About AchillesBlog.com
I ruptured (fully tore) my achilles tendon on my left heel while playing basketball on Feb. 8th 2008. This happened about 3 games into the night, and I thought I had warmed up enough and had stretched a bit as well. The problem is that I have had achilles tendonitis for several years, and it looks like it caught up to me finally.
After the surgery, (bed-ridden with a laptop) I googled to find other people who are recovering from their achilles injury as well, and I discovered numerous blogs and forums.
It’s been helpful reading about other people’s experiences with achilles tendon rupture (ATR), especially those further along on the road to recovery. They’ve all been supportive and willing to share their experiences.
It’s strangely comforting to know that there are others just like me who are also making sure to keep their leg elevated, using a shower chair, and limping around on crutches.
I decided that AchillesBlog would be useful for people who are temporarily side-lined by this injury. It helps you stay positive when you can see that full recovery is possible. With dedication to your recovery, you will get back to playing your favorite sports again.
You can share your ATR stories here. You can create your own blog and keep track of your recovery progress.
My AchillesBlog is: http://achillesblog.com/dennis
You can create your own here.
I’ve also been gathering and posting a list of external blogs and forums related to achilles injury, as well as other useful resources. If you find valuable information that you would like to share, please write a comment on AchillesBlog or email (admin[#A0TT&achillesblog .com) them, and I’ll add to the list.
Dennis
Please be sure to read our disclaimer.
Hihi,
My name is Guðbjörg Gunnarsdóttir (Gugga). I am 22 year old soccer player from Iceland and I ruptured my achilles tendon 1.april in a football match and had the surgery 2.april. Not good..
I am glad I found this website because I was told this is a very rare injury and I have a couple of questions that I would like to ask people that have been through this…
If someone would be so kind to e-mail me: gleyma@gmail.com
I would like to become a member of this site..
Regards,
Gugga
Hi Gugga - Glad that you were able to find the site, and I hope your recovery goes well. Please feel free to post questions on the site, and you can sign up by going to: http://achillesblog.com/wp-signup.php
Also try browsing through all the pages, as I think it’ll help you learn more about the injury as well as giving you some ideas of what you can expect in terms of recovery in coming weeks.
How did your injury happen exactly? And thanks for your comments.
What is up everyone? Glad to finally find something like this. I am 35yrs old, live in Russellville Tn and I work at UPS as a driver. I have been active in sports all of my life–basketball, baseball, volleyball, golf-you name it . Anyway hadn’t played in awhile until Feb 19, rec league game–caught the ball at the top of the key, started to make a move to the right..but no..It just felt like someone had kicked me in the right calf—I hobbled off the court and a friend drove me straight to the walk in clinic… the doc put me in a short splint and I went to the ortho the following day–surgery on Feb 21st— my surgeon said that the tendon looked like a worn out rope(anyone else ever heard that)??
Kev..
My surgeon said the same thing….A tendon is like a rope with thousands of strands connected…when you cut a rope it frays,,,,my surgeon called it spaghetting..
they trim the frays and sew it together…check out the main page for more information…
Good luck…
Doc Ross
Doc Ross and Kev
My doc told me that it was like sewing horse tails together end to end. That just sounds so difficult.
Hi guys, just been to the hospital to get my cast changed into the final one and become FWB.
Unfortunately, they were unable to manipulate the foot to the correct angle and i am now stuck in plaster for one week more.
It is difficult to express my disappointment at the news this morning, but, in the long term i suppose a 1 week delay is better than that of a re-rupture.
johnk - sorry to hear about your appt…but you’ve got the right attitude coming out of it. I was extremely bummed after my last appt…my doc is taking a little more conservative approach than I was hoping for, but realistically 1 week is not going cause any long term issues….and is definitely better than a re-rup. I hope everyone on this blog/board can get through their recovery without a re-rup…that would be an awesome accomplishment and a testament to the power of networking with others. Hope you have a good day!
All - I’ve added a few more people by hand to: http://achillesblog.com/atrpt.php
If you’d like to be added on this list, please let me know.
It helps if you have created at least a login to the site.
I have been battling achilles pain for about 10 months.
I have a spur, Haglund’s deformity, inflamed bursa, partial tears…I tried the boot for four weeks, have tried almost total rest, ice, elevation, stretching, heat, indomethacin….whenever I wear the boot, the tendon hurts much more, that is why I have trouble keeping it on. I have pads, a wedge, but still, it just aches when I have the boot on. I am supposed to wear it again for four to six weeks, but I just can’t put it on again knowing that it will just hurt more. If this doesn’t work, they are talking about doing a surgery involving a tendon transfer using my big toe tendon for a new
achilles….UGH!!! HELP!!!
Please can anyone offer tips to make the boot more comfortable….or stories that wearing the boot might make me better? I want to wear it, it just seems counter intuitive because it makes it hurt so much more.
THANKS!
