The Injury
My ATR injury happened playing basketball on the Friday night of Feb 8th, 2008.
I played about 3 games, with a break in between games. During the last game, since I had sat out the game before, I wasn’t as warmed up. It was in the middle of the game, and I was backpedaling towards the defensive end of the court. One of the guys on the other team made a jumpshot, and I was slowing down and changing momentum to run back to play offense. Then it happened while I was shifting my weight to change direction.
However, I don’t think my achilles tendon would have just snapped like that had I not had chronic achilles tendonitis. I think my achilles tendons were in pretty bad shape already, and they have been biding their time to snap, and it finally happened that night.
(But it looks like the motion of backpeddling and then shifting your weight in the opposite direction is one of the common ways of ATR. Here’s some info:
http://espn.go.com/trainingroom/s/1999/0915/59775.html)
Surprisingly, the pain wasn’t as excruciating as I had envisioned for an achilles tendon tear. I felt the dull, numbing sensation of the after-effects of an ankle sprain, but no initial sharp floor-slapping pain that accompanies a severe sprain. There was a definite “pop” that felt like an explosion that reverbrated all the way to my calf muscle.. which makes complete sense. It’s like a rubber band snapping, and the thought of that still makes me cringe.
In contrast to the pain that I experienced, some people say that achilles tendon rupture (ATR) is the most painful injury that they’ve experienced. So it probably depends on exactly where the rupture is, and how many nerves you damage in the process.
After the pop, my left foot was out of commission for good, and I managed to limp to the sideline. The gravity of the situation hasn’t set in completely, and I sat there dumbfounded, watching my team win possibly my last game of pickup basketball.
If you want to read a more detailed version, please go to my post at: http://achillesblog.com/dennis
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Good luck…you are way head of me.
I’m 47 and ruptured my achilles skiing on Feb 14…hit a depression and tumbled forward and the ski didn’t release. I did stretch that day…and had skied several runs. I am a good skier and ski 20-25 days/year.
The injury REALLY hurt…now I believe I might have a sense of the pain of child birth. I had surgery on Feb 16.
I have not had other achilles issues. Could I work out and stretch more? Yes and that will be a focus long-term. I expect 100% recovery and will continue to ski and bike. I had already given up other high impact sports (running , basketball).
The first week after surgery is really depressing. I feel much better after even a week…not the constant throbbing…and I have elected not to take the Percocet during the day (after a few days) because I hate that feeling. I am elevating and icing the ankle like crazy.
Sutures out on the 28th then we’ll see what the protocol is. My doc is part of a well-known (sports) orthopedic group that is very aggressive in terms of getting patients on their feet.
John Skier, good to hear from you.
Glad that your ankle feels better. Let me know how the suture removal goes and what the doctor has in mind for you in terms of the recovery protocol.
You’ll definitely be skiing again by next season! I like to ski at Alta and Snowbird about 2-3 times a year. I hope to get back into it next season.
I was taking Lortab 7.5 500mg 1-2 tablets twice a day for a couple of days after the surgery. I’ve stopped since then as the pain hasn’t been too severe.
What I’ve learned from other’s Achilles Tendon Rupture is that it’s one of two pain levels. Ether it’s just a moderate amount of pain (like a minor ankle sprain and numbness) or it’s excruciating pain that you almost pass out from.
How did you select your orthopedic surgeon by the way? I am curious to know how people find good surgeons/doctors.
My doctor was pretty much recommended by the ER resident. I did a quick check on the internet of the surgeons credentials, and he was a foot/ankle specialist. He is also a professor at the medical school, so I figured he was good. I hope I wasn’t one of his teaching material for his students through.. that’s a scary thought.
When I first stood up and tried to put weight on it I got dizzy nad had to sit down.
There are many very good orthopedic surgeons here (Vail) including the famed Steadman Hawkins group, which does work on many top athletes (which I am not). My surgeon is part of that group…and he had performed a previous surgery on my left knee (miniscus, cartlidge). I had a really good outcome so I just called his office directly and they got me in that day. I didn’t go to ER as I was pretty sure what I had done. I suppose that there are surgeons who are specialists in this, but I know that all of these guys are really good (or they wouldn’t be here), and I had really good results before. I also get comfort when the MRI, radiology folks say “you’re in really good hands”.
I liked the surgeon’s podcast by the way. thanks.
It must have been quite painful. Sorry that it happend while skiing. Hopefully it was towards the end of the day.
Thanks for the info regarding surgeons in the Vail area, I’ll be sure to include that information about the Steadman Hawkins Group on one of the pages that I’ll be creating.
I think I have a meniscus tear in my right knee (the good leg). I am seeing another orthopedist tomorrow to go over my MRI results. Not a good year for my legs this year.
Please feel free to pass along any information that you’d like to see posted here.
