Tendon injuries: strains, cuts, ruptures...

So here’s the deal: about three and a half weeks ago, I went through surgery to repair a torn tendon in my lower leg. Everything went smoothly during the procedure, and they put me in this heavy-duty splint, telling me I’d only need to wear it for about three weeks. I’ve been going back for follow-ups, and every single time, the doctors have assured me that by week three—maybe four at most—I’d be able to ditch the thing. Well, fast forward to today: I show up for my scheduled checkup to get the wound inspected and finally get out of this brace, but instead of my usual doc, I get some random specialist who looks at me and says everything is fine, but I actually need to keep the splint on for *another* three weeks. 😕
Now I’m stuck in this total limbo. I honestly don’t know what to do next. Should I go hunt down a second opinion from a different doctor? Because man, wearing this thing is becoming a massive pain, and I really can't afford to keep missing classes at school.
If anyone here has dealt with tendon injuries before, please hit me up with some advice or even just an explanation of why this happens.

Go back to that first doctor you ever saw.

I have a question regarding rehabilitation following tendon surgery...
A piece of glass fell on my foot and caused quite a mess, ultimately rupturing the extensor tendon connected to my big toe... I was rushed into surgery within seven hours of the injury...
As a matter of fact, I play soccer professionally, so I am trying to determine exactly what the recovery roadmap looks like—specifically how long I will be stuck in a walking boot and what the physical therapy schedule entails... thank you in advance...

I’m honestly at a loss for what else to say. This pain is just impossible to describe. I play water polo, and I've been dealing with this for about a year now. After a while, the pain eventually dies down (usually after practice or a game). I'm 14. I've been using those Polar Ice packs, which helps ease things, but how do I actually get rid of this pain for good?😢

Anyone else? Same here? 😢

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexor_...ofundus_muscle

I’m fairly certain I’ve gone and injured the tendon associated with the Flexor Digitorum Profundus—if I’m using the right terminology, at least... basically, while I was out rock climbing, I felt this sharp twinge in the fleshy part of my palm, and now there’s this tiny little lump right where it hurts (I think I can feel 😁)

The thing is, there hasn't been any swelling or discoloration, and the pain isn't exactly agonizing... it's just that when I try certain grips, my hand feels a bit weaker and I get this dull ache

So, I decided to take a break from climbing for about two weeks—just to be safe—and I've been massaging the area three times a day along with some very gentle, controlled stretching

Is there anything else I could be doing to help speed up the recovery process? Honestly, I'd appreciate any advice you all might have 🙂

Not quite, but the real question is whether the injury is actually in the tendon or if it's just the pulleys. You should Google "climber's finger" to see the difference. Either way, I’d really recommend taking a break and then making a super gradual comeback—maybe stick to some easier routes first...

It’s not actually about the finger 🙂—as I was trying to explain earlier—it’s more about the back of the palm... 😁

I wiped out on my bike at high speed about 15 months ago—hit the pavement hard. It was brutal then, and honestly, even now there’s this constant, nagging discomfort. It isn’t exactly "pain" anymore, just... irritating. I’ve got zero strength left in my hands. I kept thinking it would just heal up with time, but nothing has changed. The worst part is the bone and the tendons around my thumb, plus my entire wrist is acting up. Is there any actual fix for this? Can ultrasound help or what?

Christian Miller14 said:I wiped out on my bike at high speed about 15 months ago—hit the pavement hard. It was brutal then, and honestly, even now there’s this constant, nagging discomfort. It isn’t exactly "pain" anymore, just... irritating. I’ve got zero strength left in my hands. I kept thinking it would just heal up with time, but nothing has changed. The worst part is the bone and the tendons around my thumb, plus my entire wrist is acting up. Is there any actual fix for this? Can ultrasound help or what?

Go get an X-ray🤷 or have you already done that?

Hey everyone... About a week ago during a soccer game, some "gentleman" came in with a slide tackle that swept my right leg out from under me while my left was planted—and that's when I felt something snap in my left groin. The trauma specialist ran an ultrasound and confirmed it's an adductor longus tendon rupture. My treatment plan involves no surgery, just plenty of rest, ice packs, and heparin, with a follow-up in a month. They're saying it'll take about two months to fully recover. I'm currently out on medical leave and, honestly, barely able to walk. I'd really appreciate it if anyone here has dealt with this before and could share some insight. THANKS IN ADVANCE.

