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Is surgery necessary for a split tear of the peroneus brevis tendon?

Discussion in 'Ask your questions here' started by Unregistered, Apr 30, 2011.

  1. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest


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    Hi, I had a fall on January 17, 2011. I ended up having a fracture in my malleolus and having minimally displaced bone fragments from my talus. I had a cast for six weeks and was on a cam walker for six more weeks. However, after 12 weeks my ankle was still swelling and very painful. The doctor finally ordered an MRI. The MRI shows a split tear in the peroneus brevis tendon. My doctor says that I need surgery to repair the tear. He says that these tears do not repair themselves. Is this true? Is this necessary?
     
  2. rdizzy1223

    rdizzy1223 New Member

    Apparently from what I've read doctors want these types of tears fixed as soon as possible as the longer you let them go, the worse they get, not better.
     
  3. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Thank you rdizzy 1223, I appreciate the response.
     
  4. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I fell in 2006 and had the exact condition you described. I walked in pain until last December, when the ankle started to give out on me. I'd step down and there was no support in the ankle. I was lucky that I did not fall and injure myself further. The surgery, othroscropic bone fragment removal and split tendon repair, was completed on 4/6. I'm recovering and look forward to walking without pain on a strong ankle.
     
  5. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Ok, so I decided and went ahead with the surgery. It was performed on May 12th and it turns out I had a full tendon split in length and width. The Doctor was surprised it was not reflected on my MRI. I am now recovering. The first three days were extremely painful and I had to be on painkillers. It has been six days since my surgery my sutures will be in for another 8 days. I am in a half cast and will get a full cast after my suture removal for 4 more weeks. I still feel severe pain when I use my crutches to walk. Has anyone had this similar pain after surgery. How long has your recovery taken. Just curious.
     
  6. annamarie

    annamarie Guest

    i to hav a split tear in peroneu brivis tendon i surrfer with bad swelling and pain i hav been like this for over a year steiroids injection worked great gave me back a normal ankle so to speak but if when they wore off id be in worse pain then befor now i hav no choice but to hav op next week . im going on hoiladay in sevenweeks i asked my doc he said fine as il be in a walking boot from day one off op and after four weeks from op i should be walking no probs on it now that im reading about all ur coments im worried he might hav mislaied me please tel il be walking even slowly after op
     
  7. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Annamarie, I just had the surgery three weeks ago. It turned out that my tear was all the way through the tendon and much larger than it appeared on the MRI. The incision on my ankle is about 4inches long. I had a half cast for the first two weeks and now I have a full cast on for the next 4 weeks. The first three days after the surgery, I was in a lot of pain. I honestly did not expect it. My doctor says that after the six weeks in a cast, I will need a walking boot for two weeks and physical therapy. She says that it will take around four months for me to get back to my usual full activities. I hope after all of this it will be worth it, only time will tell.
     
  8. annmarie

    annmarie Guest

    omg im in a walking book at the min im pre op hoping to hav it done on fri may i ask what way u were befor ur op how bad had ur ankle got iv been told its a split tear im still in same pain as i was befor so hoping it has not became worse i can still walk ok and hav a good bit off movment i hav bad and good days but hoping its not going to be worse when they go in as he has said i wont need cast can any one tell me what their syteams were like befor op so i can tell if mine is as bad
     
  9. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    annmarie, Sorry I did not reply sooner. Did you have your surgery? Before mine I was able to walk with pain. Please let me know how you did after surgery.
     
  10. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    next fri now my doc is on hols wish it was over but will post how im doing yes i walk fine some days and then limp others night time when im trying to sleep for some reason hurts alot hes still insisting i wont be put in cast so hears hopeing i do know il hav a walking boot but im in one offf those allready allso did u hav much movment in ur ankle as in moving foot inwards or outwards thats haping to me now allso i find along outside of foot under ankle bone is very sore runing right along outside off foot and sometime my toes if i wiggle them very strange but other days its grand but do notis im havin more bad days then good were be for id hav more good so i think its worseing just wish it was over i need four weeks clear befor hols i dont mind walking boot how are u know how many weeks post op are u and what progress hav u made
     
  11. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Annmarie, Sorry I had not replied. I went on vacation and just returned. I had the surgery as you know and I had my cast on for 6 weeks. I just got it off yesterday. My ankle and foot are still very swollen. I am in a walking boot for the next for weeks. I am in a lot of pain. It is extremely painful to bear weight on my foot. Everything hurts. I need to start PT and I have been told that is also painful. Please let me know, what your experience has been like. My doctor says that I will be able to go back to my regular activity in six months.
     
