Life after Achilles tendon rupture
Properly treated, Achilles tendon ruptures heal very well.
However, full recovery takes a very long time. You can expect to
be in a boot or similar support for about 10 weeks. After this
it takes many months to regain the muscle strength. If you ask
someone who has been through all this, they will say that they
were limited in activities for at least 6 months and that full
recovery takes about a year.
Even in the long-term, the calf muscle on the injured side is a little
smaller than it used to be – but still strong enough to work normally.
Similarly, the healed tendon remains thicker than it once was. This
improves with time (months to years) but the tendon never quite gets
as slim as it was before injury.
When can I play sport again?
This depends upon the sport, but most rehabilitation programs
reach the point where you can resume after 6 months.
When can I go back to physical work?
This depends upon the precise nature of the work, but most
rehabilitation programs reach the point where you can resume
after 6 months.
When can I walk after Achilles rupture?
Once you are supported in a suitable boot, with the foot held in
a tip-toe posture, then you can (and should) walk. Crutches are
only to help with balance. A shoe with a generous heel on the
other foot helps to even you up. Walking on the injured leg, in
the boot, is good for the healing. The action of walking helps
the tendon ends to join in an efficient and strong manner. This
early walking has led to fewer re-ruptures compared to previous
regimens, when treatment required months of plaster casts and
hopping one-legged with crutches.
How to avoid re-rupture
Wear the boot as instructed for the full 10 weeks. Don’t take
any short-cuts. Your recovery is like the game Snakes and
Ladders (Shutes and Ladders in the US) – each week sees you
closer to the finish. But one small mistake is like landing on
the big snake that takes you right back to the beginning, with a
re-rupture. If you take it off to wash, be seated first;
maintain the tip-toe posture; do not bend the ankle up to reach
your toes to wash or dry them. If you are not sufficiently
flexible get help. Do not assume that you’ll be fine, hopping
into the shower. One tiny slip can be disastrous.
