cgroer’s AchillesBlog

Will any of you give up tennis, except for casual play?

Jeff, I STILL haven’t learned that trick, unless the shot is an unanswerable winner!

Interesting - mine occurred on almost the exact same sequence. My lesson learned when I return to the tennis court - learn to say “good shot” and not try to chase every ball down

Hi Chris,

Yes, that makes sense. The push off\first step is a big deal in most sports. I remember Norm talking about that when I asked him how he got over the mental part of it.

I think that a lot of it is mental. My PT has a doctorate (DPT) and is also a certified Personal Trainer. He also likes to push me and has me doing things now that I am mentally struggling with.

However, that said, I have decided to start pushing the envelope this weekend.

Thanks for the info.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Thanks,
Ron

Chris, my ATR occurred after rushing the net for a drop-shot, then getting lobbed and then back peddling for an overhead. As I was attempting to push-off my left foot and take the overhead, I heard the “pop”, and crumpled to the ground. I still wonder if that particular sequence, sprinting forward and then running backwards, was my Achilles culprit, or if it was somewhat coincidental. Nonetheless, WHEN I eventually get back on the courts, I know that’s a situation I will hesitate in reacting to as well. My forward plan now is to ease back in to the sport just hitting balls for a while and then, later, playing doubles to start. First, though, I’ve got a lot of fundamental work to do–like re-learning how to walk. -David

DavidK - glad to hear you are moving along. The 8 week mark was tough, but my experience in the pool was great as I could almost see improvement on a daily basis. I’d say am about 90% back with my mobility now and you’ll get there before you know it!

Chris

Ron - sorry to hear about your setbacks but sounds like you are back on track. The most difficult thing for me is moving forward quickly. A shanked return or something that lands short is a tough one for me to handle as I always hesitate slightly. Not because it hurts, but because it’s a mental block. I originally injured it running for a dropshot, pushing off with my right foot, and I am still not mentally over it yet.

One thing that helped me a lot was to have a very aggressive physical therapist. He would convince me to do things that I wasn’t yet comfortable doing - jumping rope, jumping rope on one leg, doing some footwork drills, etc. I still remember how hard it was for me to finally start jumping rope on one foot. Now I don’t think about it at all but it was important (for me at least) to have someone prodding me and convincing me to push the envelope.

Other than pushing off to sprint forward, side to side movement, overheads, and serves haven’t caused me any problems. Good luck with your recovery!

Chris

That’s impressive!

I teach tennis and golf for a living and will be 9 months next week, but I had a 3 month setback (2 large clots and an incision point that recently scabbed off a month ago). I also had 22 staples and a 6 inch scar (9 gap) That said, my PT was done at half flare until very recently.

While I have started teaching golf, tennis will not start until next week., so I have been stepping up my PT, big time. Lacking strength and balance, though. I really don;t expect to be back close to 100% until the end of summer, unfortunately.

Even when I hit my driver, it hurts a bit, and I still cannot hit a 1st serve or approach too fast (working on footwork, etc.)

That said, great update and post. Nice pic, too.
Thanks, and keep up the good work (but be careful).
Ron

Congrats! Very inspiring. I’m looking forward to really ramping up my PT soon. Still trying not to overdo it as my tendon aches when I do too much in a day.

Definitely love the pool therapy and am getting back in today.

Cgroer, thanks so much for posting! I’m a fellow tennis player at the 8-week mark post-surgery who is still just dreaming about getting back on the court one day–the site of my ATR and my (former and, hopefully, future) recreational passion! Right now I’m focused on nearer-term goals like getting out of my boot and back into “2-shoes”, but you’ve given this person hope! -David

Thank you for coming back and posting this! You accomplished your goal of inspiring at least one person back at that 8wk mark. We just cleaned up our neighborhood pool this morning which has me so excited to walk over and begin doing that aquatherapy daily. Congrats on that big win!

Very impressive, in LOTS of ways:
- 8 months is pretty quick to return to a high-risk explosive sport like competitive tennis!
- Winning a tennis tournament is always impressive, and even more so when you’re still recovering! AND:
- I think I’ve only run a mile ONCE. In 6:35, IIRC (from almost 50 years ago!), and I thought I was going to DIE! I did NOT throw up, but I sure thought I might. Better you than me!

Cgroer, nice update.

I agree, 5 weeks to 8 is like night and day - FWB and all.

I am at about the same point and am working on taking the 2 shoe step. However, my next appt. is at 10 weeks. I hope to walk in with shoes on. LOL.

