14 1/2 weeks post OP, released from Doctor

I am 14 1/2 weeks post OP from a double rupture. I have been doing my own rehab. Had shoulder surgery to repair a torn rotator and reattach tendons in rt. shoulder a week ago. Went to rehab for shoulder and had them check progress of achilles progress and they told me I was so far along that there wasn’t anything they could offer me. I have just about all strength back and are within a few degrees here and there of full range of motion! Happy times! I credit a lot of my quick recovery to my Vacocast Boots. By the way I have them for sale if any of you are interrested. It could help your recovery at a fraction of the cost of a new one. I have 2 to sell they are size medium. Check their site for sizing. Anyway I did some things on my own that were a little outside the box for my recovery. Massage,brushing area with back brush to stimulate suface blood flow, passive range of motion(early), active range of motion with theraband 6wks. post OP and Full weight bearing 5 1/2 wks. Post Op with Vacocast Boots locked at 30 deg plantar for 4 days then added 5 deg. towards dorsal every week and accelereated to 5 deg. dorsal by week 9. I still get tight here and now and do gentle stretches during the day and elevate for swelling which at this point is minimal. I will be careful in the coming months not to overstress and to listen to my bodies biofeedback. I know full recovery will take about a year post op and will just be patient as not to rerupture. I am happy for now to be able to walk with a normal gate and go up and down stair normally but slower than pre rupture.

9 weeks 5 days post OP double rupture

Hi everyone, this is my first attempt at any sort of blog so bear with me. Here is my story. I am a 54 yr old male in good health. Over the years I have enjoyed high energy sports, Motocross in the 70’s, Hang Gliding in the 80’s, back to motocross and motorcycle road racing as a Pro in the 90’s, finally retiring in 2000 from all those activities. Well June,3 2012 rolls around and I go with my 25 yr old son to a practice day at a local motocross track. I brought my protective gear (first mistake), should have just taken the folding chair to watch. Got the itch, suited up and went out on the track. Everything felt great……back in the saddle again! A 65′ double jump was just ahead, didn’t think twice (second mistake), and hit it like the old days no problem. Hanging 30′ in the air heading towards the landing ramp I noticed I was going to come up short. Well, I hit the peak of the landing ramp on the frame right under the foot pegs and immediately snapped both of my Achilles Tendons, tore my right shoulder rotator and was knocked out. Woke up with my son and paramedics over me calling my name. I noticed my feet felt a little numb. My boots were pulled off and both my ankles were the size of soft balls. After 30 min of observation for concussion the paramedics made me sign off as I wanted my son to take me to the hospital of my choice. I was helped to my feet and was confused why I couldn’t hold my self in a steady stance to transfer to truck seat. I later found out after further examination at hospital that I completely ruptured both of my Achilles Tendons. Surgery scheduled next day,less than 24 hrs. after injury. Oh yea my shoulder hurt too but I could still use it a little so we would address that after the Achilles deal. Surgery went well. Surgeon said it was the worst he had seen. He had to use plastic screws to connect some thingy with sutchers to connect them both back to my heal bones. I had virtually no pain after surgery and refused all pain meds except Tylenol. No weight bearing for 6 weeks. I was in the hospital for three days and in a restorative care (I call it a nursing home) facility for 4 days. They had to teach me transfers from wheelchair to bed,toilet etc. After 4 days I requested my release and went home. Nine days later I went for my first post OP visit where I was casted both legs 30 deg. plantar. I was told no weight bearing 6 weeks. Got home and started doing research on the web like I am sure most of you do and came across a product called Vacocast Pro Achilles. I called them ans ordered a pair. I went back for my second post OP visit 5 weeks later and brought the boots with me. They wanted to recast me with my feet in a different angle and I told them NO, I wanted to be put in these Vacocast boots. The Surgeon had never seen them before and was impressed and said ok and that could slowly start weight bearing on my feet. Got home, used a walker for 1/2 a day then started using a product called “Smart Crutch” that was easier to manipulate. Used the crutches for 4 days and put them aside and started FWB normal gate walking. I have been this way since with no pain at all. This Vacocast boot allows you to adjust range of motion or lock in place at any position in 5 deg increments. When I left the Dr’s office after the cast was cut off I has the boot locked at 20 deg. plantar with the wedge sole(supplied with boot) attached. The Dr. told me when I came back in 4 weeks he would lock me a 0 deg. After I set the crutches aside and was FWB 5 1/2 weeks post OP I started opening range of motion 5 deg. a week towards dorsal. This allowed my calf muscle to start pumping again and get the fluids moving. After two weeks my body was telling me things were getting stronger. I just got back from my 3rd post OP visit 2 days ago and th Dr. was amazed at the rate of healing and told me I could start wearing shoes in 2 weeks. I get home and immediately put on shoes with a Gel heal wedge and walked around for a few hours. My ankles swelled up pretty good but the tendons after an easy stretch before walking felt fine….a little tight but would ease up as I relaxed and tried to normalize my walk. I am going to wear the boot one more week before shoes again. Well that sums things up for now. I am scheduled for shoulder surgery in 4 weeks so I hope I am in shoes and walking good or fair before then. I’ll keep you posted.

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