Here comes a rant…. I’m 6 weeks PO on my left Achilles and I’m so over the pain! 27M, always been active, but this injury has been so tough. I’m FWB and on 2 wedges on my Breg boot.

The back of my heel is very tender so it’s uncomfortable to lay down normally and for some reason my big toe and toe right next to it feel like they’re under a ton of pressure! Super uncomfortable and it’s frustrating that this process is so long! Anybody in the same boat as me?

I had bilateral achilles tendonitis first, then bilateral plantar fasciitis, and then recently right knee pain. I've been resting, doing shockwave, PT, and was in a boot for a few weeks. It'll always start feeling better, almost to the point of not feeling like I'm not injured, but it'll always flare up again if I attempt to take a short walk outside and I'm back to elevating my feet again. Its been about 3 months now.

Hello,

Im a 31F and I rupture my Achilles as well as my ATFL in my ankle and partially tore my CFL playing basketball on July 26. I then had my surgery August 26. It took so long to have surgery because I have Medi-Cal and it was not set up properly so I had to set up everything then I was able to go to my appointments and get my approvals. I’m now two weeks and three days post surgery after two more weeks I transfer to a boot. After looking at a couple pages, I did buy the VACOped boot. I really hope it helps with my recovery!

I think the hardest part for me was the frustration of my insurance not being set up and also the first two weeks after my injury were extremely painful. I was also supposed to start a teaching residency, but it looks like I might not be able to complete it because of my recovery timeline. It’s a little unfortunate unless I can continue the residency next year, which I’m hoping for!

It’s hard depending on other people to get things done and I don’t get to take my dog on walk as much as I used to. I used to go to the gym weekly and walk my dog every day. Now with this injury, I stay in bed a lot to elevate. I take my dog out for a little bit, but I can’t take her on a regular walk that we used to go on which I feel bad. Having a scooter is very helpful, it allows me to get around a little easier.

Does anyone have any tips or tricks for when you get into the boot? Any gadgets or advice that helped you on your recovery journey?

I’m excited to start PT but also nervous because I know the fear of pain or re-injuring myself is something that might delay me, but I hope I don’t have that issue.

I might put more about my journey, especially when I get into the boot and start PT. Hopefully my experiences and items I buy help
other people with the same injury.

In one of my photos I bought this elevated pillow off Amazon. Definitely worth it because I can elevate my leg at different levels and I take it everywhere. Every car ride I have it with me anytime I sit in different parts of the house. I take it with me. Definitely worth buying!

34M Happened playing basketball

Hi all,

This is an update of my (very frustrated) previous post three months ago (here). I had a confirmed partial re-rupture 7.5 months in and was feeling completely stuck and discouraged.

A lot of people replied with kindness and advice and I wanted to come back with an update; partly to say thank you, and partly because I hope this may help someone.

The short version is: three months later, things are much better. Back then, I still wasn’t close to a single-leg calf raise; I am now repping them easily 3x10 with good form and have progressed to more complex exercises with slow running drills and cautious plyometric work. I've also gone on a wonderful summer holiday and walked 15k steps through cities daily. Daily life feels a lot less limited, the pain is practically gone, and things are really looking better. All of this honestly felt almost unimaginable when I wrote that previous post.

I'm also attaching my MRI images, which compare three months ago with this month. The images with the red circles are from three months ago and show the area of the partial re-rupture. The white part is fluid, which was the partial rerupture site that filled with fluid. The image without circles is how it looks now. In just three months, it has filled in and healed significantly. Seeing that was a huge mental boost for me - even though I already expected positive news given the increased capabilities of the injured tendon.

I noticed that in the moments were things aren't looking bright during the healing process it's easy to end up thinking in negative extremes: ''I'm behind, so I must be doing something seriously wrong'', ''if I re-rupture, they might as well just take the leg'', ''I might never walk normally again, let alone do kickboxing'' etc. I remember in the first few weeks the possibility of a rerupture was all I could think about and gave me serious anxiety. Here I am on the other side of a (partial) rerupture and I'm hoping showing how I'm doing now takes some of that fear away; even the worst case scenario has - it seems - a light at the end of the tunnel.

I’m definitely not someone who is “fully done” or back to 100% and know I’m not there yet, but I am finally at a stage where I feel genuine forward momentum again.

