Life after ATR
Folks, I want to know if I really will be able to play football (soccer) again or if I’m just flogging a dead horse with that dream.
The “About” section reveals Im 42 and some people may say its time to change my shinpads & Puma Kings for a pipe & slippers. Not without a fight! Im talking Private Ryan Style, or thats how I feel. I also feel it would be stupid to do an ATR again. 42?
Just to put those two digits into context, I remember my youthful days when I played soccer. I was good to the point of having 3 professional clubs interested in me, including Liverpool (and Merseyside Reps. U-18 team became English U-21 Champions; I was 16 - I need to get married and have kids so I can tell them this stuff). That means I was no slouch. The Liverpool youthclub I payed for every Saturday was coached by a guy who was 43 years old, a small lightly built guy. When I say I was no slouch, I was like a whippet; in all my years of playing I never met anyone faster than me (maybe only 2 or 3 who were as fast). But during training my coach clung to my shoulder as we pelted down the wing. I remember being so mad at the time; who is this old geezer keeping up with me! He was 43 and as far as I new he did no regular exercise (he didnt do any training normally). Can you imagine what that guy was like at 23?
Also there are many professional footballers who have played long past the 32/33 years standard; an Italian defender was still playing for Italy at age 39! So I know its not all about those digits called age.
I know an ATR is not necessarily the end of life; Kelly Holmes won the 2004 800m & 1500m Olympics at age 34 after an ATR in 1997.
We are all built differently, age differently and have different mileage. So how the heck can I make a good guess as to whether I should ever lace up my boots again? And if I do play how will I know when Im ready?
If any one has any views on this please drop a line in here and let everyone know your thoughts.
17 responses so far
17 Responses to “Life after ATR”
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you have to be in touch with a very fine physiotherapist and exercise trainers.
but even with those at hand it is still rolling the dice.
youll never know what youre gonna get.
its just a matter of how much balls you have , if you have a supportive family and if you can afford to be out of work in case you have another injury .
kelly holmes example with atr 1997 and won in 2004- how many year do you think was spent / or haow many years beore they trained full blast again . even if you say 2-3 years youll be 45 by then .
what im getting intomis nobody knows - its up to you , your drive and desire , the people around you and your financial situation.
screwdriver, what you say matches the variety of ages and activities when an ATR occurred. There is no real pattern from what I can see.
Its happened in young sporty people under 30 to the more mature and less active types. One blogger “popped” standing in a car park.
Does any one know of fitness tests to gradually assess the AT strength? Any scan techniques? Can AT be strengthened by specific exercises? I will ask these questions to my medics/PT and post replies; if anyone has done this already please post and share.
Im off to Amazon to see what range they have in pipes and slippers…
i know what you mean jack . we cant really see our genetic make-up or how good or bad the collagen fibers / tissues are.
can this be seen thru MRI?
the older we get - its more against us and if our genetics are bad - then it gets worse.
i know someone too that just stood up from sitting on the floor and popped it.
hey jacksprat, were u any good at soccer??? Hahahaha just kidding man..I know how depressing this injury is…you’ll be back on the pitch in a year, hang in there.
Hi Walshie, thanks for the encouragement, I guess a big part of ATR recovery is staying positive. Dennis got it right comparing recovery to a marathon, thats really what it is; a long road.
I did go on a bit about my soccer days; just really wanted to make the point that you can still be very sporty in your 40’s (e.g. my coach).
ATR can be a bit of shock; a few people at the hospital were telling me I wouldnt play football (soccer) again. My surgeon said it would be at least 6 months but I could play again.
Looking at other blogs I think a year is more realistic. But I dont want another ATR, its not worth it at 42. My city Bristol has a top sports clinic (treats pro sports people); I will try and get some info out of them, if I can afford it! Let you all know if I get anything.
Hello to all,
I ruptured mine playing capoiera(a brazilian martial arts) and i am in my late 20’s. I was strength training weekly (plyometrics and body weight exercieses) about 3 times a week, yoga, and play capoeoira 2-3 times per week, so let me say that these ruptures happen to everyone. I am close to two weeks post-op, hopefully I want to be able to play capoeira in about 4 months and be able to surf in 7 months,,, anyone think this might be possible?
Jacksprat, I did my ATR moving my bike in the car park, no seriously. I am 6 weeks post opp, and all I want to do is walk without crutches again, anywhere is better than being stuck in bed, and still in pain, yes I am one of the lucky ones, ha ha. If you do decide to stick with the football, It would be hell for you if you do it again. Because you know how long the path of recovery is. If you want encouragement, one blogger rode his bike 40 miles with a boot on, I think at 6 weeks, “mad” keen he was. If you love football that much, be honest with your PT, and don,t rush it. Bloody scary mind don’t you think. Good luck, and thanks for the photographs of the boot. I think I am getting one on Monday, and now I know what they look like.