Email is: admin*4n*#]achillesblog doat com
Please replace *4n*#]with @ and doat with “.”
Glad that you liked the podcast. I’ll post more relevant content as I go along.
I am in the process of creating recovery progress tracker. This way, through your personal page on achillesblog.com, you can keep track of your recovery process, starting with entering your date of the injury and the surgery.
I saw that “GO 11″ emailed you his tracker. He’s a friend of mine who directed me to your site. His blog is insightful and a model of diligence and 100% focus on recovery. Research seems to indicate that the dedication/commitment of the patient to recovery is the key factor in the outcome.
He did his in the spring of 2007 and was back to the slopes at 100% this winter. He’s an avid and amazing skier.
Steadman Hawkins Clinic by reputation is one of the top 3 orthopaedic groups in the country. There are obviously lots of great surgeons. Another here in Vail that is very highly regarded is Vail/Summit Orthopaedics. Lots of locals have gone there with really good results.
Yes, I’ve been corresponding with him through my personal Achillesblog at: http://achillesblog.com/dennis I was telling him that I was going to model the recovery progress tracker on this site after the spreadsheet that he sent me. He has kept a detailed record of his recovery process, and he’s done a great job with the rehab.
Thanks for the info about Steadman Hawkins Clinic. It’s another reason on the long line of list of why I should consider moving to Colorado.
I am glad that the recovery can be 100% I love to ski and play basketball so I’d like to continue those two activities as long as I am able.
Please keep me posted on your recovery process. I’ve posted more info on the site, and I hope you find them to be useful.
I tore my AT on 1/31 surgery on 2/7/08. My pain only lasted that night. I am what 3 weeks out walking on the boot, minus one wedge. Started with two and about to try and go flat tomorrow. My recovery is going faster than I expected. I constantly test its ability, my goal is to be at 85% by May. I believe it’s feasible, dock says I should be be back to basketball by June. We’ll see.
The quicker you put weight on it the faster to recovery, is what I am betting on. Working so far.
Speedy recovery
sto1vall,
Looks like you are on the fast pace. I am in a cast for 4 weeks, and then I’ll be wearing a boot. I’ve just started with partial weight bearing. Is this your doctor’s typical recovery protocol?
I am not too sure on his protocol, but when I first met him it seemed like he tries to get his patients back quick. When he first assessed the injury he mentioned back to playing in June. My wife’s an athletic trainer so I have a slight advantage..lol. Hopefully I’m not going too quick, but it feels good. No swelling, no pain. The only ache i have is in the heel from standing too much. Where the AT attaches to the heel is tight but not painful. So as long as the swelling and pain stays minimal. I’ll keep testing it but, keeping others re-tears in the back of my mind. I consider my arm break more severe than this that took a year to get right. So 6 months for this should be just fine.
sto1vall:
The usual recovery time frame is 6 months to a year. It looks like you are well on your way to recovery. You are lucky that your wife is an athletic trainer.
I hope she’s not too tough with you.
I’ve been elevating my leg as much as possible. I am shooting for complete recovery in 1 year. Have you been putting full weight on your walking boot?
Dennis,
Yeah, full weight now. When I first got it, no, I still needed crutches for the first 2 weeks. You will gradually gain strength. Full weight just standing as well, I feel if I baby it too much, I will mess up my good leg. So I only favor it when I walk without the boot which is seldom and for short distances. Not more than 10 to 20 feet. My ankles did swell from the added weight earlier but now its going down. Right now I am focusing on breaking that scar tissue behind my cut.
I suggest focus on the ROM just move it around, so not a lot of scar tissue will form. Really thats all you can do, ankle pumps and put slight weight on it after that first doc visit. I would lay down and just draw my feet up. That way i still had my toes pointed down and a little bit of weight on them. I would just test how much it could bare occasionally.
I am surprised at how fast I am able apply weight and movement to it. I thought it would take a 6mth recovery, I may be able to walk in 4 but, I am not rushing it however.
The list of entries has a gap in it from the last entry to mine but I wanted to say that the site has been very helpful, supportive, and interesting. I ruptured my achellis tendon on July 18th and had it repaired a week later. I was playing doubles tennis (weekend warrior!) for about 45 minutes when I lunged for a return shot and it was as though my heel stuck to the court and then the heel of my shoe slapped the bottom of my foot…. bingo! I went down in one motion and immediately checked the rubber on my shoe to see if it was connected and it was…. not good. The next motion was immediately to my tendon…. it was gone. I heard the pop as they describe in the textbooks… what an eerie thing. The pain was minimal but to walk was nearly impossible for 15 minutes or so. Anyway, I am in recovery from surgery and will post along as I go… good luck to those ahead of me! John
John - Not sure what you mean by this:
Please let me know if you see any problems.