my achilles snapped in half.No operation just plaster cast.In my 5th week now(suicidal).Is there still a chance that the tendon has not mended after being in plaster so long/It is a complete rupture
2006-08-25 12:17:13 · 7 answers · asked by Benny 2 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Injuries
i can wiggle my toes no problem.Does that mean the tendon has joined together
2006-08-25 12:32:13 · update #1
I thought healing complete achilles tendon ruputre by casting was completely out. I've never seen anyone who had a complete ruputre who didn't have surgery. This is because the likelihood of rerupture is much higher when managed conservatively. Furthermore, the surgery is simple and highly effective and usually done in a day surgery setting.
But anyway....in the healing of tendons, at least in SURGICAL reattachment, the tendon does not achieve full tensile strength until somewhere between week 6 and 9. It may be alot longer when managed conservatively.
You can still wiggle your toes because toe flexion is controlled by the flexor digitorum, not the achilles tendon (which attaches to the grastrocnemius which controls "pumping" the foot).
Fifth week is still awefully early. I had a surgeon refer me a patient (to physical therapy) at the 5th week after surgical repair. He has no immobilizer and no crutches...I thought this was awefully early...but this was the surgeon's instructions. Well, he snapped his tendon right infront of me. He had surgery again a few weeks later. And mind you this was someone who had it surgically repaired.
Take it SLOW!
2006-08-25 14:24:12 · answer #1 · answered by mistify 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
ok first off, what a crappy injury! achilles rupture is violently painful. it is also one of the body's structures that takes the longest to heal. in general, tendons do not receive a good blood supply from the heart, so the lack of blood being supplied to the tendon makes it very slow to heal. also, because of the location of the achilles tendon (in the heel), where circulation is already poor already (since it takes a very long time for blood to get from the heart to the foot), it takes even longer. after 5 weeks it is unlikely that it is completely healed. hopefully, you are comfortable and are taking something like advil (an anti inflammatory drug) to keep the swelling down.
2006-08-25 19:25:00 · answer #2 · answered by stascia 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Agree with "cdqtpt". I've never seen one that wasn't surgically corrected either and it takes a long time to heal because of the proximity of the injury. Maybe you need a second opinion.
2006-08-26 07:45:28 · answer #3 · answered by Sassy OLD Broad 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
wiggling ur toes has nothing to do with it.im surprised they didnt do an operation tho. no its probably not healed completly yet that is a bad injury and usually takes months to completly heal
2006-08-25 23:27:49 · answer #4 · answered by cutie pie! 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
ouch!! poor you! That happened to a friend's dad. His cast was taken off after a month, but then put back on for another 3 weeks.
2006-08-25 19:23:48 · answer #5 · answered by lil_lady 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
omg thats gotta hurt!!!! so sorry u have this injury and i wish i could answer ur question but i'm too stupid to know the answer sorry, hope u get better soon xxxxxx
2006-08-25 19:24:16 · answer #6 · answered by Lyndsey B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
OUCH!!!!!!!!!
2006-08-26 05:12:58 · answer #7 · answered by High-strung Guitarist 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