Has anyone ever torn a tendon? Trying to figure out how to keep working out!

A

Amira2

New member
Hi,

I tore a calf tendon last week and am really struggling to find any ways to work out that don't kill me. I can't really stand or walk well at all.

I've already gained about 3 pounds, and I'm not eating much at all.

So - two questions:

1. Any suggestions how to deal with the injury other than icing, compression and elevation?

2. Any suggestions for alternative workouts?

Thanks!
Jana
 
Um....doctor? :)

Ok, so here's the deal. We just moved to a new state, and I'm now working at home. My hubby turned in the paperwork to add me to his insurance, but they never completed it - they're working on fixing it now. At the time I was injured, I had no insurance coverage, and still don't know that I do, so I haven't gone.

A friend of mine is a nurse and she talked to me about the symptoms and the diagnosis (which I am sure of, due to the feeling of what happened and the way it's responded) and she told me to ice 15 minutes on, 15 off. Compression, elevation. I have been hobbling around a lot, just because I have to, so I am getting SOME exercise, but it's exhausting. I'm just trying not to go backwards.

Thanks,
Jana
 
I still don't understand how the American medical system works. You can't just go to a doctor to find out what's wrong, you have to pay him out of pocket? Are there no free clinics or whatever?
 
Yes, I could go and pay a doctor out of pocket, but I just moved here and also do not have much business coming in yet. I am working as a graphic designer from home. A print shop had promised me all the work I could do, but that hasn't happened.

My other business is a dance studio, where I teach and do instructional videos. Obviously THAT part of my business is also on hold. I AM teaching my live classes, in a very revised format, and my students have been ok with it so far. Now, 2 weeks after the injury, I can hobble around with a cane and can stand ok. My leg is a nice mottled purple with green, yellow and orange undertones. Very colorful.

I will give you a hint about our emergency medical system here:

A few months ago, I had a bladder infection. It came on at work, and by the end of the work day, I was in agony. I'd called my doctor for a prescription, but he didn't call me back, so I was looking at spending the night in abject agony - it was so bad by 5pm I couldn't walk. So, this really wasn't going to work. So my hubby took me to the ER. Now I HAD insurance, and worked for the government, so I had GOOD insurance. So I went to the ER, got a simple urine test and two pills. I later got two bills: $900 for the DOCTOR, $1500 for the ER VISIT! I fought them and got it down to $1500 total, but let's just say if I hadn't had insurance it would have been more than double, and I have little income now. THAT is why I haven't been to the dr.

My hubby's company straightened out my insurance, so I'm now covered and will try to find a sports medicine specialist to have a look at it.

Our healthcare system sucks, basically speaking. $2400 for a simple test and two pills???? And not being able to go to the doctor when I really NEED to for fear of another such bill... so it's not as simple as you might think.
 
Do you not have minor emergency / after-hours clinics in Washington State? They're all over the place here. I suspect a torn tendon would be beyond their scope, but my personal experience is that they can diagnose a UTI and write a prescription in about an hour (no appointments, so it's all first-come, first-served) and for under $100. Not quite as cheap as a PCP appointment (those run me about $70 after insurance discount), but they're open until 11pm on weeknights, and all day weekends.

My parents dislike doctors in general, and are unwilling to spend the time / money to invest in a relationship with one, so the minor emergency clinics are all they ever go to. (They might need a doctor visit every 5 years or so.)
 
wow this is a bit shocking to hear about the cost of getting healthcare over there. what about really poor people who have serious health problems..are they just left to suffer or possibly die? i cant believe how inhumane some "healthcare" systems are...it baffles me
 
amagheti said:
what about really poor people who have serious health problems..
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Medicaid (government-provided health insurance, primarily for kids, pregnant women, and the disabled) covers some. There are free / sliding-scale clinics - I get a flu shot every year at the health department office, and my kid could get all her immunizations there for free, regardless of income level. My MIL has had all sorts of screening tests done for free through some program she found out about through her church. Hospitals are required to provide life-saving treatment regardless of ability to pay; for anything less-urgent, you can usually work out a payment plan and/or negotiate the fee somewhat if you can demonstrate financial need.
 
oh ok. good to know that at least thats provided by the state. i was under the wrong impression that either you can afford it or you cant
 
Part of the problem is I've lived in California all my life and things are different here. I don't know where I can go or what to do in an emergency. Luckily, I'm healing up well now, and have started working out - mostly ab workouts - gently for starters.

It's scary to be in a new place, get injured (late at night on a weekend of course) then have no clue if I'm covered under insurance. I told my hubby that if I thought I had insurance, I probably would have gone to the ER that night, I was that scared. But one of our friends who was there has torn a tendon, and when I described how it felt, he assured me that was what it was, and he called his daughter, a nurse, the next morning to see if she had any thoughts, and she confirmed it. When the bruise came to the surface about a week later, I was actually relieved - now this is something I can deal with. I'm finally walking mostly normally now, and other than being weak in that leg, I feel ok.

Thanks to everyone for your concern. I really was panicking, especially since I've not been able to stay off the leg. I live in a 3-story house, and work at home so I'm here alone all day. That's a really frightening feeling, not being able to take care of yourself. And I have to say in this instance, my hubby was of little help. He didn't even get me food when he went to the store for himself! (Ya, I'm more than a little upset by that one, but he's never good in an emergency, so at least I know what to expect.)

At least now I can drive and get around and will be back to dancing in no time. I really appreciate the moral support :)

Amira
 
Amira said:
Part of the problem is I've lived in California all my life and things are different here. I don't know where I can go or what to do in an emergency. Luckily, I'm healing up well now, and have started working out - mostly ab workouts - gently for starters.

It's scary to be in a new place, get injured (late at night on a weekend of course) then have no clue if I'm covered under insurance. I told my hubby that if I thought I had insurance, I probably would have gone to the ER that night, I was that scared. But one of our friends who was there has torn a tendon, and when I described how it felt, he assured me that was what it was, and he called his daughter, a nurse, the next morning to see if she had any thoughts, and she confirmed it. When the bruise came to the surface about a week later, I was actually relieved - now this is something I can deal with. I'm finally walking mostly normally now, and other than being weak in that leg, I feel ok.

Thanks to everyone for your concern. I really was panicking, especially since I've not been able to stay off the leg. I live in a 3-story house, and work at home so I'm here alone all day. That's a really frightening feeling, not being able to take care of yourself. And I have to say in this instance, my hubby was of little help. He didn't even get me food when he went to the store for himself! (Ya, I'm more than a little upset by that one, but he's never good in an emergency, so at least I know what to expect.)

At least now I can drive and get around and will be back to dancing in no time. I really appreciate the moral support :)

Amira
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By me they have Mercy Care. I believe it's State aid money sent to a local Hospital to help people who don't have Medical coverage. You should look into something like that in your area. I mean people abuse this system so I'd love to see someone who actually needs and is in trouble get the care. :)
 
Yes, the US healthcare system is messed up. When I first started working my last job, my insurance paid almost everything, and my company paid ALL of my insurance costs. Over the past 8 years with that same company, every year a bit more came out of my paycheck, and the copays were higher.

By last year, I was paying about half my doctor visits, labs and prescriptions out of pocket in addition to the higher costs of insurance. Then there was that rather shocking evening in the ER with the resultant astronomical bills. I couldn't afford to pay that, but I did.

Part of the problem is that so many people rip off the healthcare system, so that people who actually need help can't get it or can't afford it.

I just hope that with this election, we can do something to turn things around. If I can't afford healthcare, then people without insurance or good paying jobs have to really be in trouble.
 
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