Ruptured Achilles tendon

[hifi_dave]

OK, really done it this time. I slipped in the garden last Tuesday and ruptured my Achilles tendon. Not wishing to trouble the medical profession, I soldiered on till yesterday, just taking pain killers but yesterday, I was forced to see the Doc who sent me straight to the Emergency Department.

I am now in a cast from knee to toes and not allowed to put my foot on the floor - at all. So difficult not to do that, I broke the cast last night and had to spend another day at the Hospital today.

I now have a walker, crutches, pee bottles and a commode, so that I can live and sleep downstairs, because there ain't no way I can get up or down. This is likely to be for 8 x weeks...if it heals properly.

Oh and joy of joys, I have to inject myself every day to prevent blood clots from forming.

Of course, this means that I am unable to conduct any business at all for the foreseeable. Not best pleased.

[rubber duck]

Oh no! Sorry to hear this. At least you'll have more time posting here! Wishing you a speedy recovery!

[struth]

Not good Dave. You should have got it looked at soo!er...naughty! My boy had a broken ankle for over a year that the docs at hospital said was all in his mind..:mental: ended up getting a chunk of bone removed as it had rotted and got a cage on for 6 months while it grew. Was told 10 months but he gave up smoking and did it in 6. He had nurses and aid workers come in daily. You might qualify for that. Gws

[Firebottle]

Bl**dy hell Dave you do things properly :eek:

Bad luck with the slip in the garden, I suppose you didn't realise it was a torn tendon at the time otherwise you may have had it looked at immediately?

Us blokes eh? Think if we ignore it it will go away :mental:
Hope it all gets better quicker than expected.

Alan

[awkwardbydesign]

Get well soon. I shall show this thread to my wife, who wants me to mow the lawn!

[RobbieGong]

Ouch ! Poor you - sorry to hear Dave

[walpurgis]

OK, really done it this time. I slipped in the garden last Tuesday and ruptured my Achilles tendon.

Blimey mate! I really do sympathise having destroyed my right Achilles tendon myself at work many years ago.

My foot was flapping around all over the place until surgery. Funny thing is, although I knew exactly what I'd done and it was pretty damn painful, I didn't experience the agony that I've heard described. I managed to hobble into the office and grab a chair before driving to the hospital (with foot flapping about). Mind you I was the same when I busted my fibula. It didn't hurt as much as expected. Never even got that treated, just set it myself. It's still a bit knobbly on the outside.

You'll have fun when the plaster comes off, My foot was 'set' in the downwards pointed position and took a couple of weeks to return to something like its normal angle. Then you get adhesions between the tendon and the tendon sheath every day for months, which feel like being jabbed with a hot soldering iron as they tear free. (just trying to cheer you up here Dave :))

I managed to get through four plaster casts in the six weeks I was on crutches. Something to do with me driving about all the time I expect. At least the car was an auto.

Hope you get over it quickly. :thumbsup:


(I'd best not mention the time I broke my neck :eek:)

[DSJR]

Oh Gawd, poor you.. Take it easy, wrap up nice and warm and have the missus on hand to cater for your every need ;)

[Barry]

Crickey - what an awful situation! As an incentive to recover quickly, just remember there are only 78 days to Christmas!

Seriously though, take care and see if you can get some home nursing.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Dave,

Just so happens I'm a foot specialist that likes this sort of thing! If you need any help with questions send me a PM. Sounds like you have good treatment plan in place so far, I think they've probably put you on anti-coagulants (warfarin probably) to stop a blood clot forming. Did you get a diagnosis of partial or full tear, this is extremely important as quantification of the pathological damage will determine what type of foot your going to be left with. ATB.

Andy

[Marco]

Hi Dave,

Nightmare. Really sorry to hear that. Hope you get better soon! :cool:

I take it you'll have to cancel your slot on Strictly Come Dancing? :D

Marco.

[hifi_dave]

Thanks for all the messages lads, they're really appreciated.

