentally kicked me.  But my wife, who is a doctor, examined me and low and behold, I had an Achilles tendon rupture.

I had surgery that Friday and spent the next two weeks confined to home.  This week the doctor put me in the boot with partial weight bearing a few times per day.  I’ve returned to work against the better judgment of my doctor because I own my own business and  I can’t just sit around and watch it implode because of my injury (it’s also nice to get out of the house).

Needless to say, this injury is very frustrating.  Everything takes forever to do.  I’ve also heard through the grapevine that my doctor is notoriously conservative.  She wants me in the boot for 2 months and says I can’t run for 8 months.  This coming Thursday I see her and I’m hoping that she’ll give me the green light for full weight bearing in the boot.  At least that way, I can get around without using crutches or my IWalk (anybody else using this?  I’ve found it invaluable because it allows you to use your hands).

Oh well, hope springs eternal.




ATR Timeline

  • Name: reasonsformoving
    Which Leg: R
    Status: FWB

    531 wks  1 day Post-ATR
    530 wks  4 days
       Since start of treatment

  • reasonsformoving has completed the grueling 26.2 ATR miles to full recovery!
    Goal: 365 days from the surgery date.
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