Achilles Help

_{Disclaimer – I am not a medical expert and this is NOT medical advice. Always follow the instructions from your medical provider. When in doubt, ask your medical provider. As an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn commission from qualifying purchases.}

During the first few weeks after Achilles tendon repair surgery, you will likely spend a lot of time icing. During those non-weight bearing days (NWB), you will obviously not be able to ice on the actual incision area. During my NWB time in an open hard cast, I found the most comfortable and effective way to ice was to have my leg in an elevation pillow with an ice bag both on the calf under the knee and on top of my leg below the knee. Having the ice on the calf just under the knee (right above the wrapped cast area on calf but below the knee) seemed to be the most helpful area to ice for myself. I was discharged from surgery with some medical ice bags but those quickly became pretty gross, so I supplemented with similar ice bags.

Once out of the NWB open hard cast and with approval from my physical therapist, I transitioned to icing directly on and around the Achilles area over a sock. The cool therapy wrap not only provided relief but also was easy to use. I continued to elevate using the elevation pillow with this cool wrap several times a day and always at bedtime for weeks.

Those first few weeks transitioning to full-weight bearing (FWB) in a boot felt uncomfortable on my foot. At the end of the day my toes would be swollen and felt like they had been compacted together all day. Eventually my body began to learn to tolerate the boot better as my leg did its work to repair itself. As my swelling lessened and my overall leg felt better, I transitioned to icing after PT and each night.

The routine of elevating and icing each night for months after surgery felt soothing, predictable and a reminder that even tho I was getting stronger and feeling better, it was important to continue to care for my body. If you have any questions about icing, be sure to ask your doctor and/or physical therapist.