I am struggling at the moment as I can't put my foot down, not even to steady myself, for fear of breaking the cast again. This means I hop everywhere, balanced by a walking frame. Stairs and the bathroom are not possible, so I am living/sleeping in the sitting room and kitchen. The worst part is having to get my Wife to do so much for me, even emptying the wee bottles and commode.

I have a new respect for disabled people. You often see them bombing around on crutches like they haven't a care. I know different now.

Not quite sure what happens next as I was just seen by A&E, who patched me up. I would have liked to see a Consultant to explain the prognosis and treatment but this won't happen for a while.

[hifi_dave]

Dave,

Just so happens I'm a foot specialist that likes this sort of thing! If you need any help with questions send me a PM. Sounds like you have good treatment plan in place so far, I think they've probably put you on anti-coagulants (warfarin probably) to stop a blood clot forming. Did you get a diagnosis of partial or full tear, this is extremely important as quantification of the pathological damage will determine what type of foot your going to be left with. ATB.

Andy

Hi Andy,
It's a partial rupture, not the full Monty.

The injections are not Warfarin as I have poor kidney function, so they consulted the Nephrology dept for a safe alternative. I don't mind the injections, it's the anticipation of
sticking the needle into my tummy which puts me off.

My worry is that I waited a week before seeking treatment. Will that have adverse effects on the repair ?

David

[Barry]

Hopefully the only consequence of the delay in seeking treatment will a concommitant delay to full healing and recovery.

[struth]

Thanks for all the messages lads, they're really appreciated.

I am struggling at the moment as I can't put my foot down, not even to steady myself, for fear of breaking the cast again. This means I hop everywhere, balanced by a walking frame. Stairs and the bathroom are not possible, so I am living/sleeping in the sitting room and kitchen. The worst part is having to get my Wife to do so much for me, even emptying the wee bottles and commode.

I have a new respect for disabled people. You often see them bombing around on crutches like they haven't a care. I know different now.

Not quite sure what happens next as I was just seen by A&E, who patched me up. I would have liked to see a Consultant to explain the prognosis and treatment but this won't happen for a while.

Yes like many things you often have to suffer it or at least live with it to realise all the implications Dave. My wife was fully disabled for nearly 20 years and i did everything for her. Now im disabled and again i do it for me mostly. altough its hard you do adapt a!d learn new tricks and shortcuts.. Hope you make as full a recovery as possible but dont push it too quckly.

[Oldpinkman]

And when the cast comes off, don't stretch your toes in bed. My wife managed a full achilles tear like that - just lying in bed and stretching her toes. In her case the doctors blamed (suggested it was not unheard of during) the menopause, but I guess you need to look to another cause.

Whilst not as bad, I sprained my ankle (type 3) and I have to say injury is far less glamorous as you get older. GWS

[Audio Advent]

I'm sorry to hear this! I met a guy who'd torn his achilles walking up a steep slope. He heard a bang like something heavy hitting his leg (he was carrying staging gear) and thought nothing of it until the pain started.

In conversation with another, I heard that because there are no nerve endings in the tendons, damage can be there for a long time before eventually it tears or breaks.

He was on his way back to recovery ok though!

[hifi_dave]

Yes like many things you often have to suffer it or at least live with it to realise all the implications Dave. My wife was fully disabled for nearly 20 years and i did everything for her. Now im disabled and again i do it for me mostly. altough its hard you do adapt a!d learn new tricks and shortcuts.. Hope you make as full a recovery as possible but dont push it too quckly.

Respect. I have no idea what you are going through but hope that life is still good for you.

I'm making a fuss because I have never been seriously incapacitated and these two visits to A&E were my first ever.

My Wife is borrowing a wheelchair tomorrow, so I hope to be out and about a bit.

[Wakefield Turntables]

My worry is that I waited a week before seeking treatment. Will that have adverse effects on the repair ?

