1st Aid Achilles’ tendon rupture....

thorr

thorr

Senior Member
Good day,
Last Friday as the result of leaping of my deck stairs to save a dog from getting hit by my FIL, I tore my left tendon...
Horrible ripping noise/feeling...
No insurance 63 years old in pretty good shape.
The tendon is pretty mushy..
It’s in a boot at the moment..
Have appointment with orthopedic surgeon tomorrow morning.. self pay
Then X-ray and MRI.. self pay

It’s getting much better, can move foot up down toes wiggle good. I did fail the Thompson test...
Kinda a reflex test for the Achilles...
Still can’t really put weight on it barefoot...

And you know how the surgeon makes his nut..
I guess my question is it possible that it will heal enough that I won’t be a total cripple...

As you can imagine, answers from the web are all over the place...

It’s definitely a life changing injury...
My mother would have said “ God wants you to slow down “....
I’m good with that, I’ll never leap again..
But we did just buy a fixer upper two months ago..

Anywho, sorry for the long babble.. just a little lost and hoping for some wisdom on this..
Thanks and God bless...
Mark
 
Pebbles

Pebbles

Veteran Member
Oh no!! I have no advice but will be praying for you. DH, who is already banged up from spinal surgery, knee replacement and left knee bone on bone fell out of the car and wrenched his knee. No Dr. appointment for 6 weeks so we iced, elevated, stayed off of it and he took naproxen. First three weeks were the worst. Two months out and he is much better. Stay off of it and elevate as much as possible.
 
Southside

Southside

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I have partially torn each Achilles. About 40% remained attached on each. I waited for them to mend on their own, against the best wishes of my Dr. I asked him whether they would grow back and strengthen.
They did, took about a year & 1/2. He said my path would make my scar 2 feet longer.
I don't have one. No surgery I did get bursitis VERY bad in both tendons. Had a a different surgery that kept me off my feet for 45 days. That cured me completely. No problems since. I can even run again.

Oh, and I forgot to say the recovery from Achilles surgery is the most difficult. I severed my patellar tendon. According to my surgeon, that is the second worst.

Your tendon is still attached. Surgeons are like hammers, and your tendon is a nail.
You MAY be able to rehabilitate it. I did 2.

Good luck, buddy!
 
Last edited:
hiwall

hiwall

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I have nothing constructive to add, only that I do not trust doctors.
But I do wish you the very best.
 
thorr

thorr

Senior Member
Thanks everyone, scary stuff...
Colonel, so if I try to self heal and 6 months from now I’m not that much better, then I could possibly opt for surgery??
I already figure I’m going to limp for a long time...
 
C

Chicken Mama

Veteran Member
In Feb 2022 DH was pushing his disabled car into the driveway and his foot slipped on the ice. Bam! He was down. Crawled into the house. He was 61.

Took him to an orthopedic doc who examined him (yes, mushy calf/area behind the ankle explains it perfectly), had tests run and confirmed the severed tendon. DH about flipped when told he'd be off work 3-6 months after surgery but without it he'd be crippled and unable to return to his job running heavy equipment.

Surgery was performed less than a week later. They gave him a nerve block injection and he never experienced pain, even as he progressed from crutches to boot. The physical therapy that started about four weeks post-surgery helped a lot.

It was a full three months before he could return to work but not having the surgery wasn't an option, and he was back to 100% by month five.

It won't be cheap but don't forgo the fix only to live in pain the rest of your life.
 
S

summerthyme

Administrator
_______________
Chicken Mama said:
In Feb 2022 DH was pushing his disabled car into the driveway and his foot slipped on the ice. Bam! He was down. Crawled into the house. He was 61.

Took him to an orthopedic doc who examined him (yes, mushy calf/area behind the ankle explains it perfectly), had tests run and confirmed the severed tendon. DH about flipped when told he'd be off work 3-6 months after surgery but without it he'd be crippled and unable to return to his job running heavy equipment.

Surgery was performed less than a week later. They gave him a nerve block injection and he never experienced pain, even as he progressed from crutches to boot. The physical therapy that started about four weeks post-surgery helped a lot.

It was a full three months before he could return to work but not having the surgery wasn't an option, and he was back to 100% by month five.

It won't be cheap but don't forgo the fix only to live in pain the rest of your life.
Click to expand...
I agree with this... inform the surgeon that you are self pay, and ask for a *reasonable * payment plan, as well as as much of a discount he could offer. Ditto with the hospital finance office. You might be surprised what's available.

Granted, my experience was mostly with the Amish, and they have that great public relations advantage! (Don't get me started). But they often (NOT always... I've also seen them get screwed by a unscrupulous eye surgeon who doubled his (cash) fee when they showed up the day of the surgery) got unbelievable breaks.

