Ruptured Quadriceps Tendon

[ppotz]

One day shy of 2 weeks post-op and i had my first follow-up with the OD. He told me that where the ultrasound had first shown only a partial rupture, he instead found the quad tendon had fully ruptured. That would explain the extra amount of time I wound up spending in surgery. He unwrapped the dressing and the staples were removed (only one or two pinched a bit). After examing his handiwork he had me do a straight-leg lift - and I managed about 3 or 4 inches off the table. I'll be getting a Bledsoe brace by the end of the week but the doc wants to keep my leg locked straight until I go back to see him in 4 weeks


On the bright side, my tolerance for weight-bearing has been very good and with the OD's approval I can move to a cane at my convenience (maybe as early as the endof the week perhaps. Pain hasn't been an issue for me ... I never filled the prescription for Percocet that the ER doc wrote - and only took maybe 4 or 5 (and several were only half-pills) of the Atavan the OD gave to treat post-op muscle cramping. I did manage to go through most of a bottle of Tylenol in the first week, but haven't had to take anything for almost a week now.


I'm *really* looking forward to the lighter brace ... the Zimmer that I've been wearing is starting to get uncomfortable in this 30C+ heat.


I really appreciate the time everyone takes to put a few words on these pages ... the road to recovery will be long, and I get a lot out of reading how the rest of you are progressing - especially Paul (Barbarossa). I really miss getting out on my bike ... and at least I can have the vicarious experience from his postings.


Paul

[jomise]

hi my husband fell in garage as he was going to drive me to my surgery for a rigid big  toe and tore his left leg quad tendon. just had surgery on june 8 , this was done as and outpatient  and he was sent home  and had to crawl into the house and bed. h can't put any weight on it and has to use a wheel chair and has to keep it completley straight. goes to the os next monday. it is hell, his wife

[John42]

Welcome to the RQT club -   I have e-mailed you a set of documents which will give you an indication of the rehab which is store for you - a long rehab - PATIENCE is required.

How did your husband sustain his injury?   Where do you live.

Keep posting

JohnK/ Manchester UK

[jomise]

thanks. we are in canada.   first week over, and he is just able to take afew steps with the walker. at least the pain has  reallly subsided so he is feeling better about that. i don't think he will be able to weightbear for another week.  he will gets stitches out on monday. this type of surgery should really only be done in the hospital  and the person should be kept for a few days. he is 62 and i just had surgery on my foot so the 2 of us were not in great shape. his surgery was done in a clinic that is part of our health care but does alot of sports injuries surgeries. i am not happy with his care there. anyway one day at a time but i think i am living Groundhog Day. Ha Ha.

[jomise]

hi all. had first os visit today said the leg looked good but it will be 4 more weeks before he can start therapy. he can try a little weight bearing but sitll has to keep the leg straight. he can now rest it on the floor while seated. this  seems like one of the worst areas to  have an injury. he is using a walker  but not crutches yet, his wife.

[reveille]

Hello all,

It is with a heavy heart that I join this forum.  I am 6 weeks post op from a right quadriceps tendon rupture.  I injured it while trail running up in Northern Wisconsin.  It took EMS 1 1/2 hours to get to me and yet another hour to the hospital in Iron River.  For those that are a member of the RQT club I don't need to explain how painful this injury is.  I am 44 and was in excellent physical condition at the time of the injury.  I endend up driving 6 hours back home to the Chicago area the next day after being released from the ER.  That was not pleasant to say the least.  I followed up with an ortho doc the next day and was operated on 5 days after the injury.  The doc says the surgery went well.  The sutures came out at 2 weeks but I still needed steri strips  to help keep the incision closed for another 3-4 weeks.  I started PT at 4 weeks and had a ROM of 45 deg.  I am currently stuck at 60 ROM with a lot of pain at the patella.  I have been stuck at 60 for a week and the DR wanted me to be at 90 and 110 in 2 weeks.  I have tried everything to stretch it past 60 but the pain and presure are way to intense even with 2 norcos and a valium onboard.  I am getting very discouraged and going berzerk just sitting on the couch with my leg elevated trying to control the swelling.  I have watched enough TV to rot a 12 year olds brains...uuuugghhh.
With that being said, I am able to walk around without my brace with a limp and no crutches, although I try not to do this fearing if I stumble and re injure the tendon so I keep the TROM on locked at 0 per the PT's orders.  My pain is low as long as I don't bend the knee.  The pain starts at around 45 deg and gets to be too much at 60 degrees.  I have PT 3 times a week but it seems we are stuck at 60  for now.
Lastly,  I was happy to find this forum and I actually read all 40 some pages before joining and posting this.  It feels great to be able to read the stories of others who have and are still struggling with a RQT.  Talk to you soon,