Good luck,
Ron

Thanks for reply! I had my post op on the 11th and kept meaning to come back here and let you know that everything was fine. Moved from a cast to boot and the doctor said I’m healing perfectly.

I’m guessing it was just a flexing to prepare for impact like you said. It’s happened since one time as well, but the pain didn’t last as long.

Thanks again for the support, really helps having a community like this and knowing that others have gone through the same exact thing.

wiseyoda-
I definitely appreciate the fear you have right now. What I felt was more of like a tingling/shocking sensation than anything. Then some pain afterwards but not much.

I will say that I have since had the same sensation two times (both were > 4 weeks postop), and I am pretty sure that both times my foot did NOT even touch the ground. In both cases, my crutch slipped on the edge of a sidewalk, and my guess is that I involuntarily flexed muscles in my calf preparing for the impact. My layman’s hypothesis is that the “electrical” sensation was due to nerves becoming “reactivated” near the achilles or something like that.

In any event, I know how nervous you are about your incident and possible re-rupture, but it seems like many people have these kinds of incidents and survive without a re-rupture. Hopefully you will do the same!

Hey there, just wanted to stop by and say this post gave me some hope for my post op on Wednesday.

After 8 days of religiously keeping my foot up and not moving, this Saturday I tripped down the last step of my stairs. I was foolishly trying to hop down it to get my crutches myself without waiting for someone to help me. Ended up going face first into the floor and hitting my cast / toes off the ground. I didn’t feel a pop or anything like that, but felt pretty horrible pain and tingling for about an hour after it happened.

Since then, I have had no pain in my foot… only swelling - which really worries me. I texted my doc and he said there is nothing I can do but wait until Wednesday when they take the first cast off.

After hearing your story of the re-rupture scare and this follow up, I feel slightly better, though I’m still convincing I re-ruptured it (until the doc tells me otherwise).

Thanks for sharing!

Mostly been doing the PWB with the crutches and boot - trying to get the heel toe motion down. Also did some using the kitchen counters to help me. So far it’s hard to get the confidence to put more and more weight on the boot. Not because my achilles hurts, but more due to the pain in the ankle. I’m thinking it might just be the swelling - fluid being compressed and forcing pressure into different places in my ankle, etc.

Good stuff! How exactly do you do PWB? I will hopefully be in your position starting tomorrow, curious to how it works.

Thanks for the comments everyone. After a few days the scar looks substantially better- weird (and kind of gross!) how the skin just sort of peels off in big chunks! It’s now pink/purple everywhere and fully sealed up everywhere so I’m pleased with that. I have tried to put more and more weight on it the past few days with the boot on. My achilles feels stiff but I can get to 90 degrees pretty easily and it doesn’t feel too bad when I go PWB with the boot and the crutches. When I try to put more and more weight on it I start to feel more and more pain in my ankle - really on the outside of the foot/ankle and not the achilles. I might have overdone things a little bit yesterday as my ankle and foot were really swollen last night. I slept with it elevated and the swelling went down to almost nothing by this morning. Today I went to the neighborhood pool with the kids and walked around (carefully!) in the 5 foot section (I’m 6′1). It felt odd but satisfying to finally put my “full” weight on my right side. Once I went into the 4 foot section though I lost some confidence and my ankle started to hurt a bit more again. Overall, I’m pl

Hello,
I had an OP on the 4th of July and like you got a fright at the look of the scar when the cast came off, It looked similar to your photo. I did not capture an image of my leg. I am pleased to say a further 5 weeks down the line it looks a lot better and the dots from the staples are fading well.
With regards to the neutral position… I had my leg in a equinus cast (NWB) for almost 6 weeks before moving to a boot with my foot in a similar position. I have had the boot on for 3 weeks and 3 out of the 6 wedges have been removed so another 3 weeks before my foot will be neutral or at 90 degrees. Each time a wedge is removed the achilles and the skin on the back of my leg feels tight for a day or so, like you I don’t think I could get my foot to neutral now, never mind 3 weeks ago. I have read a lot on the subject and there are benefits to getting more mobile earlier. I guess it is a case of getting the Dr to explain his approach and rationale for that and making sure you are happy with it.?
Happy Healing, I’ll look forward to reading how you got on…

Hi… You and I had surgery within days of each other. I just got my cast off today and went into the boot, FWB. Actually, i’m full weight bearing as tolerated, but I can’t tolerate not being FWB.

