Ouch: Achillies Tendon

norrie rugger

Ok ruptured the tendon, had the surgery and going to be in the cast for the next 8 weeks.

Anyone know the general healing time after that?

Not looking for medical advice, just a rough estimate of what I should be expecting when I go into the clinic in 2 weeks.

Lil' Smiler

Ouch!! Sorry to hear that!! How'd you manage that?

It really does depend on the person, 8 weeks is quite general!
Make sure you get rehab after wards from a good therapist. Achilles are a difficult one, once you get a bad injury to one and don't get direct physical treatment on it, it's gonna have a massive amount of scar tissue. The tissue heals in this haphazard test and it needs to be physically broken up to make it align properly.

Rogueish

Hi there,

You will be brought back after the 8 weeks the cast will be taken off and the tendon examined for healing etc. Then depending on the outcome of your examination your foot may be placed in a little more dorsiflexion (toes pointing upwards) and recasted for a further 4 weeks.

When the cast comes off for the final time you will have considerable muscle wasting or atrophy in your lower leg. This is normal for anyone who has been in a cast and unable to move a limb for a prolonged period of time. You will need to build up your calf muscles with resistance exercises (this will be directed your physiotherapist/sports rehabilitator or athletic trainer). this will mean that you will have a limp until your muscles adjust and strengthen.

The tendon itself will be tender for a period of time especially once you start walking on it as it has been shortened considerably through the surgery. Walking and a resistance programme will place a considerable amount of stress through it. Once it has healed you will be placed on an aggressive stretching programme to gain as much length in the muscle as possible so that you can walk normally as quickly as possible.

To tell you exactly how long you will be after the cast comes off depends on a couple of things
1. how hard you will work at your rehabilitation yourself
2. what your goals are (to get back walking properly or get back to sport)
3. your healing capacity
4. how much muscle you lose while in the cast

The first one is the most important. If you work hard at the rehabilitation programme your professional gives you you will see good gains and will see a huge difference in an additional 6 week.

In the mean time best of luck.

R

norrie rugger

Oh I am very aware of the level of work that is required, to get a leg back to full steam after being in a cast.
Took me years to get the majority of motion and strength into my left ankle after I broke it

Tendon damage is all new to me though, so I am hoping for the best while preparing for the worst.
I'll be doing everything that the therapist asks of me to heal this up (more if I am allowed)

It has a bloody sweet scar, I will say that.

Bloody Tag Rugby!! was the reason this happened.
Still think that I am built like a flanker and sidestepped the guy trying to tag me and accelerated, got 3 paces and it felt like someone shot me!!

Good job that I can "work" from home.
Spent most of this time looking at the new course material from my old course.
Been out 4 years and already I am lost, looking at the new material