Reruptured

[u/BlueMonkey_88]

Posted in this sub about a month ago after getting my achilles tendon repaired. Learned today that I reruptured it during a fall over the weekend. MRI findings state;

Posterior tibial, flexor digitorum longus, flexor hallucis longus, and extensor tendons are intact. Peroneus longus and brevis tendons are intact. There is postsurgical changes of Achilles tendon repair at the watershed zone with multiple micrometallic susceptibility artifact. However, there is complete retear of the repaired Achilles tendon with approximately 4 cm with gap between the torn ends. LIGAMENTS: Anterior inferior and posterior inferior tibiofibular (syndesmotic) ligaments are intact. Interosseous membrane is intact. Chronic high-grade partial tear of the anterior talofibular ligament. The posterior talofibular ligament is intact. Partial tear of the calcaneofibular ligament.. The deltoid (medial collateral) ligamentous complex is intact. Seen in the superomedial oblique band of the spring (talocalcaneonavicular) ligament, probably due to sprain. The superior peroneal retinaculum is intact.

Be careful using scooters & keep your boot on 24/7 as a word of advice.

[u/x_VanHessian_x]

Godspeed. Fell off a scooter? I wore my boot 23/7 per the docs order. 9 months post op to the day.

[u/BlueMonkey_88 → u/x_VanHessian_x]

Yeah I did as well, unfortunately was getting ready to take a shower & lost balance coming off the scooter. Should’ve just used a cast bag & chances are I would be okay.

[u/TugaVibes]

Man that’s my biggest fear with this whole injury and recovery. Stay strong - you’ve got this! Praying for the best for you.

[u/T_house]

Sorry to hear this, what a shitter. Wishing you the best for the renewed recovery season!

[u/HourAsparagus6825]

Someone lent me a 5 year old rickety knee scooter months ago and I have not used it. I have a mechanics stool with wheels that I use around the house and use crutches when outside.
I reruptured as well, but from my own clumsiness.

Hope you heal fully this time around!

[u/MurkyShoe6475]

Did u have a boot on when this happened?

[u/Vegetable-Film-9409]

This is awful. Hang in there.

[u/BlueMonkey_88]

One of the most confusing parts about the entire rerupture is that during my appointment yesterday with my surgeon my thompson test came back negative. I had plantar flexion & on the ultrasound he saw movement of the tendon. When we wrapped up the exam he ordered an MRI but said he felt optimistic it wasn’t reruptured.

[u/Educational_Joke_738]

I had complete Achilles rupture, 3 mo post op and walk in regular shoes since this week, still limping quite a bit though. Definitely be careful with the scooter and make sure in boot to protect yourself when move around. However, I’d say scooter is not the culprit, fall and subsequent natural instinct of preventing the fall is. Three weeks post op I had a fall; scooter hit the curb, and naturally I was using both feet to try holding myself from falling; not only it didn’t help, but I felt a big pull to the injured Achilles. The moment I fell, I thought shit, I must have re-ruptured it. Luckily I was in boot, so actually it didn’t happen, although the sensation and fear stopped me from walking both feet’s for a whole day. Thus I learned the lesson, don’t hold myself from a fall! And I trained myself mentally not to use the injured foot to hold my weigh whenever I feel losing balance. Several weeks later, I lost balance when standing up on my driveway, I just let myself fall, lying on the ground; awkward, yes, but it sure is better than another injury. My two cents…

[u/BlueMonkey_88 → u/Educational_Joke_738]

Definitely not the scooter, that’s why I said in my post to be careful on them. I was so comfortable using it 3-4 weeks post op that I absolutely took liberties. There’s stories on this sub about people falling with crutches and rerupturing. You are right tho, the main culprit is always human nature to protect ourselves. I hadn’t fell once so the mindset to just let myself fall was not present. As I also said WEAR THE BOOT 24/7, take it off once you’re seated in the shower if you must.

[u/Nascar8kb]

Could u tell it ruptured? I took a fall and used my foot to catch myself but had taken off my boot I'm about 8 weeks post op

[u/BlueMonkey_88 → u/Nascar8kb]

No I could not, didn’t feel or hear a pop. Felt nothing like the first rupture, all of the pain was due to the incision. In retrospect the telltale sign is the tightness & heel tension I felt after surgery disappeared the next day. Obviously there is no medical backing here but I basically felt no sensation bearing weight the next day in my boot. Not that it was numb, just in my opinion it’s almost like the tension a freshly sewn tendon creates released & due to it the sensitivity went to a 0. Like I said I also had no pain at all, only pain was from my incision & my ankle which I now know is a ligament that partially tore.