Ruptured Patellar Tendon Surgery

[champerington]

Thanks for the pointer John, must invest in one!

Also thanks Allen for the informative post on your rehab.

@ Jason - Sorry to hear about your RPT. Seems like you've had the right approach mentally. Where are you based? I'd be interesting to learn if you kept leg straight for full six weeks post op.

[agold55]

Jason....
sorry to hear about your 2nd RPT.  Staying active is brutal for some of us.  I know once recovered I won't change my active ways.

Was wondering if you OR anyone ele out there who has ruptured more than one tendon, has done any research or spoke to anyone about possible causes of weak tendons.  I also tore my left achilles 15 years ago playing full court basketball.  So 1 achilles and 2 RPT's & I'm wondering why?  Not sure there's a perfect answer, but would like to hear thoughts.

Thanks
Allen

[Jase810]

@ Champerington – Thanks.  I was able to bear full weight after a week post up with the brace locked at 0 degrees.  I was in PT 2 weeks post op.  Was walking with brace locked at 0 degrees with in 3 – 4 weeks post op.

@ agold55 – I too rupture my Achilles about 15 years ago playing basketball.  I too would like to know if there's anything behind rupturing 3 main tendons.

Regards,
Jason

[agold55]

Jason,
Saw that your tore your achilles 5/01.  I tore mine 4/01......
Like I mentioned, sure would like to know more.   I've never taken steroids, wasn't on medication, blood work revealed my liver was fine, etc....just mentioning all the stuff I've seen on-line.  I'm 6 feet tall and stay around 175-180 lbs. 

If you don't mind me asking, what was your age when your achilles with out?  I was 33 at that time.

[champerington]

Thanks Jason. So brace locked at 0 degree's until 6 weeks?

[bustedwheel10]

All - quick update. Knee continued to progress nicely.  Took a holiday to UK for a week a couple weeks ago and didn't exercise, but walked without much of a limp for as much as 10 miles a day.  So was feeling fantastic.  Then, was doing a workout on Monday, which included some light deadlifts - which should not bother Patellar Tendon at all - and didn't.  But woke up tuesday with severe pain on back of my knee - along with some swelling.  It hurts when I straigthen knee and stretch my calf.  Any thoughts? Things to check?

[darrellb85]

Hey all, just wanted to post a quick update. Yesterday was 14 weeks post op from surgery, and I was able to hit 128 degrees ROM in therapy so pretty elated about that. Therapist wants me at 135+ before he feels comfortable enough to let me go, so hopefully I can hit that in the next week or two. Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the warmth of the June sun!!

Darrell

[agold55]

Really love reading about others progress....super encouraging
If anyone has taken and got benefits from Cissus, please let me know.  Brand? Powder, capsules?

April 20th - bilateral RPT surgery

May 20th - first outpatient PT appt (dr said to work on getting to 40 deg ROM over next 2 weeks - was able to get 40 deg ROM first visit)

June 3rd - Follow up w/ Dr -  set appt for July 1 to remove wires.  Can unlock braces when sitting, etc...locked while standing / walking.   Also PT - started leg lifts.  ROM now at 50 deg.

June 5th - PT - was over 55 deg on both legs.  continuted working leg lifts, and various exercises. 
PT said goal was to get to 90 deg in June....

Starting next week -  PT Mon, Wed, Fri - for the rest of June.
PT mentined looking on Craigslist for a cheaper massage table (prob under $100) to be able to work on knees - like at PT.  Sitting on a bed is too soft and you don't get the same work.  Just an idea...

 

[agold55]

Hello carkeotom (tom).  Thanks for contacting me.
I couldn't send a personal email back -  not sure if you have to have a certain numbe of posts before you can email / not on the blog??

Anyway, would like to hear your story and get some info....as you were double RPT.  What a chore ;-)
Thank goodness that I had suregery within 18 hours of the injury and now have a great PT.  Been working my ass off at home on exercises.....

Looking forward to hearing back from you.
Thanks
Allen (In Austin, Tx)

[bryce73]

Hi, nice to see the progress of everyone here.

quick update for me : I saw my OS at 3 & 1/2 weeks post-op and was cleared for PT. I asked him about driving and he said maybe in 3 weeks or before if I feel I can! Not so sure I'll be able to drive sooner than that.

So I started PT at 4 weeks ost-op. Without putting much tension on my PT, I can now bend to approximately 70/80° I believe. I can't say exactly because it seems that PT in France is far less methodic than in anglo saxon countries. My PTist doesn't measure anything, he just makes me doing passive flexions, patella mobilization and pillow-under-knee pressing, the same exercises I was already doing. I guess that helped to start these earlier than planned, though I was very cautious as to not doing any harm.  I'm doing these exercises for about 3 to 4 hours each day in 3 times (1h/1h30 each time), but I don't push too hard.

Was wondering if you OR anyone ele out there who has ruptured more than one tendon, has done any research or spoke to anyone about possible causes of weak tendons.  I also tore my left achilles 15 years ago playing full court basketball.  So 1 achilles and 2 RPT's & I'm wondering why?  Not sure there's a perfect answer, but would like to hear thoughts.