Jim

[John42]

Hi Jim

Welcome to the RQT club - You have taken the right approach, reading many of the previous posts to get an idea of how serious injury that you have sustained.

If you let me have your e-mail address, I will let you have a set of documents which will give you an idea of the rehab procedure - a long haul and PATIENCE is required.

Take care

JohnK/ Manchester UK
[email protected]

[ppotz]

Today was my 6-week post-op visit to the Orthopedic surgeon. My right has been locked straight in the brace continuously for the past 4 weeks - except at night for the past week when I've been taking it off for sleeping (heat wave/no air conditioning) ... and of course when I take a shower ...  and sometimes when I hobble very short distances around our place. OK "nearly" continuously.

He poked and prodded the quad tendon area and asked me about any pain ("only when you poke me there doc"); but I've been very fortunate and haven't had any pain. Even the doctor's pressing on the tendon was not much more than the feeling of somewhat uncomfortable pressure.

My legs were up on the examination table and he asked me to bend my knee ... I did as far as I was comfortable and he asked me to hold it until he measured with his protractor. I’m not sure what his reading was ... but he seemed satisfied and promptly set my brace for 50 degrees range of motion. Then he told me to add 10 degrees every week until I come back to see him in 6 more weeks - at which time he wants to see me at 110 degrees ROM.
 
No physiotherapy yet. But, he did say that I could start driving again.

[reveille]

Good news.  The DR ordered a CPM machine which was delivered today.  I started using it right away.  My starting point was a mere 47deg but I was able to increase it to 52deg during the first use.  The orders are to use it 3 times a day for 2 hours each use increasing 5 degrees each session.  I hope this does the trick and gets me past 60 and to 90 by the end of next week.  Have any of you had any experience with one of these machines?    It is a Kinex CPM with a Max ROM of 120 degrees.  Any input would be appreciated.   Again I am at 7 weeks post op with very poor ROM and some significant swelling.  I am using a polar care ice machine now and was told by the CPM agent to use it as much as I can to reduce my swelling.  My PT told me to stop the icing because it was making my knee stiff.  It is hard to get clear advice from the folks caring for me at the moment.   I think using some heat before using the CPM followed by icing would be prudent but I am not an expert by any means.  I am praying that the CPM does the trick.

[John42]

Hi Revielle

If you let me have your e-mail address, I will send you a set of documents, which will help you to understand your injury and the rehab procedure.

JohnK/Manchester Uk
[email protected]

[reveille]

Hi Revielle

If you let me have your e-mail address, I will send you a set of documents, which will help you to understand your injury and the rehab procedure.

JohnK/Manchester Uk
[email protected]

Yes I received the info VIA email.  Thank you.

With the CPM I have made some ROM progress.  I am currently at 73 degrees and gaining 3-5 degrees every session.  I use it 3 times per day so I hope to be at 90 degrees in a week.  My next ortho DR appointment is 7-18.  Slow and steady...

Edit:  The CPM was fooling me because it wasn't properly fitted to my 38" inseam leg.  My foot wasn't locked down properly either so my real ROM is still stuck at 65deg.  The OS ordered a Medrol dose pack to reduce swelling in hopes of moving things along.  The CPM rep is stopping by Monday with some proper fitting parts to also help out.  This is frustrating.

