Hi, I thought I would chime in on this thread with my experience. I also posted this on the Trashed Knee and Ankle Brigade thread, but want to make sure people with peroneal tendon problems specifically can see it.
I have a bad right ankle. Recently had peroneal tendon surgery–large split tear of the peroneal brevis which couldn’t be repaired and saved, so a tenodesis was made to the peroneal longus. March 26. I had read a lot of nightmare blogs and posts about the surgery and recovery, and I was very nervous about the recovery, but so far it hasn’t been that bad. I’m still non-weight bearing on that leg for another week, but after that I can start walking with my CAM walker/boot and use of a crutch or cane. I can start gentle riding at 8 weeks post op, unless he sees something to contraindicate that when I go back for a follow up appointment in 3 weeks.
Ankle feels pretty good, just a little mild swelling. I haven’t needed much pain medication at all, even during the first few days post op. Very little swelling even in the beginning as long as I kept it elevated as much as possible. I still elevate it most of the time I’m sitting. I think a lot of credit goes to my surgeon–I think he is very good and “got in and got out” without traumatizing things any more than needed.
I am using a knee walker/scooter and I HIGHLY recommend anyone with foot/ankle surgery to get one rather than using crutches. My insurance pays for the rental. I have a pair of crutches as well, but I haven’t touched them since bringing them home. I live alone and am able to take care of almost all my own household chores, cooking, laundry, personal care, and small pet care because of my wonderful knee walker. I hired someone to take care of my two horses kept at home–a responsible teenager I hired previously when I had a hip replacement is working out wonderfully.
I “knee walked” out through my yard to see the horses this past weekend, which was a real pick me up. The regular “inside” knee walker is tough to use on the rough ground outside, so I bit the bullet and purchased an all-terrain knee walker called a “Knee Rover.” Just received that and haven’t been able to test it outside yet because the weather isn’t cooperating. It’s got some decent tread on the wheels, but still no match for ice and snow that we got yesterday/last night. It drives me crazy to have to stay inside so much, so the all-terrain knee walker is a good investment in my sanity. Even after I can start walking on the leg, I doubt I’ll be able to walk very far at first, so I’ll knee walker longer distances (like out through my yard to the barn) and then “regular” walk around once I get there. They also make seated walker/scooters similar to a knee walker, only with a bike seat, for injuries higher than the ankle.
I think everyone’s experience with peroneal tendon surgery and recovery is different. I tend to heal quickly and I’ve also been through several other major ortho surgeries, so I guess in the grand scheme of things for me, this hasn’t been anywhere near as bad as something like my hip replacements (although they turned out well too–just more pain and a generally more difficult recovery in the earlier stages). So far, I’m glad I had the peroneal tendon surgery done and am looking forward to being able to walk like a normal person without feeling like a knife is stabbing into the outside of my ankle.
I also have a small longitudinal tear and a large area of thickening/degeneration on the Achilles that will need surgical repair after the peroneal is totally healed. My surgeon thinks that will have a similar recovery period, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a little longer because he is talking about probably needing to cut the bad chunk out of the Achilles and do a tendon transfer. But, he won’t know until he gets in there and actually sees it.
Interesting how so many equestrians have ankle problems.