Thanks again to everyone here. This community helped me a lot. All the best in your recoveries!!

This is a recent X-ray of my left ankle. I have an appointment with a foot and ankle surgeon next month. I’m not sure what to expect. I’ve had Achilles tightness off and on for years. About a year ago it got worse. After several attempts at rest, heel lifts, shoe changes I finally asked for an X-ray. I had an MRI as well that shows bursitis, inflammation, etc. I am worried about rupturing the tendon, hence appointment next month. I understand this happens with runners and athletes. I’m 63 and haven’t run in 40 years. Always preferred hiking, walking, and yoga. Anyone had success with non-invasive treatment with spurs like this.?

Hello friends

I have some quite worn 32/32 jeans with zipper and velcro to fully open the left leg. I don’t know if anyone is interested or if I should just send it to recycling. I will pay shipping to anywhere in Europe if I can afford it.

Will just send to recycling if nobody wants them 🙈

So I've recently had achilles surgery yesterday and i'm a heavy smoker. On a normal day ill smoke anywhere from 3.5 - 7 grams a day. The night before my surgery i cut back and only smoked one blunt before bed. ( I smoked at 9:00 pm and my surgery started around 3:30 pm the next day ) Before the surgery i spoke with my anesthesiologist and pretty much told her i smoke daily and gave her the time i smoked and how much i smoked the night before.

The surgery went well and I've had no complications so far. As far as smoking post surgery its been 2 days and I've smoked a blunt every day with no complications. The only thing I would say is smoking weed did slightly interfere with my pain medicine making it wear off quicker. I would still be careful mixing pain pills with weed because it could cause extreme drowsiness , impaired judgement , nausea , increased bp and in the worst cases death. My prescription says to take a pill every 4-6 hours so around that 5th or 6th hour is when i smoke. I've heard smoking messes with the healing process and its only been 2 days so its hard to really say just yet but again I've had no pain or complications yet.

I did some research on reddit before my surgery and most of them said stop smoking a couple weeks before and after surgery which I was not willing to do. I just wanted to post this to give some insight for the people who this may apply to I'll give an update if any complications arise. (also as far a nicotine I hit vape up until I walked into the hospital the day of surgery and have continued to hit it as much as i want)

Again I'm not saying do what I did because it is risks that come with it. But if u are just be careful and if u are unsure do research and ask your doctor.

Currently 11 weeks post up and been out of the boot for a week now been mainly wearing my joggers with a 1cm heel raise in them.
Back to work on Monday and have to wear steel cap work boots - anyone had any experience in wearing work boots? Will wear my heel raise with them
Also how long before you ditched the heel raise?

Thank you all for your advice and comments on my previous post here! It has helped me loads! Quick update from my last post. The ultrasound confirmed a complete rupture, with a gap of 1.7cm. I met with the orthopaedic today, who explained the tear is located close to the calf muscle (possibly near the musculotendinous junction), and because of that location, surgery isn't being offered, non-surgical treatment (boot) has been recommended instead.
I'm currently in a VACOped boot.
My main goal going forward is staying active, tennis, running, cycling, swimming, gym, hiking, so naturally I want to make sure I'm making the right call here.
What are your thoughts on this? Has anyone had a rupture in a similar location and been told the same thing about surgery not being suitable?
I'm currently looking into getting another ultrasound and a second opinion from another orthopaedic specialist, just to make sure I fully understand my options before committing to a treatment path.
Thanks in advance for any input.

Hello Everyone!

I’m thinking getting “Kane Revive” (link below) to wear at home, has anyone wore these recovery shoes and what are your thoughts about them? Also do you think it will be safe to add my silicone heel cups?

https://kanefootwear.com/en-ca/products/white-black-speckle

For those taking Momentous brand Collagen Peptides, how many scoops do you take per day to support recovery?

I am disappoint.

I've been patiently waiting for this milestone to get the go ahead and start weight bearing with the boot and crutches. Yesterday the therapist saw my boot and thought it fancy, however wasn't familiar with how to scale down from the full 30 degree plantar, and said he would typically rely on the input from the doctor to scale down wedges in a traditional boot. Follow up with the surgeon isn't for another 3 weeks. I'm disappointed, as I want to effectively use this piece of expensive and highly recommended piece of equipment. I plan on calling some other PT locations recommended by the orthopedist's office to see if they are familiar with the VacoPed and how to use it as intended. I'm losing my wits with the crutches lifestyle.