Hi all, I ruptured my Achilles on the weekend and had surgery on Tuesday. The doctor says that I will be in a cast for 6 weeks - changed to a different angle every 2 weeks (due to see him again in 2 weeks). Reading some of the posts on this site 6 weeks in a cast seems very conservitive - is this a normal timeframe? Take care and all the best.
As you’ll see, there are any number of ways to treat this injury. Some are in a cast for up to 8 weeks and some are in a walking boot right after surgery. I was in a cast for 2 weeks and then a walking boot for 7 weeks. I was aloud to bear weight partially on my leg at I beleive 4 weeks and was aloud to bear weight fully while in the boot at 6. I will be 10 weeks from surgery tomorrow. I started walking in 2 shoes this past Monday. It sounds like your doc is taking a more conservative route, but I’m sure that he or she has a reason or this is their typical method of treating this injury. You’ll find some links on this site to studies touting the benefits of early weight bearing. You may be able to discuss this with your doc at your 2 week visit. Best of luck!
Drew
BigBopper,
Sorry to hear about your injury. How did you do it?
I, too, am in a cast for 6 weeks post-op (though the first 1.5 weeks were in a splint). I’m just over 4 weeks, and am anxiously counting down to the time I get to move into a boot.
I’ve also felt that my doctor’s approach was more conservative, but he is a well respected doctor who works with a lot of pro and college athletes, so I trust that his program is a good one. Also, I am scheduled to start PT at 6 weeks which appears to be on the aggressive side compared to others here.
I like the quote, “days last long, but time goes by quickly”. You’ll make it to 6 weeks before you know it.
Craig
Bopper - IMO, 6 weeks in a cast isn’t necessarily “conservative”. If your surgeon has you weight bearing in the cast (typically around the 4 week mark) then it really isn’t much different from the boot. The only difference is that you aren’t able to take the cast off to do some simple range of motion exercises. However, based on several of the posts on this site, ROM seems to come back fairly quickly. I actually didn’t mind being in the cast for 6 weeks as it kept me away from the urge to test how everything was healing. You may want to have a discussion with your surgeon and see when he/she plans to have you back to partial and full weight bearing. Good luck with the healing!
Thanks for the replys guys, much appreciated. I done the injury playing cricket (not normally the most intense of sporting activities i know!) - i hadn’t played for about ten years and went straight into a compeditive match, no warm up so I was asking for trouble really! I went to take off quickly and It felt like someone had run up behind me and booted me in the back of the leg, turned around to confront them but there was no one there - and then the pain came, oh how the pain came! Well, 5 weeks 5 days until cast off and counting! Happy healing.
Btw, I’m getting married at the end of July (around the 10 week mark after surgery) the one good thing that has come out of this injury so far is that I am now going to be able to avoid having to learn to do a dance for the wedding which I was not really looking forward too!
Ha! Avoiding the dance lessons. Gotta find that silver lining somewhere, right?
Hi - my A has been bad, really bad, for over a year. At the worst, I have crawl around my house.
In past months I’ve seen doctors — podiatrist and and ortho. I have the orthotics (no help) and have been walking in the boot cast, but no healing for the A that I can tell so far (2 weeks).
What can I do? My spirit is fading…
Joe88
Hello all, my story is a little different. I use to walk on my toes and the only way to fix the problem was to lengthen the Achilles tendon. I was in a fiberglass cast for 2 weeks NWB then in a Aircast boot for another 4 weeks NWB. AT the 7 week mark I was allowed phisio therapy daily and PWB. I am now at 9 weeks and was told by my surgeon today that I have to be weaned off the boot over the next 6 weeks. yuck. Physio is great because while I am there I get to wear 2 shoes and a little mini workout on the bike and leg press. The reason for the extended period of wearing the boot is just incase I catch my toe on a stair or trip and fall which would result in tearing the tendon. OUCH!! So for now I will the boot. Tomorrow I get to practice using a cane so that is a plus. And the really good part is that up to date I have had no pain, went back to work at 2 1/2 weeks and have been driving and getting on with life ever since. Just keep looking forward and we will all get through it…Good luck all!!
hi, great to know there are a whole lot of people like me. i did mine two week ago playing badmington, i know, i know not the worlds toughest sport. i have a open question, my doc pretty much advised against surgery, but just about everyone on here has had surgery, is there anyone out there who has let it heal by itself
Paul,
I too am non-surgery and on about the same timeline (did mine on 24th, in a temp cast on 25th and in a solid cast since 28th). I think it was because it wasn’t a complete tear and I’m fairly fit and healthy that the ortho didn’t want to operate.
I think most people in the US/Canada have surgery as it’s pay-per-play, but in the UK we have the NHS where they tend to operate only when necessary.
Jon
Jon
thanks for reply, i m off to docs in morning after 4 weeks in a cast to hopefully have one i can have partal weight on. the thing is my leg feels fine and have full movement in my toes and i swear when i move my foot i feel my calf move, or is that just wishful thinking
paul