Im a 37 year old male and consider myself quite active before my ATR. I was going to the gym 4 times a week for the past year. I lost over 20 kg and things where looking good and healthy thats until the 24th of june 2011 when my achilles tendon ruptured playing basketbal.
Contributing factors:
-Switching from light to aggresive sports too quickly.
-Tied my basketball shoes way too tight.
-Used heavy antibioics for 2 weeks a year prior to my ATR.
Now im thinking if suing Spalding, nike shoes and the drug comany.
Ruptured Achilles playing volley ball. Laced up a pair of Nike shoes tight that day just to protect myself, as I just started playing hard court ball again. In 15 minutes it ruptured with no real strain from jumping much. I can’t but conclude that these new all leather stiff nike shoes were a significant factor; if not the sole factor.
Danny, if you switched from beach ball to court, that’s a good enough reason to ATR, even if your shoes were great. It’s a reasonably common injury, and court vball is a great way to do it — I know, I’ve done BOTH ATs that way, 8 years apart!
The key is usually the perfect traction (unavailable on sand), which allows us to tranfer huge forces to the AT. In my case, I was back-pedaling on defense when the ball was smacked in front of me, so I fired all the jets to reverse my momentum — and pop!
My fave ex of the diff between beach and perfect traction is Misty-May Treanor. Beach ball world champ over and over and Gold Medallist in the first Games, no ATR. Then she’s boogying in squeaky shoes on a shiny clean floor in rehearsal for Dancing With the Stars, and POP! I don’t think she ever plays court vball, but this was close — too close for her AT!
BTW, if Crutchman’s “heavy antibiotics” were in the Cipro family (fluoroquinolones?), they probably account for the lion’s share of his cause. Now subject to a “black box” warning, at least in the US.
I have similar story re new sports shoes .. high traction…long vigorous game…
On week 5 and feeling frustrated re lack of exercise / weight gsin/ discomfort of boot
Am writing blog hoppingmadjournal.wordpress.com to find much needed perspective and humour in case uoire interested to read