  12. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    hi im four days post op and no pain im up walking from two days post op onece the boot is on im up and about swelling gone only thing is the pinching off the stiches they come out next friday they had me weight bearing after syugery but to be hounest i sad no went home and kept it up tryed bearing weight next day just a little buy day two i was walking normal in boot i still rest it alot dont want to do more damage but im doing ok boot for four to six weeks but iv had that boot for eight weeks pre op so thats not to bad i had the tenon repair and a clean out off scar tissu only thing im not happy with is lenth off scar its long but im doing good hope u are to
     
  13. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Hi, unfortunately my situation has gone from bad to worse. I finally got my cast off and when the Doctor say my foot she said that it did not look right. My foot was a blue purple in color and very swollen. When I put weight on it I want to scream in pain. She sent me to a pain management doctor and they both are in agreement that I have CRPS (Complex regional pain syndrome), it is a condition that happens to you after a trauma. Your nerves feel like they are constantly on fire and the pain in very strong. No cure, just pain management. It can last for a while or forever. Not enough studies done to see how it affects individuals.
    So tomorrow I go in for a procedure called LSB (lumber sympathetic block). They inject anesthesia through a needle to the nerve in your spine. Blocking the sensation of pain to your nerve and then you go directly to physical therapy so that they can work the heck out of your foot. With CRPS, the main thing is to use your foot no matter the pain. It is a matter of use it or loose it. The pain management doctor told me that if we are not aggressive in treatment, I will not be walking at this time next year. I will keep you posted.
     
  14. Tucson

    Tucson New Member

    I am not sure how many people are talking here as there is only one name, but how is everyone doing now after your surgeries?
     
  15. Tucson

    Tucson New Member

    How is everyone doing now? I am scheduled for my surgery Sept 21st. I wonder about how long the recovery time is. How long before you can walk, return to work, drive a car. How ugly is the scar? Does the ankle look normal again or still swollen? How bad was/is the post op pain?
     
  16. Tucson

    Tucson New Member

    No answers to questions so I hope that is a sign that everyone is doing well. My surgery has been moved up to Aug 26th. I ordered the seated knee scooter yesterday so that I will be able to get around during the non-weight bearing stage and maintain some independence. Set up here at the house to work from home as much as possible. Hoping to heal fast and praying for no complications as posted in #13.
     
  17. Smokey

    Smokey Guest

    I didn't have a split in my tendon but I did have a peroneal tendon debridement and cleaning out of scar tissue. I had surgery almost 3 weeks ago. I was in a half slab cast for 2 weeks, NWB, and now am in a cast for another 2 weeks, also NWB. I will then go in the boot, but not sure how long.

    The pain was a bit more than for other surgeries, but percocet took care of it. I can't sit with my foot down for very long as it swells, etc. and the incision burns.

    The incision went from the top of my ankle bone and down to the bottom edge of my foot, and then along towards the front for a couple inches. 17 staples long. It was very swollen at the 2 week mark when I got the cast on, and very very bruised.

    I am supposed to get the boot in 10 days when I go back, and expect that I will be PWB for a few days for sure until my foot gets used to things, then FWB without crutches, wearing the boot. I have no idea how long I'm in the boot, but my job entails me being on my feet most of the day (work in a school), so I may need it for work even if I don't at home. Or maybe a brace, don't know. Will find out more when I go get this cast off...!

    I had surgery on my left foot, so could drive right away, but didn't until I got the half-slab off and the cast on as my foot felt too vulnerable. Worried about falling or hitting it or something. Stuck close to home the first two weeks.

    I didn't use the knee scooter -- just used crutches. I'm really good on them now after being on so much after breaking my foot and having it take over 10 weeks to heal ... then having the tendon issues on top of it.

    I think I'll have to trash the boot when this is done though as the liner has almost had it! And the velcro is almost worn out! lol

    Good luck with your surgery.
     
  18. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    My left ankle go so bad that I could hardly walk. I consulted with three doctors, total.
    The first had an x ray of my foot and ankle made and the picture showed no misalignment
    or other problem. The second doctor ordered an MRI, whicH showed that my main foot
    tendon was split. He sent me to an orthapedic surgeon who verified the MRI reading. He
    said that he did not recommend surgury because it was painful, took a long time to heal,
    and he could not guarantee the results. He wrote me a prescription for a leg brace He
    said I would have to give up my wingtip and running shoes. I decided to try wrapping my
    foot and ankle. Since then, my swelling, which I had had for months, is gone and I have
    no pain at night. In addition, I can walk without pain. None of the three doctors even
    mentioned wrapping of my foot and ankle. I rememered that athletes wrap their ankles
    before and after an injury. DON NEAL FROM SOUTH CAROLINA.
     
    Last edited: Oct 29, 2011
  19. Doug

    Doug Guest

    You all are scaring me! I recently inured my left foot, and my mri showed a split tear of the peroneus brevis, and short longitudinal tears of my achilles in addition to a mid anterior calcaneal cyst that was preexisting. I'm in a full cast now, but haven't had surgery. My doctor wants to use that as a last resort. Listening to everyone here, it sounds like surgery it's almost a given! Wish me luck!
     
  20. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I just found out today that I need surgery. I have a split tear of the peroneus brevis tendon. Doc says only 17% heel with just booting. Because I can't do surgery for another month I decided to boot until I am ready. The surgery stories sound horrible. has anyone not gone through with the surgery and just dealt with the pain? I have been in pain for 4 months because I was too pig headed to get it checked out. I tolerated. However the thought of not hiking, biking, swimming, or running on the beach leans me towards surgery. I have two young kids to chase after too. Ugh! Good luck to u Doug. I hope your surgeon steers you in the right direction.
     
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