OT: Ruptured Tendon

Just got in from a 3-hr marathon appt with an orthopedic surgeon. I have a ruptured Achilles tendon. It must be surgically reattached. That means 4-6 weeks of walker/crutches and a sequence of cast, splint, and walking boot. -sigh-

Anyone with experience who can console, commiserate, or scare the bejesus out of me?

An amusing note: When he read "OSA treated with CPAP" on my medical condition form he said "Hmmm, sleep apnea...what's the "O" stand for?" But, then, he's not a sleep doc.

LinkC wrote:Just got in from a 3-hr marathon appt with an orthopedic surgeon. I have a ruptured Achilles tendon. It must be surgically reattached. That means 4-6 weeks of walker/crutches and a sequence of cast, splint, and walking boot. -sigh-

Anyone with experience who can console, commiserate, or scare the bejesus out of me?

An amusing note: When he read "OSA treated with CPAP" on my medical condition form he said "Hmmm, sleep apnea...what's the "O" stand for?" But, then, he's not a sleep doc.

Better to have the surgery than allow it to atrophy. That can be more painful over time, from what I've heard. Good luck with your surgery.

In 1990, I broke my left foot, had a surgical reduction of the fracture and was in a fiberglass cast for 6 weeks. In New Orleans. In the summer. The next year, at almost the exact day of the anniversary of the first break, I broke my right foot (no surgery this time) and was in a fiberglass cast for 6 weeks. In New Orleans. In the summer. 'Nuff said.

Sorry to hear you ruptured your tendon! Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

Bummer! I've had Achilles tendonitis, which was painful, but it never ruptured. May I ask how it happened?
What's very important is that you do all the physical therapy afterwards that they tell you to do, so you have full range of motion.
Good luck to you LinkC!

Country4ever wrote: May I ask how it happened?

Well, I strained it jumping in the pool. Limped around on it a few weeks...got a steroid shot...and then stepped up on a curb without supporting my whole foot on the curb. I felt and heard it "POP", and I immediately got the worst cramp in my calf I've ever had. My ankle and most of my foot turned purple by morning. I haven't been able to press down with my toes since.

link
good luck you'll need it 'tendons are slow to heal and anything that has to do with the foot takes longer.

i'm in week 8 tof a posterior tibial tendon substituton procedure. just now up with an air cast and cane'
walker is better than crutches. get yourself a small basket or one of those plastic mini milk crates and zip strip it on so you can carry your cofee n toast(or margaritas )

clear anything that may interfere with the walker. if you have steps figure out ahead of time how to get up and down them.

if there is ANY chance you might have plmd (periodic limb movement disorder)or any other condition that causes shakes etc make sure the ortho takes care of it. even worse than itching is a muscle trying to contract on a restricted area. it freakin hurts!!!!!!
overall it's no fun but you'll be better for it . you will learn to keep that foot up, and sometimes a recliner just wont cut it.

LinkC wrote:That means 4-6 weeks of walker/crutches and a sequence of cast, splint, and walking boot. -sigh-

yaya....das Boot.

I know it well.
Blew out the plantar calcaneonavicular ligament in my foot.
It's what creates the arch of your foot.

Two surgeries in 18mths.
When you're on the crutches.....no matter how much you want to
not be on the crutches....be...on the crutches.

Enjoy the plastic bag every am when you shower.

Try not to look when they take the staples out after surgery.
If the person is good, it's over before it really starts to hurt.

After the crutches and cast, you'll welcome das Boot.

When PT starts.....do it...all....everyday.
Push the pain, it will pay off in the end.

Good luck!

Been there, done that, have the Tshirt.....
don't ever want to do it again.

I thought these days the cast had gone the way of the dodo.
I broke my foot falling of the last step of the stairs one night about 7 years ago- those pre diagnosis bathroom trips you know? In June - it was in a cast then the cast came off and the next day I stepped on the dog's chew toy and broke it again. Then they told me about the boot thing.

I also did something with a tendon that attaches to the knee a long time ago with a bike. They wouldn't operate back then since I could still walk on flat ground and the knee success rate was 50/50. As it is I can get up mountains but not down them.

ruptured achilles............a sign of age...............but you look so young?

LinkC wrote: An amusing note: When he read "OSA treated with CPAP" on my medical condition form he said "Hmmm, sleep apnea...what's the "O" stand for?" But, then, he's not a sleep doc.

I hope you told him "orgasmic".

I had four foot surgeries in ten years - it was botched the first three times. Lots of walking around in a boot and using a crutch. Lots of attention from the ladies but otherwise a pretty sorry situation.

You should make a plan for positioning the foot while using CPAP. That could be very tough for me because I have to sleep on my sides or tummy for CPAP to control my apnea.

Oowie owie owie!!! When I broke both leg bones in one ankle, I tore up the ligaments in the other foot *sigh*. 4 titanium screws in the one ankle and the other with the torn ligaments hadda do all the work...no fun. They had me on water stim and Cybex rehab for months after 6 wks in cast , 2 in splint. No weight bearing until wk 10 I think, then it was 50 steps using a walker...I cried from sheer happiness. They had me walking in waist-deep water 45 mins 3 times/wk starting when I was in the splint...the Y was my friend with its great ladder to hang onto to get in & out of the pool. The water walking was to help my body remember how to walk without a limp -- it worked. It was also a great workout for those poor muscles that hadn't done any work for a few months. I second the don't look, I peeked and was horrified. Get 'em to wash your lower leg when they take the cast off -- you'll slough off a lotta skin, that's normal. Oh yeah, if they put you in a plaster cast after surgery, be aware that blood migrates to the outside of the plaster -- you're not bleeding to death in there, in spite of how it looks . Fiberglas is so much lighter & more comfortable when they put ya in it. Practice telling outrageous stories of how ya did it...makes the experience more interesting, esp seeing people's eyes pop when ya tell a good whopper!

LinkC wrote:Anyone with experience who can console, commiserate, or scare the bejesus out of me?

I had bilateral Achilles tendinosis with multiple tears that required surgery (done on separate occasions).

Now bionic.

LinkC wrote:...got a steroid shot...

BF mistake.

Muffy

Linc,I have experienced this 4 times over the years.

Two times for each ankle.

The last one was a "third degree tear" of the tendon along with a cracked bone.

I opted to go for a fiberglass foot cast for six weeks,in lieu of surgery since the tendon was still attatched.

Warned that if it happens again,"we will have to screw your tendon to the bone" so I do not play as hard now.

Took cortisone injections in the heel for plantar fasciitis much later,and that treatment really worked as opposed to an ankle splint (boot).

Always mindful of ankle rollover situations.Good Luck !

OUCH! I don't want rotten tomatoes thrown at me, but even with various leg, knee, and ankle injuries, I didn't need surgery. I do however carry a guilt for indirectly being the cause of an injury like yours. It was a church picnic, and one of the guys asked another if he wanted to shoot some baskets, but he didn't at the moment. I chimed in and challenged him to a game of HORSE, or maybe 21. He tried to hide the snicker as he humored me and took me up on the challenge. See, I couldn't run, dribble, or really PLAY basketball, but I was great at spot shooting. I was seldom beat at HORSE because when I made two-hand backwards shots, I seldom missed, and anyone who had to follow and repeat my shot seldom hit. Not only did I beat my friend that day, he left the court with assistance and in a lot of pain. I think he just jumped and came down on it wrong and the tendon popped. If I remember correctly, the recovery process was slow, as you've indicated you expect. He did recover without even a limp. Hopefully you'll come out of this on the other side as well as he did.
Kathy