 Poster: A snowHead
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So, in early May I ruptured my achilles tendon. After seeing my GP and getting an urgent referral to a surgeon I was passed on to a second consultant who deemed my rupture at 6cm not urgent and said wait for a letter, we will do a reconstruction some time in 2 to 3 months.
Meanwhile, my GP has been extremely helpful in pushing the consultant for alternatives but the consultant has been reluctant to reply.
The reconstruction means severing the tendon to the big toe, attaching one end to the heel and the other to the top of the ruptured achilles. I should get 70% mobility in 9 months or so.
I hear through my GP that it is possible to put a carbon fibre insert in which bridges the rupture gap and gives back 95%+ mobility.
I rate my mobility at around 70% at the moment anyway so would be reluctant to have an op that odes not improve my position.
Comments, suggestions and help all gratefully received.
(And, yes, I know that with all my other issues if I was a horse I would have been shot a long time ago!!!).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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TimDog, golly, sorry to hear that. If you search on Achilles I think you will readily find a thread I kicked off, having ruptured mine almost exactly 1 year ago. Writing this after just returning from a nice run by the sea and so pleased to be able to report to you that a good recovery is definitely possible.
I don't understand why they are making you wait like this if you have ruptured the thing. Sounds like it is some kind of partial rupture and maybe the full surgical route is, as you say, not going to give you much more than you can get via rehab.
Think you should be v v pushy and get them to get it sorted asap one route or another; and in meantime get a second opinion from a really good sports physio who will be well acquainted with such issues. Good luck.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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DoubleBombardino, Thanks for your reply: it's a full rupture, no doubt about that. No chance of improvement as is.
OK, how do I find a sports physio?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You will see some comments from me on the thread that DoubleBombardino refers to. Do you men you have a 6cm gap between the two ends of the tendon. If so then this is bigger than I had and they considered it urgent. I too had the big toe tendon done as the gap was too big in the normal scheme of things. The only noticeable difference is that you wont be able to curl your big toe as much.
In my opinion if the consultant is saying wait and, then when it is done it will take 9 months for 70% mobility get another consultant - have you got insurance? It doesn't sound like it but even the NHS should view this as an emergency. I had my op in April 2009 and skied with full mobility in Jan 2010. I think you will find any decent physio will refer you straight back to a doctor as there is very little they can do for a rupture.
I can firmly recommend Mark Davis at the London Foot and Ankle Centre at the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth in London if you have insurance.
Seriously, don't muck about with this, your mobility for the rest of your life could be at stake. Good luck and be prepared to work hard after the op.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ruptured mine in December last year. NHS is not keen on surgical repairs IME. I had a Vacoped (Rooney) boot which was all sorted out very quickly. From my limited googling on the subject there is a small percentage in favour of surgery due to lower rerupture rates. Also surgery can be done some time after a rupture or if conservative (boot) treatment is not effective. Was told I'd get 70% back after 4 months IIRC, then physio said 100% after 6-8, then later said 8-12. Eight months on it's about there but not 100%.
If you want surgery, as said above be v pushy about getting it. The sooner it's repaired the sooner rehab can start.
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Indeed it is!  Thanks genepi
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TimDog, get it sorted ASAP. Did mine a few years ago, and recovery is a long and slow process, irrespective of whether you go for surgery or for conservative treatment.
Good luck with rehab and make sure that you do the exercises that the physio asks you to do. I never did and it took blinking ages to get back to full fitness/use.
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