Because I’m a re-rupture, I have to stay in my boot for 5 weeks. 2 weeks ago I was told 3 weeks in the boot, so not sure what changed. I’m at 20 degrees PF (toes pointed down) and next week go down to 10. I should be at neutral in 2 weeks.

I walked to the potty barefoot and it felt okay, but my foot points outward when I walk. Not sure why that is. I don’t walk in the boot that way.

I think your scar looks great. I think it’s going to take me several tries to get all the yucky dead skin from that foot.

I start PT next week. Good luck. Congrats on your progress.

I don’t know about going straight to neutral. I was non-op so my tendon was still curing at five weeks. I went into a boot with 3 wedges and I’m pretty certain I couldn’t get my foot to neutral at that point. Perhaps since your tendon is surgically repaired it is already strong enough to be set at neutral. Just thinking out loud here. Hope you can talk to your dr about your concerns.

Ok thank you! I am just asking because I have had 2 reconstruction surgeries for my rupture ( long story!). The first one, I had no pain after a few days post surgery, but with this recent one, I am in a lot of pain! Keep us updated with your progress. Best of luck.

Hi rev246 - I don’t have much pain at all. When I get up and move around there is maybe a slight amount of discomfort and I notice some swelling after I don’t have my foot elevated but it is really not that bad. I will say that I have been absolutely religious about keeping my foot elevated and my surgeon thought that had a lot to do with how well my incision had healed after 10 days. I am still sleeping in the recliner and I have my foot up as much as possible at work. I’ll check out your blog to see if I have anything else to add.

Do you get any pain (blood rush) to your achilles when you get up an move around?

Good to hear your still intact. Your doctor stitched you up nicely. It looks like he did a great job. My tendon ends would not meet so they did an vy lengthening procedure and my scar goes way up my leg. I posted a pic on my blog. Mine kind of reminds me of a fresh Kobe scar.

Being in a cast for 2 weeks is still aggressive. I will be in a cast for 4 weeks, but it will be changed after 2. I don’t think I will be into a boot until week 6. I’m told I am supposed to be NWB, but that is near impossible for me.

Keep us posted on your progress. Sounds like your healing nicely. Congrat!

Omigosh. That’s quite the Frankenstein scar! It will fade quickly, don’t worry, and you’ll have a conversation piece for life.

Hey beach goer… how was your doctor visit?

Yeah, I wouldn’t worry. I stumbled going down the stairs and got caught on a rug another time. Both times putting weight on my cast. Weird sensation each time but no damage. Good luck.

Thanks for conveying your reassuring experiences but I’m still a bit anxious. It feels about the same today but had a little pain last night that woke me up. Seems like a lot of people have had scary incidents like mine and come out okay. Fingers crossed until Tuesday…

I did the exact same thing trying to balance on the scooter and make my daughters bed. When I fell over I put some weight on my ATR leg and got the exact same sensation. (You’ll also get that same sensation when you first begin weight bearing). So it definitely sounds like your ok. Just be careful

Hi GG. Sounds like you’re OK - an event like that will scare the crap outta you. I made a similar move about 12 days after my 1st surgery - the splint came off a week after and Dr said to keep the boot on. I decided that I could sleep without it, and when getting up in the middle of the night also decided that I could crutch over to the bathroom without putting it on. Lost my balance, stepped SQUARE BACK ON THE BAD FOOT and immediately felt the POP and PAIN! ENded up with another MRI a week later (by then the swelling and pain were gone) but the MRI showed I’d retorn it about 70%. Was back in surgery exactly 3 weeks after the 1st procedure. After THAT splint came off, I decided to go with a cast for 4 weeks instead of the boot.
That was back in March, and I’m well on the way today. Almost walking without a limp, and slowly gaining strength in the calf muscles.
Lesson I learned - KEEP THE BOOT ON!!!!!
Good Luck to you.
Jack

Hiya…..

Hopefully I can help ease your mind.

I re-ruptured but I was non-op the first go round. I had 200% more pain then the first time. The tight pulling sensation I had in the boot, was gone once I reruptured. I also could not flex my calf.

9 days after my surgery but still in a splint, I took ambien to sleep. In my sleep I ripped off my splint. I have no recollection of what happened but I woke up sitting up with my bare foot in front of me. There were times I walked on my splint. After I saw the doctor he said I was fine. (I’m convinced I wasn’t meant for captivity)

I think you are probably good. I have no medical training whatsoever, but I would think if you ripped something, especially sutures, you would be in pain.

