How to Walk Without the Achilles Tendon

With an Achilles tendon rupture, surgery restores health and strength to the tendon. You cannot walk on the injured foot for 10 days to six weeks following the surgery, according to Mercy Hospital. During this period, a doctor wraps the injured foot in a cast, and the patient uses crutches to walk. However, after this period of rest, the patient can begin to walk on the injured foot again in a removable brace or boot. During this time, therapy exercises help restore total strength to the Achilles tendon.

Things You'll Need

• Cast
• Crutches
• Removable brace or boot
• Physical therapy exercises

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Instructions

• 1

  After four weeks of rest, replace the cast with an Achilles brace, or boot, which elevates your heel so that you can walk with full weight on your foot without using the Achilles tendon. The tendon's job is to allow you to lift your heel when walking; by elevating the heel permanently in a boot, the tendon doesn't have to do any work. (If the doctor removes your Achilles tendon during surgery, this boot is your best chance at ever walking again.)

• 2

  To strengthen the injured foot while not walking, Eric Berkson, MD, Orthopaedic Surgery of Quincy in Massachusetts, recommends removing the brace and moving the toes in an up-and-down motion, while keeping the leg in place. Stop the exercise if you begin to feel pain. If you don't feel pain, do the motion 20 times, three times a day.

• 3

  Move the foot in a circular motion after removing the brace, Berkson states. Moving the foot in a circular motion allows the ankle to turn and strengthen. When you experience no pain, do 10 circles in each direction, three times a day.

• 4

  With the brace on, lie on your back and prop your upper body up on your elbows. Bend your uninjured leg and keep your injured foot's leg straight. On the straight leg, turn the toes to the outside and slowly lift your leg as high as you can, while keeping it straight. Repeat 20 times, twice a day, if you experience no pain.

• 5

  With or without the brace, try balancing exercises. SteadyHealth.com states that after a prolonged period of resting the Achilles tendon, coordination and balancing skills can suffer. Therefore, try balancing on one foot for 20 seconds at a time. This also re-strengthens the rested ankle, which will prevent tendon injuries in the future, according to SteadyHealth.com.

• 6

  After four weeks in the brace, Berkson recommends lowering the height of the brace, for four more weeks. This allows the tendon to reactivate without being stressed or overused. Continue the exercises mentioned above.