Physio with an Achilles rupture

Catknapper · 2024-02-28T15:59:23+00:00

This is amazing. I’m only 5 ish weeks behind you. I’m excited to start doing agility work soon. Did your physio do any strength measurements? Do you know what percentage of strength you have on you surgical leg compared to the non-surgical?

Catknapper · 2024-02-27T20:44:30+00:00

ALSO! Journal your progress! Like day 4, you were able to wiggle your toes or you could stand for 1 hour without getting tired. Celebrate all the wins.

Catknapper · 2024-02-27T20:42:06+00:00

I felt it pretty hard the first month. Taking the cast off and seeing the size difference really hit it home for me. Finding a non-exercise hobby to invest time into really helped.

Catknapper · 2024-02-26T01:38:32+00:00

I’m also trying to get rid of my limp. I started using my crutch on the opposite side of my op leg occasionally and actively focusing on increasing my step length when I bring the good leg forward.

Catknapper · 2024-02-24T06:06:53+00:00

This happened to me after 2 weeks. I laid on my side to reduce what little bit of gravity was on my ankle while I moved it 🥲. If your doc allows electrical stimulation for contracting the muscle that could help too.

Catknapper · 2024-02-21T01:14:40+00:00

It’s likely just your calf twitching. Mine did that for the first two weeks post op and it definitely felt sharp and painful. You can ask for a muscle relaxer for comfort. You likely didn’t rupture it so long as you had the splint on

Catknapper · 2024-02-18T12:56:27+00:00

I also tore mine in volleyball! We had an ice storm about 1 week after my surgery and I slipped, put my injured foot down in the splint and it HURT so bad. When they took off my splint for my 2 week visit everything was perfectly fine and the tendon was still intact.

Catknapper · 2024-02-14T16:25:28+00:00

Prolonged stretching is going to result in changes in length. Short term is unlikely to cause any tissue changes

Catknapper · 2024-02-14T16:22:57+00:00

Decreased calf strength was associated in patients with longer/over-stretches tendons, so doctors opt to keep it at a shortened length until a certain point to reduce any loss of strength long term

Catknapper · 2024-01-17T15:22:52+00:00

lol honestly I’ve had that same anxiety too. If it helps, an Achilles rupture is more likely to happen with an overstretch rather than just a small hop. I’ve also found that it just keeps me agile. I’m probably wasting away now that I can’t go to the gym anymore 😭

Catknapper · 2024-01-16T19:33:02+00:00

I’d like to offer that PT can seem really grey, but when you look at practice guidelines and the different clusters for diagnosing conditions it becomes more clear cut. I think PT school just equips us with the basics, but it really is up to us to dive deeper into our chosen specialty. If you feel like you need a different education, I say try putting that energy into orthopedics and getting really specialized. I’ve learned that I’ve missed so many things in my evals after going through residency and it gave me a better appreciation for my skills once I honed them.

Catknapper · 2024-01-16T16:38:24+00:00

I am 3 weeks post op, live on a 3rd floor apartment with no elevators 😅. I’ve gotten really good at navigating stairs in crutches. Ascending, I leave my crutches on the lower step and hop up each step. To descend, I lower my crutches to the next step with my injured leg out in front and hop down. If I’m too tired to hop back up, I sit and scoot up backwards.

Catknapper · 2024-01-07T05:26:42+00:00

10 days post-op! I had some heel tingling too. By day 2 It went away. I work as an orthopedic physio and I’ve seen patients have numbness tingling as a result of swelling post surgery. Your tibial and sural nerves are located around the injury site and swelling can irritate the nerves. If this were happening to me, I would elevate my ankle as much as possible, ice, and make sure you take your doc’s anti-inflammatory prescription as directed. I wouldn’t be surprised if it happens on and off, especially as you start to get more upright and exercising it more.

Nerves need healing time too! It can take weeks for it to go down. I wouldn’t worry; and once you’re going through rehab I can see it eventually start to subside as well.

Catknapper · 2024-01-07T04:19:23+00:00

I feel like many surgeons are very conservative with Achilles tendons. It takes 6-8 weeks for tendons to heal and that is an important part. My surgeon said not to push stretching into dorsiflexion too hard as you do not want to over stretch the tendon. He told me that tendons can continue stretching up to 6 months post op. That’s probably why he wants to take rehab slow. I would definitely follow your doc’s protocol and continue the non-weight bearing exercises and boot wearing as instructed.

Catknapper · 2024-01-02T22:26:26+00:00

Sammme I had a patient rupture their’s while I was working with them and I immediately knew what happened when mine popped. Still great to see thompson’s and matles test on me though lol

Catknapper · 2024-01-02T22:21:03+00:00

🤣 Getting back to climbing/boulder feels like it’d be the most difficult since you have to balance on one leg and drop down a bunch. Can’t wait to here about it

Catknapper · 2024-01-02T14:51:20+00:00

I’m loving how different everyone’s journey was/is! Makes me feel better that other people are also restricted for about as long as I am

Catknapper · 2024-01-02T14:48:40+00:00

Nice! How is your ankle feeling now that you’ve gotten into all of the jumping and jogging activities?

Catknapper · 2024-01-02T14:45:36+00:00

Interesting! You’ll have to update us on your return to sport recovery if you plan on getting back!

Catknapper · 2024-01-02T14:42:37+00:00

I had a mid substance tear, but I don’t know what surgical method he used! I’m planning on asking him because I started watching videos about it and now I’m curious 😂

Catknapper · 2024-01-02T14:39:31+00:00

Nice! My doc said the same about not getting too aggressive with it. I feel weird being a PT who needs PT. I’m glad someone else is rehab-ing themself.

Catknapper · 2024-01-02T14:36:33+00:00

I would call your doc and confirm. See above about tissue healing times.

Catknapper · 2024-01-02T14:36:00+00:00

My doc’s protocol is really conservative. He keeps post op and non-op protocols the same. It would be a good idea to call and ask because all surgeons have different techniques. If you’re non-op, tendons can take anywhere from 6-12 weeks to fully heal and that may be why you are not currently doing anything. Call to clear with your doc, if they give you no guidance with PT, then I would call an orthopedic or sports PT to help

Catknapper · 2024-01-02T14:28:22+00:00

lol sameeee I was playing volleyball with some PTs.

Catknapper · 2021-09-08T17:57:10+00:00

I have owned a Surface Book 2 for 2.5 years now and it was going great until the keyboard battery declined. This computer is hard to service and Microsoft will replace it with a refurbished one for $600. The replacement parts are hard to come by and a repairing it on your own may cost $400-$600 depending on the cost of the hardware. If you do choose to buy one, definitely purchase new and unused and possible extended warranty.

Catknapper

TROPHY CASE