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Achilles Surgery

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CHDeac

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Has anyone gone through this? I've had terrible achilles pain for close to a year. PT has down little to make it better. Actually its gotten worse. In a boot now but the surgeon is talking surgery (he's been anti surgery up to now). Pre boot, Ive been limping my way through the day. The boot seems to help a little.

Its not a full torn but I suspect I have a lot of shredding.

Worried about the long recovery but am super tired of not being able to do anything.

Appreciate hearing about anyone's experiences.
 
No advice, but no healing in a year? Ouch. Does doctor say why? What does he say surgery is going to accomplish? Always get a second opinion before surgery (measure twice, cut once).
 
awaken said:
No advice, but no healing in a year? Ouch. Does doctor say why? What does he say surgery is going to accomplish? Always get a second opinion before surgery (measure twice, cut once).
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I have a huge bone spur with a lot of calcification. Im pretty sure I have a partial tear or a lot of degradation on the tendon. I even feel it crack and pop during the day.

The repair is to remove spur, reshape heel, clean out old tendon and replace with a tendon from your big toe. 6-9 month recovery with 2 months on crutches. Go figure.

Its pretty miserable to be unable to run, bike and hike and quite frankly to have a lot of pain walking. Golf can be hard and 9 holes is pretty much my limit (with a cart). Walking on the beach was torture this summer.
 
i ruptured my Achilles about 8 years ago playing adult league softball. i had surgery within two weeks of the injury and it took about 6+ months to get some sort of normalcy back. it is a different situation, my injury required surgery, but if you have any specific questions feel free to PM me.
 
warak said:
i ruptured my Achilles about 8 years ago playing adult league softball. i had surgery within two weeks of the injury and it took about 6+ months to get some sort of normalcy back. it is a different situation, my injury required surgery, but if you have any specific questions feel free to PM me.
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Ugh, this is one of my biggest fears. My right Achilles gets sore from time to time and I've heard a rupture is just about the most painful injury you can have. Did you have any warning?
 
timdunkandthefunk said:
Ugh, this is one of my biggest fears. My right Achilles gets sore from time to time and I've heard a rupture is just about the most painful injury you can have. Did you have any warning?
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i was 35 and playing in two softball leagues. Probably doing too much but tried my best to stretch and get in some warmups...wasn't working as my achilles were still tight. i tried to stretch a double to triple after an errand throw, ruptured upon trying to sprint through 2nd (left Achilles). it actually felt like the ball hit me in the back of the leg (tumbled to ground), but realized that was not the case as i reached back to my ankle and there was a void where my Achilles should have been.

now, with an Achilles repair and ACL repair (in other leg), my competitive sports days are over. i find that i just no longer have the extra burst out of my left leg (amassed by extra force produced by coming off toes, like on a layup). it is just no longer there...otherwise, it feels back to normal. with the two injuries, my gait is all messed up but with time and effort got to run normally again. sprinting feels odd though but now in my 40s, i don't do that much.
 
Based on what you've described, I'd opt for surgery. Have you tried swimming to stay in shape and off you heel ?
 
BiffTannen said:
Based on what you've described, I'd opt for surgery. Have you tried swimming to stay in shape and off you heel ?
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I agree with Biff. I swim 3x week now, it is good (full body) low impact exercise. Not the best for keeping weight off, but either is being in your mid 40s.
 
warak said:
i was 35 and playing in two softball leagues. Probably doing too much but tried my best to stretch and get in some warmups...wasn't working as my achilles were still tight. i tried to stretch a double to triple after an errand throw, ruptured upon trying to sprint through 2nd (left Achilles). it actually felt like the ball hit me in the back of the leg (tumbled to ground), but realized that was not the case as i reached back to my ankle and there was a void where my Achilles should have been.

now, with an Achilles repair and ACL repair (in other leg), my competitive sports days are over. i find that i just no longer have the extra burst out of my left leg (amassed by extra force produced by coming off toes, like on a layup). it is just no longer there...otherwise, it feels back to normal. with the two injuries, my gait is all messed up but with time and effort got to run normally again. sprinting feels odd though but now in my 40s, i don't do that much.
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This same scenario could be me although I did my achilles and ACL playing basketball...My rec league hero days are long gone.

I would recommend going with a cast for your achillles. I had the process done some years ago so maybe the technology has changed but I spent a couple of months in a plaster cast bent at an angle that forces your toes pointing downward. This fuses the tendon together and it will naturally heal. The fact it is shredded is even better for the healing process as it is harder for a straight line tear to form a strong bond. Getting around on the cast sucks but it is what it is...


Once you get out of the cast you will go into a rigorous physical therapy program to stretch and strengthen the fused tendon. I can't stress how important the PT is. You are going to put in work!

I recommend this path just because I am anti surgery if there are other options. I went back to playing basketball fine after I completed PT. That's when I tore my ACL..LOL
 
Ralph, I though about the same method but there is an sizable increased potential to re-injure the Achilles tendon (or re-rupture in my case) without surgery. having said that, the PT is very important especially the balance exercises. you might want to look into PT at a sports rehab rather than hospital, they will push you more and get you closer to where you want to be moving forward.
 
Have you thought about going to a chriopractor ?
 
Do bone spurs ever go away without surgery?

After learning you had a spur, I wondered what was to be gained by waiting the year?

Sorry to hear of your debilitation and discomfort. Makes me appreciate my bad back/foot numbness.
 
I've previously had a torn calf muscle- excruciating pain as I imagine the Achilles to be.

Sucks to get old....
 
awaken said:
Do bone spurs ever go away without surgery?

After learning you had a spur, I wondered what was to be gained by waiting the year?

Sorry to hear of your debilitation and discomfort. Makes me appreciate my bad back/foot numbness.
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Spurs are odd things. Sometimes they don't cause any discomfort other times they can be the source. They thought it as heal on its own (the achilles) bit no such luck. From what I know, spurs usually don't go away.

The chiro I went to did ART which hurt like hell. It def helped but only loosened the calf.
 
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