About your visit
We have examined your foot and ascertained that you have a ruptured Achilles tendon. We have given you a cast to immobilise your foot so the tendon can grow back together properly.
If you need crutches, we have lent you a pair to take home with you.
When you get home
Contact your general practitioner if your condition deteriorates
Call your general practitioner or dial 1813 to reach the medical helpline outside your general practitioner’s opening hours if:
- your toes become pale, cold and numb
- your toes begin to feel numb and tingly
- the cast feels too tight or begins to chafe
- the cast cracks
- the cast means that you cannot do your exercises
- the cast gets wet or becomes loose
- pain increases.
You have bruising and your ankle joint may get stiff
A ruptured Achilles tendon may cause:
- blue and red bruising at your toes and leg
- stiffness in the joint in your foot.
These are normal reactions that will go away again.
Take pain-relieving medicine if you are in pain
If you need pain-relieving medicine, we recommend medicine containing paracetamol. You can buy this over the counter at pharmacies and in supermarkets. We recommend that you avoid pain-relieving medicine containing acetylsalicylic acid, as this has a blood-thinning effect.
Use an ice compress
You can prepare an ice compress and place it on the swollen area or where you are experiencing pain. Wrap a bag of ice in a tea towel, for example, to avoid direct contact with your skin. Use a compress 2-3 times a day for 15-20 minutes. This will relieve the pain and swelling in your ankle.
Protect the cast
The cast will harden quickly, but will not be completely dry for 24 hours. Therefore, try not to cover it with clothes for the first 24 hours. Also try not to bump into anything to avoid dents in the cast.
We recommend that you cover the cast with a plastic bag when bathing/showering. Make sure the top of the bag is well sealed so the cast does not get wet.
The cast can cause irritation
It is normal to experience the following:
- Sweating and itching under the cast.
- Blood accumulation or bruises that spread to the toes. These symptoms will disappear without treatment.
If the cast has sharp edges that causes irritation, call the medical hotline at 1813.
Avoid inserting objects to relieve itching
Do not insert objects, such as a knitting needle, into the cast to relieve itching. You risk damaging the skin and causing sores.
Use a shoe with the same sole thickness as the cast
Wear a snug-fitting shoe on your healthy foot. This will help you move around more safely. Wear a shoe with the same sole thickness as the cast so both your legs have the same length.
Adjust the crutches
The crutches must be adjusted so they fit your height. Crutches have the correct height when you can hold onto the crutches with a straight back, relaxed shoulders, and your arms fall to your side with a slight bend at the elbow.
Remember to adjust the crutches again after the cast is removed. Your back may begin to ache if the crutches are too low. If the crutches are too high, your neck and shoulders may begin to ache.
Exercises
Rehabilitation
It is important that you maintain muscle activity in the rest of your body, while you are wearing the cast.
You should complete the following excercises 20 times with each leg, three times a day.
When the cast is removed, you will receive new excercises to perform.
Move your toes
To maintain blood circulation and reduce risk of swelling, you should move your toes as often as possible.
Exercise 1
Remain seated on a chair or bench.
- Stretch your knee on the leg with a cast. Then raise the same leg so your foot is elevated from the floor.
- Hold this position for circa 10 seconds.
- Bend your knee while lowering your foot back to the floor.
Exercise 2
Remain seated at the edge of a chair so your back and thighs are free to move. Spread your legs slightly while having both of your feet rest on the floor.
- Lift one knee and thigh as high as possible, so your foot leaves the floor.
- Lower your knee and thigh and place your foot on the floor again.
- Repeat with the other leg.
Practical precautions
Wait with contact sport that involves abrupt stop-start and jumping
Your foot will not be ready for contact sport and exercise involving jumping or abrupt movement (e.g. football) until four to six months after the cast has been removed. Train the muscles in your injured leg to be as strong as the muscles in your healthy leg. This reduces the risk of rupturing your Achilles tendon again.
Take care on stairs
Be careful going up and down stairs after you have had the cast removed. Try putting your weight on the back of your foot. This will reduce the risk of rupturing your Achilles tendon again.
Worth knowing
Your personal data
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