Achilles rupture

[Gtpulse]

Not a great start to my week, managed to rupture my Achilles’ tendon on Monday. Gone from looking forward to loads of activities and projects I’ve got lined up to laying on the sofa in a cast in the space of a few hours!

Anyone else dealt with this or similar and have some advice? Crutches seem like some sort of mild torture and I’d rather crawl to the loo!

I’m already looking at stuff like this to get me out and about asap!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Used-Kne...2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

 

[greencat]

I found Caroline Jordan's hurt foot workouts on youtube useful when I broke my ankle. But I still managed to ride/carry my crutches on my bike. It was quite nice having people offer to help load the bike panniers, moving out of the way when shopping, offering a seat on the train etc. Humans are pretty decent on the whole.

 

[Gtpulse]

Will have a look at that thanks!
I’m going to wait until I’ve had a full scan to see what I can/cannot do. So far I’ve only had the ED diagnosis which while they were 100% sure it’s my Achilles ruptured (3 out of 3 types of test were positive) it doesn’t give me much detail or insight. I’m hoping I’ll be allowed to use a vacuped/moon boot as I could walk on that even if I have to pay for it myself. Just cannot stand the idea of being in a cast and on crutches.

 

[Gtpulse]

Only a week after rupture and I’m in a vacoped boot, I’ve just been able to walk a tiny bit without crutches albeit in a comedy-tightrope flailing my arms about sort of way. 12 weeks of this and weekly adjustments at the hospital and I should be starting to use my leg again.

I can’t praise the NHS enough - the second time over the last year I’ve been in their debt and both times the service and care have been amazing. You could really sense how busy and tough it was for them while I was in the hospital waiting to see a consultant/cast removed/set up with boot.

There were some right grumpy folk in the waiting areas complaining about the wait and people “being seen before them and jumping the queue” which really winds me up how selfish people can be. I was one of the last to be seen and just assume anyone prioritised/jumping the queue needs their help sooner than I do.

Even on the long hobble out of hospital on crutches/getting used to the boot, a couple of NHS staff not related to the department I had been in offered to get me a wheelchair as I looked like I was struggling. That’s folk who really care. I was determined to get out under my own steam though!

I’m hoping as my hobble develops in to some sort of safe manoeuvring that I can get out in the garage and work on some bikes/list some stuff for sale. While I do enjoy a break on the sofa after a hard day either at work or in the garden, the full time sofa/iPhone circle is getting boring.

 

[trailstar82]

Wishing you a speedy recovery dude.

Having a shed/man cave/garage is a real privilege and being denied access can be frustrating for the mind and body. You’ll get back there soon, until then though….

 

[Gtpulse]

Colin Furze - ultimate Man Cave and a bike build all in one! It’s been great seeing his channel progress over the years, I remember him chucking mannekins out of windows above Stamford High Street. His latest series with the tunnel connecting his house to his shed to his bunker is epic!

 

[SirLurkalot]

Oh I feel for you. Did mine last August, spent four months in plaster then a month in a moonboot. Now having physio and been advised not to ride yet. I've been able to work on the bikes, done some upgrades and polished them. Just frustrated I can't ride them. Worried about fitness when I can.
I know it's tempting to try do things like you did, but be careful. It will be fragile and I was told there is a chance it could happen again and to avoid explosive sports! Yes the NHS are are amazing. Hope it goes well for you.

 

[Gtpulse]

Oh I feel for you. Did mine last August, spent four months in plaster then a month in a moonboot. Now having physio and been advised not to ride yet. I've been able to work on the bikes, done some upgrades and polished them. Just frustrated I can't ride them. Worried about fitness when I can.
I know it's tempting to try do things like you did, but be careful. It will be fragile and I was told there is a chance it could happen again and to avoid explosive sports! Yes the NHS are are amazing. Hope it goes well for you.

Four months in plaster sounds like agony! Did you have surgery? Mine is detached near the top where it joins the calf which the surgeon says has a high rate of failing if done surgically hence being in the boot. Even from Google I can see different NHS regions have different pathways for treating Achilles. After the week of cast from A&E they put me straight in a Vacoped boot which is not so bad, I can adjust the padding etc with a pump if it gets uncomfortable. I’ve got a Makita blower thing for wood working, it just about fits in the end of the boot so if it gets too hot and sweaty a quick blast with that sorts it right out!

I’ve not read much about cycling with the vacoped on but a couple of guys have managed it with a bigger pedal which I’ve just found from dandy1 on here. I’m allowed to full bear weight in the boot from the outset so can’t see an issue with some very low impact pedalling and use my good leg. Definitely won’t be able to ride fixed gear for a very long time! I’m almost a month in and my injured leg has lost loads of calf muscle I guess more to go - looks half the size of my good leg when the boot is off.

 

[Timoth27]

Well I did mine 10 years ago, only it was undiagnosed for 5 weeks. finally getting diagnosed by a physio (2 different hospitals and my doctor told me it was a sprained ankle) after I asked my doctor for physio 4 weeks in. So I had to have surgery and was in a cast and unable to weight bare for 5 months. All in it took about a year to recover verses if it had been treated immediately it could have been a few months. I’ve since had dvt in the same leg and now have to wear a compression sock all the time to try and slow the spread of the varacus veins and have to take blood thinners for rest of my life.

 

[SirLurkalot]

Four months in plaster sounds like agony! Did you have surgery? Mine is detached near the top where it joins the calf which the surgeon says has a high rate of failing if done surgically hence being in the boot. Even from Google I can see different NHS regions have different pathways for treating Achilles. After the week of cast from A&E they put me straight in a Vacoped boot which is not so bad, I can adjust the padding etc with a pump if it gets uncomfortable. I’ve got a Makita blower thing for wood working, it just about fits in the end of the boot so if it gets too hot and sweaty a quick blast with that sorts it right out!

I’ve not read much about cycling with the vacoped on but a couple of guys have managed it with a bigger pedal which I’ve just found from dandy1 on here. I’m allowed to full bear weight in the boot from the outset so can’t see an issue with some very low impact pedalling and use my good leg. Definitely won’t be able to ride fixed gear for a very long time! I’m almost a month in and my injured leg has lost loads of calf muscle I guess more to go - looks half the size of my good leg when the boot is off.

Didn't have surgery. Probably Didn't help that I drove down to Somerset to pick up my wife after doing it! Just strapped it up, thought I'd sprained it, I had to have a blood test the day after we got back so went into A&E because it didn't feel right. They put me in a cast immediately with my foot pointing down so the tendon would reknit. Had three more cast with the foot raised gradually.
Then the Startrooper boot as my mate called it. My Calf was really thin and it's still not 100% got a set of exercises to do to build it up and get flexibility back in the tendon. It's a long process, would have been better off breaking it.
There was some light moment the nurse did this cast for Halloween.