Like the young man, the son of one of my best friends among the Amish, we were all dairy farmers... but they milked by hand!

Anyway, Andy had somehow severed the flexor tendon of the thumb on his dominant (left) hand. And he tried to talk me into amputating it for him! I talked him out of that, spent 7 hours at the local ER (I mean, full hospital ER!) before they admitted they didn't have an orthopod who would work on a hand!! they ended up sending him to a big University hospital where the surgeon repaired the tendon, and the total for the (awake, nerveblock outpatient ... insured would have been inpatient and general anesthetic) to him was $600!!

But even without a beard, there may be help available.

But then, you have to decide if surgery is needed, or result in an improved outcome. There are always risks in surgery! But there can also be huge benefits.

My only 1st hand experience is in horses. Only somewhat analogous, as horses are likely to die if a serious tendon injury doesn't heal! But I healed a 4 year old Arabian who caught a leg on (we surmise... we never did find (as they put it!) "hide nor hair... or trampled grass, or blood) the high tensile electric fence. The result peeled the leg to the bone from joint to joint, and left just TEN PERCENT of *all* extensor tendons... these are the ones that let them lift their foot.

The vet was doubtful ( and since horses can't use crutches, and dont take enforced rest well!, he was justified) but we decided to try to save him. Hubby and I put a new support wrap on that leg (due to the extensive laceration that couldn't be stitched) every evening for 8 months. The horse was NOT appreciative! But he healed 100% sound, right up to his last day at 25 years.

This is way too long, but regardless, look into a diet that provides plenty of clean protein, collagen, vitamin E, and other healing factors. You don't have to go crazy on cost... some of the cheaper roasts also contain significant collagen, which you consume in the gravy! But keep inflammatory sugar and alcohol to a minimum... smoking, too, as it reduces oxygen to tissues, where it's needed for healing.

Prayers it all heals well!

Summerthyme
 
C

Chicken Mama

Veteran Member
thorr said:
Good day,
Last Friday as the result of leaping of my deck stairs to save a dog from getting hit by my FIL, I tore my left tendon...
Horrible ripping noise/feeling...
No insurance 63 years old in pretty good shape.
The tendon is pretty mushy..
It’s in a boot at the moment..
Have appointment with orthopedic surgeon tomorrow morning.. self pay
Then X-ray and MRI.. self pay

It’s getting much better, can move foot up down toes wiggle good. I did fail the Thompson test...
Kinda a reflex test for the Achilles...
Still can’t really put weight on it barefoot...

And you know how the surgeon makes his nut..
I guess my question is it possible that it will heal enough that I won’t be a total cripple...

As you can imagine, answers from the web are all over the place...

It’s definitely a life changing injury...
My mother would have said “ God wants you to slow down “....
I’m good with that, I’ll never leap again..
But we did just buy a fixer upper two months ago..

Anywho, sorry for the long babble.. just a little lost and hoping for some wisdom on this..
Thanks and God bless...
Mark
Click to expand...
So how'd the appointment go? What's the doc say?
 
thorr

thorr

Senior Member
Good morning guys.
Update from yesterday. Complete rupture. His first choice is surgery Tuesday morning...
13,200 cash price plus the gas man...
Around 16,000 cash... not horrible...
20% down and payments

Not having the surgery for a few reasons...
Can’t really afford it, but could...
The invasive part of the surgery
The recovery time...
And not convinced that it won’t heal itself well..

It’s getting better and I’m trying to be a better patient...
I’ve been on it for way too many hours this past week.. They call it a walking boot.
Brought a new orthopedic boot, foot needs angled down as it heals..
No walking on it. The foot shouldn’t touch the ground for 2-4 weeks...
Ice and elevate in the evening....
I’ll probably start trying to sleep in the boot..
New crutches, the set I’m using is 30 years old..

My GF said my first words were “ I’m really hurt” and the second words were “ I have too much to do “. Kinda sad....
But as I mentioned, we had just brought this place 2 months ago for a great price because so much needed repaired...
Have gotten a lot done already...
New drain field just got finished before this happened...
Such is life...

I’m really blessed for many reasons.
My son’s boss recently jumped down from a ladder and literally shattered his ankle. Screws, pins and plates... ouch
Mine could of been so much worse...
My family and friends are more than I deserve..
And having this forum when seeking wisdom..
Thank you all..

Going to be another long strange trip.. I don’t idle well.. lol
Might actually become a guitar player..
We’ll see..

Again thanks for the wisdom, prayers and positive vibes..
I think I’ve got this.....lol
Mark
 
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