[jomise]

hi  just an update. it is now  going on 6weeks and tomorrow is doctor's appointment . hope my husband will be able to start physio. he has come along way since the accident, and can now walk without assistence. the knee can bend a little and he can do leg lifts. i never thought we would reach this stage, it is a long road to recovery.He drove to work for the first time today alone.  His wife

[lenboy]

Having read so many posts about ruptured quadriceps, i must consider myself very lucky.  3 years ago i fell in the garden about four feet onto a brick
patio hitting both my kneecaps at the same time.  The pain was intense and i really thought i had smashed both kneecaps.  I laid there four about half an
and i began to get some feeling back and was able to move my legs very slightly.  Nobody was at home and I managed to move myself around with my hands over to a chair but unfortunately could not raise myself onto the chair.  I laid there for about 4 hours in the boiling hot sun until family returned
and they lifted into the lounge onto a settee.  I  could not stand and for about a week was dragging myself round the house and upstairs to bed. which I
managed to get in with the help of my wife.  The bruising was terrible but i was in no pain.  After spending a week in bed I attempted to get put of bed
and fell.  We called ther doctor who pulled my legs about and there was no pain whatsoever and he said he could find nothing wrong except for thre
awful bruising. After another week  trying to walk I fell over twice so we phoned the doctor  who arranged to get me into the fracture clinic. As luck would have it the ambulance arrived at 6 pm instead of between 12 and 2 pm.  Yes i ended up in A&E at about 6.3o pm where I was examined by a doctor who could find nothing wrong. I insisted on an xray which was done and the doctor said there was nothing wrong.  By this time it was about 10.30pm and the doctor said you will be going home after she had popped upstairs to have a word with a colleague. He came down rubbed his hands down both my legs and said you have ruptured both your quadriceps and invited me to feel there was an inch between my knee cap and leg.  He marked up both legs and said operation in the morning.  I had an epidural and the operation took about two hours.  I stayed in hospital until the original splints were removed and new splints were put on and went home.  I was advised to lift alternatively each leg about6 inches and count to five and
I did this several times a day and by the time the splints were due off  (4/6 weeks) I was able to count to 50.  After having the final splints removed
I was on crutches for quite a while.  I kept walking on the crutches as often as possible.  A physio was allotted to me but informed me that what she would try and get me to do I could already do so she was not needed.  After a couple of weeks on the crutches I decided to have a go at driving my car
an mgtf sprint.  Went to start her to find the battery completely flat which Ii put on charge. Eventually i got in the car which felt very strange and I 
I felt nervous.  I drove around for awhile and I knew I had won.  The pain I have experienced was getting up from a sitting position< I also felt numbness in my kneecaps and obviously some aching in the legs.  Three years later I can go up and down stairs with no problem and go for fairly  long walks.  I think
this was all down to persevering  and of course no post op problems.  I have never worn any knee contraptions.  I would also point out that when my
accident happened I was 78 years old and I am now 82 years old.  I hope that this thread will help anyone who may be getting a little  despondent.
lenboy
[email protected]
 
   

[reveille]

Well, I had an 8 week post op appointment with the OS this morning and he is giving me till the 30th to get to around 120 degrees using the CPM and if I am unable then he wants to do MUA...lucky me.  I just hit 85 this afternoon and I think I may have some adhesion and scar tissue that needs to break loose.  I will do my best with what I have and if not then it's back to the OR.

[reveille]

Well I met with the OS this morning and I will need a MUA this Thursday.   He says that he will try to break up the scar tissue externaly using manipulation but may need to go in using a scope. I also have a PT appt for the afternnon following the MUA to continue the scar tissue breakup.  Thank God for the femoral nerve block. I hope this goes well because I am walking pretty well now and almost able to walk up stairs.  My ROM is at 70 but with strong force I can get close to 90 degrees.  I pray the MUA goes well and will help push my recovery along faster after the swelling from the MUA subsides.  I ditched the crutches and knee brace 2 weeks ago and have been working on walking normally.  With some luck, the MUA will be helpful and I can get on a bike to start some cardio and muscle work within a week.  I will update on Friday after the smoke clears.  Thanks for listening.

Jim