How long does it take to heal from surgery for a broken heel tendon?

Heel tendon breakage refers to a complete rupture of the Achilles tendon, which requires surgical suturing and postoperative immobilization. Depending on the patient’s condition, the recovery time varies somewhat and usually takes 2 to 4 months. For patients with simple Achilles tendon injuries caused by strenuous exercise and excessive ankle flexion, without the combination of open injury and fracture, and without serious underlying diseases such as arterial occlusion of the lower limbs, the recovery time is relatively short, and recovery exercises can usually be started in about 8 weeks. For Achilles tendon injuries caused by sharps injuries, car accidents, etc., the injury is often more complex, can be accompanied by open injuries or even Achilles bone fractures, the recovery time is relatively longer. As for chronic Achilles tendonitis, due to the degeneration of the Achilles tendon tissue, resulting in decreased strength and easy to rupture, the surgical suture is difficult, and the postoperative recovery is also more difficult, and may take 3~4 months or even longer. After surgery for complete Achilles tendon rupture, immobilization of the injured limb is required. After removing the immobilization, systematic functional exercises should be carried out under the guidance of a professional physician to gradually stretch the Achilles tendon and restore its function.