Achilles Update: The Less-Travelled Nonsurgical Route
Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 6:36AM Earlier today, I met with my orthopaedic surgeon who - based on the MRI scans I had yesterday - informed me that his original assessment was (indeed) correct; the ATR occurred very close to my calf muscle, which means that there isn't anything that he can do. Surgery isn't an option because you can't stitch to muscle.
Don't get me wrong: Part of me is happy not to have surgery. I wasn't looking forward to having a 9″ scar down the back of my leg. Unfortunately, another part of me is a little apprehensive because I really enjoy sports and like to stay active. My biggest concern now is being able to fully recovery from this injury. This, of course, is easier said/written than done. I'll be in a cast for the next 6-8 weeks and then there's a good 6-8 months of physical therapy and exercise before I'm back to 95%. (According to many, 100% is impossible.)
All in all, I'm in pretty good spirits. My leg feels good and I'm able to get around pretty well with my crutches. That stated, I've gone ahead and ordered the iWalkFree. It cost me about $370 CAD (without shipping) and should provide me some independence around the house. I'm actually looking forward to helping my wife with vacuuming, changing our son, cutting the lawn, etc.
Reader Comments (1)
Achilles Tendon Rupture is a very serious condition indeed. Since the affected part is a tendon, it is close to impossible to treat since we currently don't have technology needed for tendon transplantation/healing. But if you only have muscle problems like a pulled calf muscle, there are many ways to treat it since it could still heal. Sports injuries could be quite hard but keep hoping that there would be a solution to your injury.