I dealt with something similar on the inner side (golfer's elbow), but yours sounds more like tennis elbow.

I tried everything—gels, pills, you name it. Nothing worked. Then I spent two months doing physical therapy: magnets, lasers, TENS units, ultrasound... absolutely nothing. Two months after finishing PT, the pain was still just as bad.

Here’s how I actually fixed my tendon in just two weeks:

I apply ice to the spot two or three times a day for about 15-20 minutes. Right after icing, I massage the tendon where it hurts (honestly, whenever I feel like it during the day because it helps). I also started doing forearm exercises using the lightest weight possible—three sets of 20 reps. Then, right before bed, I apply Ichthammol ointment. In the States, you can find this stuff at any local farm supply store or tractor supply shop; it's usually marketed for livestock, but since the active ingredient is identical to the expensive "human grade" versions sold at CVS or Walgreens, it works perfectly fine for us. It's basically the exact same thing, just ten times cheaper—usually only a couple of bucks a tube. You can probably find it under a different brand name at a local pharmacy too.

http://www.vetzavodzemun.com/producthem.php?id=22

So, before bed, I rub it on the sore spot and wrap it with a warm compress. That’s it. Within two weeks, the pain was gone, even though I’d spent the previous 10 months trying to fix it to no avail.

I decided to sign up for this forum yesterday because I’m feeling a bit stuck and could really use some guidance. Here’s my situation:
About two years ago, I had an accident involving some broken glass that ended up slicing through the tendon in my pinky finger. It seemed like such a minor injury at first—just three little puncture wounds—but things went downhill quickly. When I went to the ER, they attempted to repair the severed tendon on the spot, but they weren't successful, and they actually ended up making a larger incision in the process. A month later, I had to undergo surgery where they made a 12 cm incision on my hand to graft the ends together using synthetic tissue. Unfortunately, following the procedure, I found myself unable to make a fist or even straighten that little finger. I’ve been fighting with the finger through sheer willpower for months now, and while I finally managed to regain my grip strength after about half a year, the finger still doesn't move quite right. To be honest, I have a nagging suspicion that they might have pulled the tendon too tight during the repair, which messed up the mechanics. I'm wondering if there's anything that can be done at this stage regarding the tendon, and more importantly, who should I actually be seeing? I’m a bit hesitant to let anyone else start cutting into my hand if it isn't going to fix the underlying issue, so does anyone know the specific medical specialty that handles this kind of thing? Truly, friends, I would appreciate any thoughts you might have—whether it's a piece of advice or just a personal opinion, I'll take it. I really need some help here. Thanks in advance.

urbanranger22 said:I decided to sign up for this forum yesterday because I’m feeling a bit stuck and could really use some guidance. Here’s my situation:
About two years ago, I had an accident involving some broken glass that ended up slicing through the tendon in my pinky finger. It seemed like such a minor injury at first—just three little puncture wounds—but things went downhill quickly. When I went to the ER, they attempted to repair the severed tendon on the spot, but they weren't successful, and they actually ended up making a larger incision in the process. A month later, I had to undergo surgery where they made a 12 cm incision on my hand to graft the ends together using synthetic tissue. Unfortunately, following the procedure, I found myself unable to make a fist or even straighten that little finger. I’ve been fighting with the finger through sheer willpower for months now, and while I finally managed to regain my grip strength after about half a year, the finger still doesn't move quite right. To be honest, I have a nagging suspicion that they might have pulled the tendon too tight during the repair, which messed up the mechanics. I'm wondering if there's anything that can be done at this stage regarding the tendon, and more importantly, who should I actually be seeing? I’m a bit hesitant to let anyone else start cutting into my hand if it isn't going to fix the underlying issue, so does anyone know the specific medical specialty that handles this kind of thing? Truly, friends, I would appreciate any thoughts you might have—whether it's a piece of advice or just a personal opinion, I'll take it. I really need some help here. Thanks in advance.

I’m no doctor, but when I had hand issues, this was the advice I got: if you're interested in rehab options, go see a physiatrist. If you're looking at surgery, you'll want to find a plastic and reconstructive surgeon...

I’ve combed through the archives, but I haven't stumbled upon anything that directly addresses my specific situation.
My apologies to the moderators if I’ve missed a more appropriate thread for this.

To give some context, I had an accident that resulted in severed tendons and muscle tissue in my left thumb.
The surgeons patched me up, and the doctor actually expressed relief that it was just a clean cut rather than something much more catastrophic involving heavy machinery or power tools.
I have regained movement in the thumb, but since it's only been three weeks, I'm still stuck wearing a splint for another month or so.