David

Hard to answer properly Dave. You should have had a ultrasound to assess the severity of the tear. The Achilles is a little like a swiss army knife in that has a massive influence over your heal bone (the Calcaneus). Amongst other things it :-

1. It helps to slow the heel down so you generate a normative heel strike impact.
2. It helps lift your heel during the last 10% of the gait cycle (terminal propulsion).
3. It also recycles energy from the ground and feeds it back for efficient gait

and the list goes on. You need to make sure you listen very carefully to your Physio's and do everything thet advise. Your biomechanics are going to take 6-12 months to calm down post injury and you will need gait analysis to assess the effect on your Gastrocnemius muscle. Hope this helps a little. ;)



Hopefully the only consequence of the delay in seeking treatment will a concommitant delay to full healing and recovery.

+1 Barry. I hope that this is the only consequence.


I'm sorry to hear this! I met a guy who'd torn his achilles walking up a steep slope. He heard a bang like something heavy hitting his leg (he was carrying staging gear) and thought nothing of it until the pain started.

In conversation with another, I heard that because there are no nerve endings in the tendons, damage can be there for a long time before eventually it tears or breaks.

He was on his way back to recovery ok though!

Wrong, the Achilles does indeed have nerve endings. Lots of different types in fact. :)

[struth]

My feet used to point inward when I was a lad, and I had to do exercises of curling up long socks with my toes with feet flat. it took some time but it did work. Dunno what it was called, but the exercises did strain the Achilles at time. that was in early 60's of course and there are probably better things to fix it now. Ive strained the achillies a couple of times and it is darned sore and took ages to go away so my heart goes out to you Dave. Of course getting to sit while the wife sweats pushing you should help;)

[Wakefield Turntables]

My feet used to point inward when I was a lad, and I had to do exercises of curling up long socks with my toes with feet flat. it took some time but it did work. Dunno what it was called, but the exercises did strain the Achilles at time. that was in early 60's of course and there are probably better things to fix it now. Ive strained the achillies a couple of times and it is darned sore and took ages to go away so my heart goes out to you Dave. Of course getting to sit while the wife sweats pushing you should help;)

Try looking under a complaint called Metatarsus Adductus.

[sq225917]

Sitting here with a Lingual Hernia which I've been doing my best to ignore all week. I feel your pain...

[walpurgis]

My feet used to point inward when I was a lad, and I had to do exercises

Me too, but my exercises were different. I grew out of it anyway.

[struth]

Me too, but my exercises were different. I grew out of it anyway.

Yes, I can imagine what they were :eyebrows:

[hifi_dave]

Hard to answer properly Dave. You should have had a ultrasound to assess the severity of the tear. The Achilles is a little like a swiss army knife in that has a massive influence over your heal bone (the Calcaneus). Amongst other things it :-

1. It helps to slow the heel down so you generate a normative heel strike impact.
2. It helps lift your heel during the last 10% of the gait cycle (terminal propulsion).
3. It also recycles energy from the ground and feeds it back for efficient gait

and the list goes on. You need to make sure you listen very carefully to your Physio's and do everything thet advise. Your biomechanics are going to take 6-12 months to calm down post injury and you will need gait analysis to assess the effect on your Gastrocnemius muscle. Hope this helps a little. ;)
:)
All I had were some X-Rays and then the cast fitted. As it was A&E, I didn't see a Consultant but I am in the 'system' and hope to see one next week. I'm a bit in the dark really, just hoping they have done the right thing. I have been paying BUPA for years, maybe I should use this to see an expert ?

[struth]

I would if at all possible. It may well cut through the waiting time and time it money as well as comfort and possibly a better outcome... No point in paying for something and not taking advantage

[Wakefield Turntables]

All I had were some X-Rays and then the cast fitted. As it was A&E, I didn't see a Consultant but I am in the 'system' and hope to see one next week. I'm a bit in the dark really, just hoping they have done the right thing. I have been paying BUPA for years, maybe I should use this to see an expert ?

