Hi , I am a one day member…hoping to get some advice on what I can do to accelerate my recovery …
Recently , June 23rd I snapped/ruptured my achilles tendon exercising. I
was in a cast 7 weeks and then have been wearing a boot since this week.
My dr. , to my disappointment , advised this week I still was not where
he had expected me to be in the healing process. Basically I am still
having swelling all around my ankle, He attributes the slower pace of
recovery to my diabetes. My bs are in control and the wound itself
healed very well…but internally it’s another story.
I signed on here yesterday after the dr. visit hoping to find
information from anyone who has a similar injury/surgery and to learn
about their experience.
I am real go getter personality and I know I can get through the next 6 months to a full recovery…however the frustration.
So, anyone out there have advice ?
Modernmuse
I completely ruptured my left Achilles about 10 years ago in competition, running a 200m sprint. My surgeon said repairing it was like trying to sew cooked spaghetti back together.
Under the best of conditions, it’s a slow, sometimes painful recovery. I’m not sure how much my diabetes affected the pace of my recovery and I don’t remember any obvious swelling once the hard cast came off. I was 2 months in a hard cast, and another 4 months in an adjustable boot. I did tons of physical therapy to gradually stretch the tendon, lot’s of icing, and did a slow build up in my activity level from the time the adjustable boot went on to the time I considered myself as recovered as I was ever going to be.
My only real advice would be not to push it. It took about 8 months for me to feel physically recovered enough to step back onto a basketball court for a full speed full court 5 on 5 game. 10 years later, I’m still not sure how much functionality I’ve gotten back. My ortho assured me I had a full recovery, but I put myself at about 90% judging from the strength of my left calf and the flexibility in my ankle. Plenty of capacity to get through every level of activity I’ve ever wanted to do since then.
To this day, however, I have yet to put on a pair of spikes and sprint all out on a track again. I don’t think I’ll ever be mentally prepared for that again.
Thanks . I feel much more sane now…as well as encouraged. Yeah, I know this type A personality is having a hard time facing the fact I will never be the same at 100% …( maybe, but doubtful). I need to relax and ease into the recovery. I think from what you advised , I have been going too full force again n the recumbant bike . Plus my injured right leg does not have great circulation anyway and that as well inhibits healing.
I think I will add in massage on the foot/leg and chill out more. Hey I can still work abs and arms and swim!!!
Michelle Modernmuse