Aug 20 2008
A good AT doesnt rupture?
Hi all,
I saw a member of my surgeons team this week; he was very happy with the progress of my AT (phew!). He also told me that a normal, healthy AT does not rupture by itself, unless cut, kicked, etc.
I was wondering if anyone has other information on this? If he is right that means my AT was defective for some reason (lack of exercise, age). I hadnt done anything for all 2007 and was making a gentle entry into sports again when my leg blew. I’m past my best at 42 but surely i should be able to play sports at this age if Im in the right condition? Or maybe my AT’s have gone past their “sell-by” date and will just be weaker no matter what I do?
He also said the outstanding typical case for an ATR was a middle aged man, with a desk job, who played squash (or sport) once per week. I asked “and what about someone like me?” to which his deadpan-face stared me in the eye, for some reason 
This statement really gets my attention because it means that probably both my AT’s are defective and at risk during dynamic sports. I dont want an ATR in my good leg in my comeback game. One blow-out is enough.
I feel my total lack of exercise in 2007 rotted my body; I saw and felt my body age. At the time I put it down to lack of sleep but I now believe my body rotted away in that period. This gives me hope…
My hope is that the AT condition, like muscle, can be toned by sustained gradual exercise. My problem, I hope, is that my body went limp and in trying to get back into shape I did “too much, too soon”. If I had taken a more gradual increase in sport I would have strengthened the AT to the point where it would not have blown.
Does anyone have a view on this?
I am still hoping that I can build strength in my AT’s through gradual increasing exercise, to the point where it will be safe to play dynamic sports again.
What also gives me belief in this is that in my experience of intense sports when younger, players who got a serious injury (and hence didnt exercise for a long period) were likely to pick up more when they came back.
I wondered what all your views where on this concept?
8 responses so far
8 Responses to “A good AT doesnt rupture?”
I have a personal trainer certification from the Cooper’s Clinic Dallas (job sent me)…..anyway, from my experience with training and suffering an ATR, there are a few different variables when it comes to this injury. 1. Weakness of leg muscles. The more out-of-shape you are, the more tension that will be placed on joints and tendons. That’s why it’s important gradually work your way to a level of fitness before you push your body. 2. The older you get, the more you have to strengthen your body. Your muscles get weaker, but chances are you weight the same, or more. So the same amount of stress, or more, is placed on your tendons and joints. And of course, they are getting older too. 3. I lift weights and run on the road. I decided to play in a basketball tourney. I hadn’t played full court b-ball in three years. Don’t forget, you use different muscles for different tasks, i.e. basketball is cutting, jumping and exposive movements. I hadn’t been doing the same stuff, so I should have known better. Now I do. 4. Over the years of use and abuse, the AT can develope micro tears that sit poised to totally erupt when pushed too hard. I figured that after playing a late game Friday night and an early game Saturday morning, my calf muscle was fatigued and contracted. I probably didn’t strentch it enough and that did me in.
Just some things I think the make the ATR make a little more sense.
Jonas - thaks for that very informative response. The detail is an education for me but the overall concept is what my gut was feeling.
My legs were really out of shape when I came back to soccer; I hadnt been playing soccer or doing any muscle building exercise for 18months (did some skipping/rowing/jogging). Then I started playing again; 1st game OK (but I felt like a truck when changing direction or stopping); 2nd game I was well late, rushed to get on, no warm-up, 5 minutes later the leg blew while turning to push off.
I also had a hunch that the body is like a car; its not just how old it is but how many miles its done. Top atheletes are high mileage and probably have a lot of those micro tears you mentioned? Moderate sports may be better for the long run, lower mileage? I’m just trying to convince myself I’m not ready for the scrapyard just yet
Certain types of antibiotics have also been associated with tendon weakness & possible ATR. Also, wearing the wrong shoes (size, cushioning, pronation, arch height) can also be a contributing factor.
Although the achilles tendon is the largest & strongest tendon in the body it is also subject to tremendous forces, especially while playing sports. The tendon itself is similar to a nylon rope made up of many fibrous strands wrapped tightly together. Repeated injury combined with constant forces over time (the age factor) can weaken & sever individual strands making the entire ligament more susceptible to rupture.
It’s possible for a young person with a healthy tendon to have a complete rupture but more than likely there was some type of history … a history of ankle sprains, etc. that contributed to the final rupture. I think you’ll find that the majority of people with ATR were very active in their youth, & time evantually caught up to them. What I’d give to have an MRI done on my GOOD ankle just to see what kind of shape it’s in!
“”I saw a member of my surgeons team this week; he was very happy with the progress of my AT (phew!). He also told me that a normal, healthy AT does not rupture by itself, unless cut, kicked, etc.”"
i believe this is right .
the aging process - not necessarily in general but maybe some people the cells/tissues/structures age faster then others.
since i was in highschool - when doing sports - my observation i have cramps on my left calf 60-70% of the time i play .
after my achilles tendon injury on the L leg - i was trying to correlate this and i believe have an ATR that ages really quick and to start out is genetically weak too.
when i had my ATR - i was playing basketball - been playing the past 3 years 3x a week aside from cycling and running . i did my strenghtening and stretches .
our muscle tissues suffer micro tear but in time like skin we shed out cells and develop new cells . after a period of time all the olds cells are shed off and new cells are formed so i believe it should have the ability to heal properly . same goes for bone . ligaments , tendons and muscles . i think the only structures hat cant do this is heart and the nervous system.
…. and cartilage probably does not have this ability to heal.
I’ve asked several surgeons about this too. Other than general deterioration due to age which afflicts everyone and the other factors mentioned, you’re more likely to suffer ATR if you were athletic, took a break then resumed activity. As an experienced athlete you push your body through range of motions that the average player/couch potato would not do or know how to do. Another reason why warmups and stretching are so important as we age.
“Your ego’s writing cheques your body can’t cash,” remember that line from Top Gun.
Good point Hobblit. I know when I went out there playing for the first time in a long time, I only knew one way to play….the I always had, balls to the wall. After that first game, I was like “wow, didn’t know I could still do that”. If I could’ve looked into the future, I garantee that I would have slowed down a little and stretched a little more. Probably would have skipped that second game, lol. Anyway, more evidence that hindsight is indeed 20/20.
This injury strikes many young / strong professinal athletes (and ends their careers..yikes!). Marino. Testeverde. LT, etc, etc.
Sure age plays a part . And so does weight, higher than usual activity level, bad shoes, a mistep, or the right combination of twisting/turning/reaching/pushing.
My coworker ruptured both…now that’s scarry.