Riding after ruptured Achilles tendon?

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suem

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:rolleyes:I have just ruptured my Achilles tendon and have been told that I will be in plaster for about 9 weeks. I do have the option of an operation to repair the rupture, but have been told that it is not usually done on people of my age (Iam 53). I need to do whatever will keep me riding for the longest time!
Can I please ask if anyone has had a similar injury and can tell me if the operation was recommended for horse riding. Also, how long before you could ride and are there any tips for getting going?
Thanks all
Sue
 
Depends if rupture is high up by calf or low by ankle. If low repair is a good option if high its rarely done. You will have a cast that they change the angle of once at 90 the cast will come off, then get yourself straight to physio even if private until nhs comes through- you need ultrasound to get rid of scar tissue and stretches manually to get the leg moving. Will take time but will be normal.
If you have op it still takes time and a cast anyway.
 
Thanks for the advice. Sounds like best to let nature take its course. Presume you have had experience of this. How long before you were back in the saddle?
 
I fell down a hole and did the same damage and after about 5 weeks and the swellng did not go down but i have learnt to walk without too much pain particularly if I kept off rough ground on the Monday i went to see the doctor and went to the hospital on Wed for a scan. i saw the consultant on Friday who said come in tomorrow Sat and we will do the operaton I am 75. I turned up on Sat 7.30 and at 1100 they said I could not be operated on as they had lost my notes. come back Monday. I read up the leg plaster job and on Monday when the surgeon came to see me and mark up my leg we had a discussion and he did some tests and said it was up to me but I could leave for a month. I am coping quite well and hope for some advice on what to do next.
 
No not experienced myself but i am a physio. I treated a guy who didn't have operation he was in 30s and was willing to have a lot of manual stretching done after plaster off- he was back playing football 3 months post injury but was very hardworking with rehab. Its learning to walk properly that's hardest ironically!
 
Thanks all, just back from hospital where they have advised not to have op. worst news though is no riding allowed for 6 months. Apparently riding and ladder climbing are the two things that put most pressure on the tendon! Very unhappy as have just got my horse going beautifully. Oh well, at least it's winter!
 
dizzydancer said:
Depends if rupture is high up by calf or low by ankle. If low repair is a good option if high its rarely done. You will have a cast that they change the angle of once at 90 the cast will come off, then get yourself straight to physio even if private until nhs comes through- you need ultrasound to get rid of scar tissue and stretches manually to get the leg moving. Will take time but will be normal.
If you have op it still takes time and a cast anyway.
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Ditto this, and make sure when you get given stretches etc you really embed the idea that there are 2 key muscles that come into play, one that comes into play mainly when your leg is straight and one that comes into play more when the knee is bent (smaller one under your main calf muscle). This is one of the reasons riding is really bad for it because your knee is bent. Make sure your physio knows you are a horse rider and you can distinguish between the two stretches (it is quite simple when demonstrated but often forgotten about).
 
I ruptured most of the tendons and ligaments in both ankles (I think the achilles is about the only one I didn't damage :D) so am coming from a slightly different view but I would recommend getting yourself flexible stirrups for when you are allowed to ride again as they take a lot of the strain out of your ankles when riding.

One thing to think of riding wise is, depending on your horse, you may get back riding sooner if you can ride completely without stirrups as it's the stretching down in the stirrup that will be difficult - this is how I started back after getting out of cast. You do need a horse which will stand next to a mounting block for getting on and off, also learn how to slide down holding onto the saddle which reduces the impact when you land (not that I would ever recommend riding without your doctor's approval :D:D)
 
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