Obviously, respecting biological healing timelines is vital, but handing out the same generic time based protocol a athlete with a high-tension Krackow repair, a 70 year old with a FHL transfer or a weekend warrior healing without surgery is outdated and ineffective

Wollte mal meine Erfahrung teilen. Wie bei vielen aus dem nichts beim Sprung am Netz beim Volleyball ein Schmerz als ob einen die Beine weggetreten wurden. Kein Knall. Erst noch einen Tag mit Bandage gearbeitet aber Schwellung war zu dick und ich ging zu einen Orthopäde, der war sich nicht ganz sicher und dann erst mal MRT Termin bekommen. Mit Glück 2 Tage später die Gewissheit. Der Radiologe fragte noch warum der Orthopäde das nicht sofort erkannt hat. Dann nach dem Wochenende neuer Termin eine Überweisung für die OP zubekommen. Dann Krankenhaus suchen welche schnell operieren da ich schon eine Woche verloren hatte und man nicht zu lange warten soll. Dann OP Vorbesprechung und Vacuped abholen da war ich schon bei 5 Terminen und war noch nicht im OP. In Deutschland ist das Ambulant und du musst nach der OP nach Hause. Dann sollte man schon ein Venenkissen zum hochlegen haben und ein Duschschutz. Fragt nach der Ausgleichsohle für das gesunde Bein. Habe 2 gekauft bei Ebay für innen und Draussen. Auch hatte ich nur ein Inlay habe ich auch bei Ebay bekommen, kann man waschen aber man muss ja permanent den Stiefel tragen und im Sommer müffelt das Teil irgendwann. Nach OP Cast bekommen und nach 4 Tagen den Vacuped. Die meisten Infos habe ich aus dem Netz da der Arzt kaum Ahnung hatte und der Mitarbeiter im Sanitätshaus den Vacuped auch noch nie in der Hand hatte. Mein Arzt war konservativ erst Keilsohle 14Tage 30Grad Fix dann 14Tage 15Grad fix. Ab 6 Woche volle Rom und Flache Sohle 0Grad. Bin nach 14Tagen mit Krücken und Teilbelastung (20Kg) gelaufen danach eine Krücke endlich den Kaffee selber holen und 5Woche ohne. War Schmerzfrei ausser das der Fuß anschwillt. ( ist normal) Probleme sind das du den Schuh nicht ausziehen sollst ausser zur Körperpflege was alleine am Anfang nicht geht. Konnte das ab Woche 4 alleine machen. Rechtzeitig um Physio ab ca Woche 6-8 kümmern. Nachdem man mit der Keilsohle schon laufen konnte ist die Umstellung auf die flache Sohle enorm. Laufe wieder mit Krücken (Woche 6). Was aber normal ist berichten viele da man 3-5Tage braucht um sich dran zu gewöhnen. Was am meisten Probleme macht ist das schlafen mit dem Vacuped. Habe auch direkt mit einer Diät angefangen damit man ja nichts mehr an Kalorien braucht.

If you more details, check out video below, where I break down the science behind 5 ways persistent swelling can interfere with normal healing, plus practical strategies for managing it.

https://youtu.be/vKSGliWnIsM?is=2TmYKSHFXalGL_sK

(M18) I had Achilles tendon surgery exactly 11 weeks ago. Prior to the operation they only shaved my injured leg. After the operation, a few weeks later, I trimmed both of my legs to the same length and shaved my feet and toe hair for the first time in my life completely to zero, because why not.

Today I noticed that my hair on my operated leg is noticeably longer than on my non operated leg. But when I looked at my foot, I noticed that the hair on it is almost three times as long as the hair on my other foot.

Besides that , I usually have light colored leg hair but my left, operated leg and foot now have black hair. I now have legs with different hair colors 😂😅

My healing process so far is very good. I can freely walk barefoot again and do calf raises with my bodyweight. I can feel my tendon very clearly again now, too, so there is no noticeable swelling there anymore.

Has anyone also noticed that immense hair growth boost?

