Therefore, you should perform the rupture repair first and then decide if a gastrocnemius recession is necessary. By maintaining the ankle at 90 degrees during the repair and casting process, you'll find that the post-operative rehabilitation is often quicker with less functional limitations of motion. However, it is not unusual for scar tissue to be present after either conservative or surgical repair. Let patients know that it takes about a year for scar tissue to remodel. You may need to perform a secondary adhesiotomy to help release bound tissues and restore the gliding mechanism, if necessary, especially in those patients who are prone to keloids.
Patients are usually able to return to sports in three to six months.
Dr. Braver is board certified in foot and ankle surgery by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery. References Kuwada, Gerald. Classification of Tendo Achilles Rupture with Consideration of Surgical Repair Techniques. Journal of Foot Surgery . All rights reserved.