Comments for stalledminidriver's AchillesBlog

Comment on One Year on by normofthenorth

normofthenorth — Thu, 30 May 2013 06:15:06 +0000

Ouch100, lots of us are stiff post-ATR. A lot of that is often due to swelling, and keeping that down — with Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation — may help more than you think.

Weirdness (including pains) in the bottom of the foot is also very common, and fades at different rates for different folks. Rolling your bare foot over a ball (tennis? maybe golf) while seated often helps. I’d avoid NSAID pain-killers (ASA, ibuprofen, etc.), because I’ve heard and read that they’re bad for tendon healing. Tylenol is probably safe for the tendon.

For me, walking barefoot on a flat floor and accidentally stepping on a little phone cord made me think like I was about to sprain my ankle on the edge of a curb. I wanted to carpet the whole house in squishy foam. Instead I started wearing squishy-foam Crocs, similar effect. Many others here have also gotten relief with Crocs in early 2-shoes.

Comment on One Year on by Ouch100

Ouch100 — Thu, 30 May 2013 03:11:51 +0000

Dear all, thanks for the great information on here. It is comforting to know I’m not alone. I ruptured my left Achilles’ tendon back in February 2012. The diagnosis was missed and resulted in two further ruptures 3months apart when I was just walking. I ended up having an Achilles’ tendon transfer in Feb 2013.

Frustrated is an understatement, more like suicidle! So now I am extremely anxious re the recovery. I am now aprx 16 weeks post op, been taken out of the walking boot but still on crutches. Problem is my ankle is so stiff, the more I walk on it the more it aches. To make things even worse the bottom of my foot is numb, tender and hurts when I put weight on it. Has anyone experienced this ? I really can’t see myself being able to walk without pain by the 6 month period. Unfortunately for me, pain killers don’t even touch the sides.

Comment on Progressing well by normofthenorth

normofthenorth — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 07:54:08 +0000

I met one wag in my sports-med clinic’s waiiting room who used to work in a similar sports-med clinic. He told me that whenever they discharged an ATR patient, they’d always say “See you soon!” because so many ruptured the other AT. That also seems over the top based on my reading and experience.

Comment on Progressing well by humbland

humbland — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 23:30:37 +0000

Hi Norm,
I’m glad that you are still here helping people. I have gained much inspiration and knowledge from your help.
You know what they say. “Lies, damn lies and statistics…”
It could be that my surgeon has worked on a different “subset” than the general population. For instance, it stands to reason that if you are working on older athletes (like me and you) that have years of wear and tear, then their chances of rupturing the other side are higher. He was very specific, saying in his personal experience, if I returned to the game, there was a 20-25% chance that I would see him again in <3 years.
That being said, I don’t want to live in fear. The warming weather is calling me back to the courts. Now, if I can just find some comfortable lateral support.
Happy Healing,
E.

Comment on Progressing well by normofthenorth

normofthenorth — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 18:44:01 +0000

Humbland, I think it’s cloer to 2% chance of rupturing your other AT in the first 2 yrs after your first. The only study I know of is linked from this site’s Studies and Protocols page — look for “contralateral” in the title.
That study found that we ATR folks who ruptured “normally” (in sports or dancing etc.) are 200 TIMES more likely to have an ATR on the other leg than the population as a whole. Big increase, but starting with a small risk, so math helps. The annual risk probably tails off in the following years, but it obviously stays elevated, so the total risk keeps going up. (More math.) Most of us “both-siders” took longer than 2 yrs. Mine was 8yrs later, several were 11, one was 13, the longest I remember.
The good news: as one 2- sider said here, “Unless I grow a third wheel, I should be finished with THIS injury!” (Too bad there are so many parts that have to work so well: now my right knee is threatening to end my volleyball carreer, and the Docs and techs think it’s perfect!)

Comment on Progressing well by humbland

humbland — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 02:28:03 +0000

Hi Ryan, Norm and all,
It’s been a while since I’ve visited, I hope everyone is healing well.
I’m about 10 months from surgery and seriously considering playing tennis again. I have reasonably good strength in the repaired leg, The lateral stability is still “challenged”. I was doing a search on the site for ankle braces when I came on this discussion. My surgeon has done >300 procedures., including many athletes. He told me that if I return to my sport, there is a 20-25% of rupturing the other “good” side within 3 years. He said that the reasons were unknown…
It’s definitely food for thought.
Best,
E.

Comment on One Year on by ripraproar

ripraproar — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 23:56:55 +0000

Hi norm, thanks for the advice, but start a blog that’s scary than the ATR I’m not the most IT savy person, but taking a positive out of this situ, I’ve got time to learn, watch out bill gates, and watch out Norm blog here I come, good luck to all take Claire, keep smiling

Comment on One Year on by normofthenorth

normofthenorth — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 07:12:24 +0000

Don’t apologize for asking Qs, ripraproar, that’s why this site exists. (You can sometimes call it “20 Answers”!)

Many people phone their docs after a slip, and a lot get reassured on the phone, and some get reassured in person. A small minority actually reinjured their AT, some to the point of re-rupture. I’d probably phone, but you may be right about what the doc will do.

Watch Your Step, on crutches now and later when you get off the crutches, too!! Wet floors and wet crutch tips can be MURDER, so be especially careful coming in from rain or snow or whatever.

RICE — Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation — is all important to control swelling and pain. Anti-inflammatories are reported to be bad for tendon healing, so many docs recommend acetaminophen (Tylenol) instead — even though inflammation is mostly causing the pain and discomfort.

And start a blog and share your whole story in one place!

Comment on One Year on by ripraproar

ripraproar — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 23:07:41 +0000

Hi Norm,, my mentor, how are you?
I went back to my consultant yesterday, showed him the protocol you have been following, he wasn’t offended and actually said it seemed good and said I should follow given the extent of the study, the bad news is I’m after further advice sorry, today I slipped on my crutches, I’m 16 days non op, achilles area is hurting a little andlots of strange pains and there’s swelling, here’s the question is there any point going back to doc, my view is I’ve never had an MRI so They can not judge if I’m back to square one, also I feel the doc as no option but to say keep in the boot , anti inflam pills and ice. Norm do you agree with both my statements and do you have any advice, sorry for all the questions.

Comment on One Year on by ryanb

ryanb — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 22:07:40 +0000

Comment hung up in moderation. Not sure if SMD is around to approve it… sorry for the double post if it show up. But let’s try this again:

I’ve always found this page to be very informative:
achillesblog.com/atrpt.php

Scanning through it, one quickly starts to see the activities that are high risk: sports that have quick changes of direction (basketball, badminton, etc.) are at the top of the list. Soccer is well represented. Dancing!?! shows up a surprising (to me) number of times. Want to stay safe(r)? Avoid the things that show up most often on that list. Or be careful when you partake. Of course, it’s no guarantee.

There are only a couple of cycling AT injuries- and as far as I can tell, they’re cycling *crashes* that caused the ATR. Cycling is pretty safe from an AT perspective.

I won’t be taking up Basketball anytime soon.