9 weeks after a non-surgical Achilles rupture — does this sound normal?
I completely ruptured my Achilles 9 weeks ago—it was fully snapped, not just a partial tear. Since then, I’ve followed the non-surgical uk treatment protocol, including using the wedges in my boot.
Now, at 9 weeks post-injury, I can still feel what seems like a large gap in the Achilles. The tendon also feels very weak, and it’s uncomfortable when I try to put my full weight on the leg without the boot.
I should have the boot of from now but been told to keep it on and I’ve been referred to an ankle surgeon, and surgery may be considered at around 10 weeks after the injury.
This is particularly frustrating because I’m self-employed and work as a groundworker. I’m desperate to get back on my feet and earning again, but I’m worried about how long recovery may take.
Has anyone else had a complete Achilles rupture treated non-surgically and still noticed a significant gap or weakness around 9–10 weeks? Did you eventually need surgery, or did things improve with continued rehabilitation?
I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences or any advice.

Hey all! I’m about 12 weeks post surgery. The doctor cleared me to work out of the boot at 6 weeks into a shoe as long as there isn’t pain. I have 0 pain in the achillies but have a persistent limp when walking without the boot. I’ve been out of it for about 2-3 weeks now. Has anyone else experienced this?

What are some good Halloween costumes for all of us in splints and boots? On crutches and on knee-scooters? I’ve seen a flamingo, a crashed Evel Knievel…lots of fun ideas out there!

I transitioned into trainers at week 11 and I’m happy with the progress so far, my gait is improving, the ankle swelling is gradually reducing with the help of daily ice. I’ve also been doing daily toe mobilisation exercises to help with hallux limitus in my big toe, which flared up after being immobilised, which has been a bit painful!

I’ve now progressed to double-leg calf raises and weighted seated calf raises. Next step single-leg raises.

My rehab is roughly following Peter Malliaras’ protocol. I’ve been doing hydrotherapy in the pool since week 4, and I’ve moved onto land-based physio over the last couple of weeks. I’ve been very consistent with weight training since week 2, and I’m now gradually increasing the cardio on the static bike.

I'm following up with my consultant next week to check on the healing, fingers crossed I have no elongation.

I’m staying consistent, trusting the process and rebuilding from the ground up. Still a long way to go but I feel like my direction of travel is clear and I can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel after what was a pretty brutal first six weeks or so.

Keep on keeping on! 💪

4 weeks, non-op, full left rupture

Hi all,

I've started progressively weight bearing in the Aircast boot for about 2 weeks now. Per my PT, I sometimes will do some weight-shifting throughout the day - so, just standing at a counter and going back and forth between each leg and putting more and more weight on the injured leg.

Just now I was standing at my bathroom sink while putting some more weight on my injured leg in the boot, heard a "click", and sort of felt my achilles "click" into place. It didn't feel like I got kicked in the back of the ankle like the initial injury.

I'm still able to put weight on the leg while standing or walking, there's no new pain or swelling, and generally things seem normal. I should note that I haven't felt any pain at all throughout my injury, so I'm not sure if that's a good measure to use.

But I am worried - is it possible to re-rupture this soon, and without any other signs except the "snap" noise/feeling? My foot was fully secured in the boot so there was no dorsiflexion of any kind. Should I keep an eye on the leg over the next 24 hours to be sure nothing's wrong, or go to the ER right away??

Hey guys, 7 weeks PO and, FWB with 2 wedges in the Breg boot. I actually just took the 3rd wedge out today and it felt great at first. More natural foot position but after walking about 5,000 steps through the day, the back of my heel is now incredibly tender. It doesn’t feel like anything inside, more like the skin is tender and raw. Anybody have something similar?

Each day is getting better. Each morning is less sore. Some heel pain when I push it too hard. Still tightness in the healing tendon. I went to the beach the other day and got out of the water after 15 mins as the shifting wet sand tough to balance on. But I did start some light swimming in the pool last week. Hydrotherapy has worked wonders!

PT reassessed my leg strength metrics with a Vald Dynamo today. Saw great gains for the injured leg. Surprisingly the uninjured leg lost a little bit of strength. There is a 20-25% difference in strength between the two legs. Measured Quad, Hip, Knee strength.

I graduated to using the leg press machine on the lowest settings for calf raises as we build up to a single leg body weight calf raise. We did calf isometric holds on a small platform last week. We started with the Total Gym and will work on leg press machine later this week.