What I am really looking to understand is this:
Once those tendons finally knit back together, how much functionality can I realistically expect to recover, and what is the typical timeline for that healing process?
I've heard anecdotes about topical creams or perhaps supplementing with Vitamin C to assist with tissue regeneration—is there any actual merit to that?
Additionally, I'd appreciate some insight into physical therapy; I have a basic understanding of the concept, but I'm interested in the granular details of what the rehabilitation actually entails.
Finally, what kind of long-term consequences should I anticipate, such as chronic aches when the weather shifts from hot to cold?

I truly appreciate any insights you all might be able to share.

Hey everyone, I was wondering if anyone here has dealt with injuries like severed finger tendons or something similar? I'm curious about what the recovery timeline looks like, how much functionality you actually get back in the finger, and all that good stuff.

So, here’s the deal: I managed to slice through the tendons in my finger—actually, according to my surgeon, I cut through pretty much everything except the bone itself. As soon as I rolled into the ER, the surgeon jumped right into action to repair those tendons, and man, he really went to work! It took quite a while because he was being incredibly careful not to make extra incisions just to track them down, which, let's face it, is an incredibly difficult task. I don't mind the scars one bit, but I am feeling a little lost regarding how long this recovery process will take and what the end result will be for my finger's movement. Right now, I can wiggle it just a tiny bit, though it definitely hurts, but since it's currently in a splint with a little bit of wiggle room, I think I'll be okay—the doctor actually told me I should start some light range-of-motion exercises as early as tomorrow!

Look, I might be barking up the wrong tree here by posting this in this thread, but I’ve got a question and if someone could just lay it out for me, I’d really appreciate it. So, about two weeks ago, I caught myself on some broken glass and ended up slicing through my anterior tibial tendon—yeah, the front one. I’m stuck in a cast for now, but they’re probably taking it off next week, and I’m spiraling a bit wondering if I’ll ever actually have full control over my ankle again. Like, can I get back to playing soccer? Can I run? Am I going to be able to kick a ball with everything I've got? This is my right leg we're talking about. If there's any chance I'll be back to normal, can you guys tell me when that might happen, or how risky this whole thing is? Is this just a temporary setback, kind of like a bad break where everything eventually resets, or am I looking at something permanent? They had to go in and stitch the tendon back together internally since it was a total clean cut through the middle. I'm hoping for some answers ASAP... and hey, if I'm totally lost and should be asking this in a different sub, please just point me in the right direction. Thanks in advance!

So, I figured I’d throw my question out there too—I managed to slice through my thumb tendon on my left hand with an axe. According to the medical paperwork, it was the extensor tendon or something along those lines. I just had the stitches pulled out two days ago, and while I can move my finger in a circular motion, I absolutely cannot bend it downward. Of course, everything still needs to fully heal before I’ll know if I can actually get the finger to straighten out properly. The thing is, I cut myself right over the joint, though the doctors looked at the scans and told me the joint itself isn't damaged—maybe it's just the wound near the knuckle making the whole thumb feel tight and stiff.

About ten days ago, I suffered a deep laceration affecting four fingers—on the side where everything possible was severed between the first and second joints—though thankfully there was no bone fracture.
After roughly seven hours of surgery, the tendons were repaired and the wound was sutured; by day eight, I was fitted with a splint.
The pain levels are moderate, yet I have zero sensation in the upper portion of the injured finger upon touch—it feels more like a persistent burning sensation in the distal phalanx.
My primary care physician suggested that my splint might be applied far too tightly.
Two days ago, I went in for a follow-up with a specialist who barely even examined the wound before referring me for a cast.
Since then, however, the pain has intensified—my finger is tingling, cramping internally, and I have lost all sensation in the fingertip.
Is it possible that the tendon repairs have failed, or could the condition be worsening simply because the sutures haven't been removed yet?
Has anyone else dealt with an injury of this nature?
Additionally, how long does it typically take for the surgical sutures used for tendon repair to dissolve?

My dad actually severed a tendon in his thumb once. He didn't deal with the same issues you're having, so I can't really offer much advice, but I wanted to mention that he never quite got full sensation back in that finger. It’s been feeling kind of "numb" ever since. He says he just got used to it after a while—this was years ago—and it doesn't really get in the way of his work.