OK, X-rays can't assess soft tissue damage they are designed to assess bony (osseous) damage. You will need a soft tissue scan (MRI/US) to determine the extent of your tear. So, you should be asking how do they know that I've partially torn my Achilles when they haven't performed a soft tissue scan? :wowzer: A preferred method of imobilising your foot would have been an AirCast walker but not every hospital can afford the £150 that they cost when a cast costs pennies. You really must insist that you have a soft tissue scan and start physio immediately you don't want to be developing calcification in your achilles.

[Firebottle]

If you are paying BUPA then make use of it.
You'll get much quicker service and some other poor sod in the NHS chain will benefit also.

I had BUPA cover for a while many years ago.

:)

[Spectral Morn]

Hope you make a full recovery soon Dave.


Regards Neil

[hifi_dave]

Thank you all for the good wishes and Andy for the advice.

My Wife is wheeling me to the Doc's tomorrow for a blood test. I will ask then about getting in touch with a Consultant. The Hospital gave me a contact number when they fitted the first cast and told me that they would contact me within a week. Thing is, I really would like to know sooner, what is going to be done and the time scale.

I've done a lot of searching on the www about this condition and am horrified to hear that it might well take a year to get back to normal(ish).

[hifi_dave]

At last - saw the Consultant today and fitted with an Aircast boot. Sod me but it is very uncomfortable. Makes the plaster cast feel like a well worn slipper.Plus side is that I am not afraid of catching it and breaking it as I was with the plaster jobbie.

It has 4 foam wedges and I'm supposed to remove them one at a time in two week intervals. I won't see the Consultant again until 15th December, so I'm a bit worried that it might not be doing the job and I will have to start all over again. I've already wasted 2 weeks with the plaster cast.

A Physio is coming on Thursday to help me with getting down the 2 steps to a loo. That would make a massive difference to my quality of life as going on a commode ain't nice. Hopefully, she/he will give me advice on exercises for the foot.

[struth]

Thats good news Dave... dont think the 2 weeks were wasted. Physio will hopefully get you on the pan again mate :eyebrows: The one I had was a great guy.

[walpurgis]

Hopefully, you'll be back to some form of more comfortable mobility by Christmas Dave. It all takes a while. Your comment about it taking a year to be back to something like normality in a previous post is likely to not be far out. I had a few twinges even after that, but not too bad. Best of luck with your recovery!

[Wakefield Turntables]

Dave,

I will post later today when I get some time.

[hifi_dave]

Well, after nearly 4 weeks in the Aircast boot, I am getting used to it. If someone had told me, right at the start, that it was going to be very painful, I wouldn't have worried quite so much. It was not knowing if something was wrong or if the acute discomfort was normal which was making me anxious. Now I know that the claustrophobia and pain is just a part of wearing the boot.

I removed one of the four wedges from the boot 11 days ago and will remove the second next Tuesday. This allows my heel to go down bit by bit until it is in a normal position. The good part is that now I can rest my boot/foot on the floor. Not put weight on it but at least I don't need to keep it permanently raised.

Another milestone is that after 5 weeks, I can stop injecting myself with the anti-coagulent. It's amazing how quickly you can get used to doing it but I'm glad I no longer have to.

Only 31 days to go before I see the Consultant again and then, perhaps, I can be free of the boot and have a shower, visit the loo and sleep in my bed. Then comes a long period of Physiotherapy.

[walpurgis]

Glad you're coming along Dave.

I had none of the treatment you got. Just surgery and a plaster cast pointing my foot downwards for six weeks. Then plaster off and left to sort myself from there. Was over thirty years ago though.

[hifi_dave]

Thank you.

Surgery wasn't an option because of where the rupture is, my age and kidney problems. Apparently, opinion is 50/50 split on surgery or conservative action, such as I have.

[Barry]

Yes - glad to hear thing are progressing in the right direction Dave.

Here's hoping you will be a lot more comfortable over Christmas and the New Year.

Best wishes
Barry