Post operative Achilles tendon issues

[nickolas-cook]

Well, it’s been just under four months since I ruptured my Achilles tendon, and I’m still alive…if not exactly kicking. I continued to go to Krav even when I was in my multiple casts phases, and only laid off for about two weeks after the surgery to allow some time for deep healing to begin. I managed to mostly keep the diabetes in check by keeping up with the workouts and watching the diet while I was bedridden. I won’t be running or jumping for another eight months or so, but I can at least stand up most of the time during workouts.
What concerns me now is the fact that the doctor didn’t operate for about two weeks after the rupture, which gave the flesh time to constrict. When he tried to tent it up over the reattached tendon, it didn’t fit. Now I have a two inch round hole in my heel, where the flesh needs to grow back. It seems to be taking a long time to do so. Not sure if that’s to do with the diabetes or not. Anyone everhad this procedure and did you have issues with flesh restructure?

[kmman]

Re: Post operative Achilles tendon issues

I ruptured my achilles in 1998 and was told I had 2-4 days to get the operation done. Maybe that was just my doctor’s opinion. I never heard of what you have but I hope you are getting professional opinions on this. It sounds odd.

[nickolas-cook]

Re: Post operative Achilles tendon issues

Yeah, he panicked when he saw the MRI after making me wait two weeks to see him again for a diagnosis. All the research I’d done prior to the operation said the same thing: 4-5 days maximum after injury ideal for the operation.
Basically, I feel I’m paying the price for his lack of professionalism in dealing with it.
Even before him, when I went to the emergency room, even the ambulance workers who brought me to the hospital, kept asking me over and over again if I was sure it was the tendon and that maybe I had rolled the ankle.
Just looking at my heel at the time, you could clearly see a HUGE sinkhole where the freakin’ tendon had been. So I’m not sure why so many people in the medical profession had such an issue believing that I had detached the tendon from the bone. My instructors at Ultima had no trouble diagnosing the injury. They knew immediately what had happened.
My doc tends to give me ambiguous answers about how long it will take for the flesh to fill in again. I thought maybe some of you had run across a similar situation.

[kmman]

Re: Post operative Achilles tendon issues

There is nothing scientific about diagnosing it. The doctor makes you kneel on a chair with your feet hanging off. He squeezes your calf…..normally that will move your foot. If it does not move there is no connection.

Get a few opinions on your current problem. It sounds odd but maybe it’s relatively normal…only doctors can tell you (we would hope!)

[phlegmon27]

Re: Post operative Achilles tendon issues

I would seriously recomend you go see another orthopedic doc. You may need to be evaluated by a plastic surgeon and/or a wound specialist. Being diabetic does put you behind the 8-ball as far as healing goes, and you might benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Do not let your doctor force you to be complacent about this.

Phil
RN,CCRN

[nickolas-cook]

Re: Post operative Achilles tendon issues

Well, looks like another surgery, and another 3 or 4 months on my back during workouts. Dr wants to get a plastic surgeon involved for possible skin grafting.

[Author]

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