Thanks
Allen

I found this very interesting study on future and rehabilitation of sportives after PT surgically repaired : http://www.generale-de-sante.fr/cers-capbreton/Communication/Publications-medicales/Genou/Rupture-du-tendon-rotulien-opere. It contains some insightfull and encouraging informations on taking up sport again after this injury. Sorry for anyone here, the text is in french but the google translate might give a well understandale meaning.

Some favourable factors for this injury are indeed cited (chronic tendonitis apparently weakening the tendon...). Actually, before I had this injury (in a traumatic way), I never thought one could completely tear his tendon on his own!

edit : ROM might be more 70/80

[SellaVee]

SellaVee here, celebrating my 2 year anniversary this week.  Boy did time move slowly when I first ruptured my tendon, but now it's flying by.

I would agree with everyone who says that your physiotherapist is key.  Living in the UK I had an NHS physiotherapist but I also went twice a week to an excellent private physio.  I used an old skateboard to practice heel slides and bought a floor pedaller.  In addition I followed one of the rehab protocols that someone posted on here - I think it came from Massachusetts.  Patients in the US seem to rehab faster and I found the NHS frustratingly slow. 

So assiduous was I in my exercising that I broke the wire that was holding my knee together.  I had to push to have it removed but that happened at the end of January this year and involved more open knee surgery.  It was a piece of cake compared to the original operation.

Despite the second surgery I flew to Asia for a month in March and coped with the long flights.

One point I'd like to make is don't get hung up on measuring your ROM.  Work on strengthening your legs and the ROM will come back.  I only ever had my ROM measured once and that was simply because I asked!  The result disappointed me so I didn't ask again.  I can now touch my heel to my derrière - what more could a girl want.

You have to keep up the good work.  The second surgery set me back a little bit because I took some time off from exercising due to the wound.

To see me walking on level ground you'd never know I'd had a problem.  I'm not as quick as my son but he's in his twenties and I'm about to retire.  Going upstairs is a breeze, downstairs requires concentration.  I've hugely improved on downward slopes.  I can jog on the spot but when I lengthen my stride I look ungainly.  This doesn't bother my little grandson when I chase him round the sofa.

I can dance when no one's watching!  I'm in a good place and I owe a lot to my friends on this board.

[agold55]

Hello.....about 7.5 weeks in.
Rehab going pretty good.   PT really spends time working on ROM and educating me on whats happening with the healing, what I need to do at home, etc.
PT is every Monday, Wednesday & Friday - last about 1 hour 20 minutes per session.

I'm sure others  experienced slight pains from time to time.  Every once in a while I will feel a sharp pain about an inch plus below the knee cap and about 1.5 inches over - on the inside portion of the leg.  I'm thinking it may be the wire holding things in place....NOT SURE.  Anyone else experience this?

Hope those of you rehabbing are doing well, staying strong and will continue to share your experiences on this site.  It's great!
Thanks
--------------------
Bi-Lateral RPT on 4/19/15 - 7pm
Surgery on 4/20/15 - 1:45pm

[nmacseven50]

Hello all,

I had PT repair done in early December. I am about 6.5 months post op, and I've recently noticed that my knee is not completely willing to straighten. What I mean is that if I stand straight up my un affected knee is straighter than the injured leg. My ROM is good and is basically the same as before. My only problem at this point is that my knee doesn't straighten completely.

Have you experienced or heard of this happening before? I am with a therapist and a fitness trainer 4 times and they are working on getting it straightened out. Let me just say that my quad, hip and hamstring strength is all the same as before and my knee is not painful. It's just the hyperextension ROM that is a bit off. It affects me a bit when I walk and has altered my GAIT a bit. I'm starting to worry that it's too late now to even fix the problem. My therapist is working on some band stuff to try and loosen it up, and I also take a 3lb ankle weight and put it on my ankle and then lay on my stomach with my leg off the bed from the knee down which puts weight on the knee to stretch it out. I wouldn't have thought It was safe but my therapist gave me the order to do it and he is pretty knowledgeable.

Would something like this affect me returning to playing basketball competitively? Is it treatable?

[SellaVee]

While I was in the early stages of rehab, someone posted a message to work on extension as well as flexion in order to avoid walking with a limp, so I mentioned it to my physiotherapist early on.  I used to sit with my leg straight out and my ankle raised on a rolled up towel to let gravity help. I'd also put a little bit of weight on my knee and engage my kneecap to help the leg straighten out.

So yes, I have heard of it happening before but I think your physiotherapist is the one to ask about playing basketball.  Sorry I can't be more help.

Sella

[Bilateraltimmy]

Hey everyone,

Glad to see people's recoveries going well. It's been a while since my last post so here's an update. I was operated for bilateral RPT on April 2nd, 2015. And I'm now just over 10 weeks post op. I saw my OS last Monday and he gave me great news and cleared me to drive again so I've been out and about all week which is great. A few weeks ago I started using a cane rather than crutches or walker even outside and it's been fine, my balance is good enough to walk without it. Eliminated lag in straight leg raises and could do a whole bunch now. ROM has been the lesser focus in therapy, as muscle strengthening has taken major priority. Left leg is at 70deg and right leg at 85 deg. Doing 30-40 degree squats now as well.

Braces still locked in extension when waking for protection but can unlock to sit or lay down, seems as though it'll be this way until they are ready to come off.

General question, around which week post op should the braces be good to come off? I know everyone is different. It just looking for an estimated time frame.

Good luck guys!

Tim