Good Luck! Keep us posted! Enjoy the rest of your beach vacation.

P.S. I’m impressed you text your doctor.

No worries - probably. I did exactly the same thing in slightly different circumstances and ended up doing a face plant on the floor. I did have quite a bit of pain and was worried sick about having re-ruptured/damaged but it was fine . So, try not to worry - hard I know- but it’s probably just fine! And, from experience, I know that from now on you’re going to be almost obsessively careful. Let us know how the appointment on Tuesday goes.

I was prescribed Keflex for 3 days. I actually love Cipro and asked for it and they said no. I also heard the suspected link to ATRs.

Glad to hear your doing well at the beach! I hope you continue doing well. Take care. xx

Seems odd to me. My Docs were suggesting Cipro for me for an unrelated infection and I said a nice gentle version of “over my dead body”. It turns out there were several alternative antibiotics that had also done well on my cultured bugs, and the infection cleared up without making me nervous about my ATs and all my other tendons. (I’ve torn both ATs AND a finger tendon — all without Cipro, AFAIK!)

You’re not crazy. You’re a caring family person. Your kids are lucky.

Just make sure you have your meds if needed and do whatever you can with setup to have leg raised as much as possible. You may wish to consider renting a wheelchair with a leg raise, if there is some rolling around away from the sand that you might need to do. Leg up, leg up, leg up. remember as much as possible 6 inches higher than the heart.

Lying in bed in pain to do paperwork or read and eat and go to the washroom might be a bit more therapeutic with that bed being the beach. Three and five year old will be tough, but if you have a supportive spouse you might have opportunities to have them learn and grow.

Kids that age are great and love to learn and take responsibility. Draw a line in the sand around your boot which the kids can’t cross. They could be told ahead of the trip that they are going to the beach to have fun and to help you heal and they will have some responsibilities as little doctors (rules and responsibilities). Every day they can first help make you a little sunken couch in the sand with a leg raise. Make it a controlled environmen

Thanks for the ideas. I’m 72 hours post op now and haven’t had any painkillers since yesterday morning. Took first shower this morning. I’ve got my foot propped up and we are driving to the beach. Taking our time but hope to get there this evening.

I second lengthening the crutches, just about 2 inches worked for me. It’s not easy but just go slow. I did it in a boot and I was about 7 weeks post ATR.

My biggest problem at your point was swelling, if you can keep that foot up in the car, do it. If you’re in a cast and have problem with swelling, ice it. My doctor and nurse said it wouldn’t go through the cast, but i tried it and it was the only way I could get some relief some days.

Have fun!

After my surgery for my ATR #1, I spend almost a week mostly in bed, moaning and groaning a lot. I’m glad nobody took me to a beach then. (After ATR #2, 8 years later and without surgery, I would have enjoyed being at a beach — except that it was December in Canada!)

I think how you GET to the beach is probably more important than being there, because you can always stay in bed or on a couch or on a beach chair with your leg elevated. But long car rides — and for sure airplanes or buses or trains — can be murder soon after ATR surgery.

I had surgery a week ago and I think your crazy. I’m crazy, so I’m saying I’m saying this with affection. I had surgery on Thursday, by Monday I took only aspirin, but Thursday I started my pain meds again.

That being said, I admire your decision. If I had the opportunity to go to the beach, I probably would. Mind you, I haven’t let my house since the surgery and the riskiest thing I’ve done all week is take a shower.

Have a great time. Good luck. Keep us posted.

I hope that you can plant your self in the beach house and not have to mess with crutching through the sand. If you do, raise the crutches up a couple notches to allow for sinking or invest in those sand pads for the bottom of them. Good luck and have fun! (I did the beach in a boot but never in crutches.)

One week after we went to back to back theme parks over two separate days. I crutches my way around for two days. It was taxiing. Leg swelled. But went back to hotel and relaxed. All was well after that. Like u this vacation was already planned. So it didn’t stop me.

I didn’t have to take pain meds after 48 hours other than just regular tylenol; however, that likely would have changed if I was in a car with my foot down.

Keeping my foot propped up was very important in keeping my pain level down. My experience may not be like yours though.

Good luck if you go for it, let us know how it goes.

Its completely normal to have intense pain once the nerve block wears off. I was in tears! Each day got better and better. I am now 6 wks post op and able to walk in my boot without crutches. I couldn’t even do this just two days ago! Its amazing how the body can adapt.