AAARRRGGGHHH - I am a month in and loosing the head !In split cast and allowed to start moving foot up and down . I did mine skipping (on 4th skip if you dont mind !).Only skipping to get fitter for new horse that I had only ridden twice - Grrr. Good to see that all making progress - its the boredom that is driving me potty !Also reliance on other people and the months of inactivity . It is going to be at least Christmas before riding properly - it feesl like a long old haul .Has anyone managed to get insured to drive an automatic ???
Jinty
Hi Jacksprat
Like you I was football mad, playing semi pro but stopped playing regularly about 5 years ago as I also do martial arts.
So at 39 still fit and active I returned just playing 5aside. 3 games back and loving it I flew into a 50/50 but as I landed, wallop the pain. It was misdiagnosed by A&E and after working and driving for 3-4 weeks I finally had an op 5wks post rupture.
Personally I would love to get back playing but my head will over rule my heart. I’m never going to be at a standard to play like I did in my 20/30’s and the even though I’m really positive, the thought of going through this again isn’t worth the risk in my case!
I’ve been in the cast for 5weeks and hopefully in a boot next week.
If I were ten years younger then I would try and get back but realistically I’ll be sticking to my Kung fu, it’s safer getting punched in the face! Lol
Your desire sounds stronger then mine so good luck as its deffinately an injury you can come back from.
I am at 2 weeks post surgery and am obsessively reviewing the various rehab protocols used around the world. i’m keen to get active ASAP and a little frustrated at the conservative guidance from my surgeon. It seem that there is a growing body of evidence that suggest early WB is the way to go. Has anyone in the UK been put on a program that promotes WB? Thanks!
I’m NHS - non-operative though. I was out of the cast at 3 weeks and moved to a boot with wedges and told weight-bearing as tolerated. I was full weight-bearing 5 days later.
morcs, that sounds like terrific progress. What sort of boot do you have? The one I have has me pointing down like a ballerina for the next few weeks and it is impossible to put weight on it. My boot is called a vacoped and I am at setting 3 - if that means anything to anyone!
Russell, I had the vacoped, but I was non-op. They altered the setting at 2 week intervals, so at 2 weeks it went to setting 2 with a range of movement between 2 and 3, at week 4 it was altered to setting 1 with a range of movement between 1 and 3 and at week 6 the protocol said that it should be altered to setting 0 (neutral) AND to replace the wedge sole with the flat sole. In the end a week 6 we swapped the sole to flat first then at week 7 I changed the setting to 0. This we did as I had messed up my alteration at week 4 and ended up being behind, however, I would probably do the same again as the transition to flat sole was the hardest one. With instructions to weight bear where tolerable, I was full weight bearing at 4 weeks. With each alteration I felt like I took a step back (the worst being 2 shoes) but I would be back to FWB within a day. What I would say watch out for a sore on the top of your foot, because I wasn’t off my feet I got one immediately and it stayed for 5 weeks. It creates a tingly sensation in your big toe as there is a nerve right there. I popped compeed on it which worked a treat. I think the vacoped boot is pretty good….
Thanks Smillea, yeh, i immediately got the pain on top of my foot and tingling toe. Is that from hopping about rather than rubbing from the boot? I cant work out how much weight to put on - do you know when to stop because of pain? I am terrified of setting back my recovery but I guess the boot protects the injury?
For me the pain on the top part of my foot and tingling big toe are from the boot and pressure on the top of the foot where the nerve is. I’m still 2.5 weeks away from PWB so can’t help you with that
Russell, I was non op so I am not sure I can comment on the pain You may experience. I was one of the lucky ones in that I suffered minimal pain in my tendon once it had gone bang. Regarding the pain in the top of your foot it is most likely to do with the pressure of the front plate of the boot on the top of the foot. The nerve there is very close to the surface. are you taking the boot off to check your skin and let your leg breath! If you are really make sure the beads are well distributed in the liner and not just gathered in the sole, put the boot back on and before you suck the air back out, stand in the boot (with crutch support) so the beads distribute more evenly under your foot, then vacuum the boot…… Does any of that make sense. I found the beads would gather in the arch of my foot and really push my arch up, aggravating the top of my foot. Obviously loosen the boot as much as you feel comfortable at night. After many aggravating and painful nights I really loosened the boot at night. Weight bearing where tolerable is what my protocol said so to start with it was slow, crutching with gentle supported rolling motion on the rocker sole, and gradually this just increased until I was doing really bad one crutch hopping between kitchen counter, dining table sofa! Then one day whilst I was still in fixed equinus it was just taking my weight, like magic! I am not sure why you would have been given the vacoped boot if your consultant was not keen for early weight bearing and mobility….. But obviously there may be implications regarding your surgery wound/ repair.
Thank you for the guidance Smillea. I had not being doing any of this and in fact I avoid letting my injured foot out of the boot. Perhaps that is another whole problem in itself!. My surgeon really didn’t want me doing anything for 6 weeks as I tore my AT vertically as well as rupturing completely. Apparently quite an achievement I understand. It is hard to sit still though!