Ruptured Achilles Tendon

[C.P.Odom]

Does a dog stretch before it runs?

[quadfin]

Five weeks ago I managed to snap my achilles pretending that I was younger than I actually am!! I had the operation four days later and was placed in the "moon boot" to return home for two weeks of non weight bearing rest - since then I have been allowed to lump around in Frankenstein mode without crutches dragging my boot behind me. I fly back to Adelaide in five weeks for my last appointment and to rid myself of my very attractive boot and start physio. Now to get to the nitty gritty of the situation the afternoon before my injury I was fortunate enough to take into my possession two custom Flashpoints so they are currently "curing" in the shed! I attempted to con the doctor by asking if around week 7-8 I could do some wading in the sea water without the boot or if I felt good some flat water paddling - yeah sure he said laughing! Not a chance however as I will be camped at the beach for ten or so days with family and friends surely I may be able to very carefully introduce the boards to saltwater! I have been carefully walking on the injured leg without the boot around the house to give it a chance to "air" and it feels quite good! Now my query is to anyone out there who has done this injury before who may have any words of wisdom as to how to get into the surf promptly or any does or don'ts etc. I plan to be flipperless on the injured leg on initial surfs until I feel confident in the repair job being able to handle jolts etc underwater. So if anyone can add some light to my current bad dream fire away! cheers

My injury was similar to Tony's but my surgeon tied the "wet toilet paper" end of the tendon to my plantar tendon for strength. Requested hydro therapy in a swimming pool and against an increasing jet stream. The PT routine included a lot of stair steps and balance boards after being cleared of blood clots, which gave me a late start on the PT. I am lucky enough to have a gigantic warm water therapy pool just down the road and would wade in waist deep water against a strong sideshore current and swim/kick back to starting point. My Doctor called my progress "remarkable". My first time back surfing was with one flipper as I could not get one on my injured foot. I attempted flipperless but did not have the upper body strength at that time to pull it off. I eventually was able to get the other flipper on my foot and would go until the pain and pins and needles made the session unbearable. The pain eventually diminished and the sessions became longer. Almost 3 years later my injured leg is shorter than my other leg and my calf muscles smaller although I work out and surf regularly. I have been labeled partially disabled but that is more the cause of passing a blood clot than the physical injury. The general consensus among the Doctors is that if I am lucky to be alive and had I not been an "athlete" would have had considerable more damage. The blood clot caused lung damage.

My advise is to get into the water ASAP. My Doctor wrote a prescription for hydro therapy that included ocean swimming. Personally, I could not tolerate the boot but that may have had something to do with the blood clots. At night I would do rotational exercises with increasing stiffness rubber bands. If I neglected these exercises my foot would lock at the joint and the PT would have to force the rotation. I still continue these exercises with both feet and is part of my pre-surf routine instead of stretching. I do the same with my neck and arms until they pop.

I have also adjusted my nutrition and supplements. I have a whole cabinet of supplements. Too long to detail here but adding certain supplements and eliminating certain foods have decreased muscle cramps and increased muscle recovery. One of the biggest things I eliminated was the prescription pain relievers ASAP. I could not take NSAIDS because of the blood thinners I was taking so took Tylenol for the pain. Basically I just learned to mentally deal with the pain. About the only time I was close to pain free was when I was in my self imposed ocean therapy. I also took hot baths with magnesium salt for pain relief.

Good luck with your recovery and hope you are back in the water soon.

[halbs]

[/quote]

My injury was similar to Tony's but my surgeon tied the "wet toilet paper" end of the tendon to my plantar tendon for strength. Requested hydro therapy in a swimming pool and against an increasing jet stream. The PT routine included a lot of stair steps and balance boards after being cleared of blood clots, which gave me a late start on the PT. I am lucky enough to have a gigantic warm water therapy pool just down the road and would wade in waist deep water against a strong sideshore current and swim/kick back to starting point. My Doctor called my progress "remarkable". My first time back surfing was with one flipper as I could not get one on my injured foot. I attempted flipperless but did not have the upper body strength at that time to pull it off. I eventually was able to get the other flipper on my foot and would go until the pain and pins and needles made the session unbearable. The pain eventually diminished and the sessions became longer. Almost 3 years later my injured leg is shorter than my other leg and my calf muscles smaller although I work out and surf regularly. I have been labeled partially disabled but that is more the cause of passing a blood clot than the physical injury. The general consensus among the Doctors is that if I am lucky to be alive and had I not been an "athlete" would have had considerable more damage. The blood clot caused lung damage.

My advise is to get into the water ASAP. My Doctor wrote a prescription for hydro therapy that included ocean swimming. Personally, I could not tolerate the boot but that may have had something to do with the blood clots. At night I would do rotational exercises with increasing stiffness rubber bands. If I neglected these exercises my foot would lock at the joint and the PT would have to force the rotation. I still continue these exercises with both feet and is part of my pre-surf routine instead of stretching. I do the same with my neck and arms until they pop.

I have also adjusted my nutrition and supplements. I have a whole cabinet of supplements. Too long to detail here but adding certain supplements and eliminating certain foods have decreased muscle cramps and increased muscle recovery. One of the biggest things I eliminated was the prescription pain relievers ASAP. I could not take NSAIDS because of the blood thinners I was taking so took Tylenol for the pain. Basically I just learned to mentally deal with the pain. About the only time I was close to pain free was when I was in my self imposed ocean therapy. I also took hot baths with magnesium salt for pain relief.

Good luck with your recovery and hope you are back in the water soon.[/quote]

Excellent post!

Yes I am over the boot and have been leaving it off after I have cooked the kids tea and walking on it around the house - I intend to increase this before getting back into the water at some level in the next two weeks. I have had very little to no pain at any point even when I did the injury and did away with the pain killers the day after the op so I have been really lucky there - the Endone was crazy and I did not enjoy it although I have been told I will get good money for it on the streets!! I was advised by a friend to take it out of my travel first aid kit if I intend heading back to Indo next year!!

So the journey continues and now I can see the end of the tunnel with only three official weeks left in the boot and one last visit to the surgeon - I am actually really looking forward to starting physio and rehab, so all good this way - remember everyone to look after yourselves and fitness and health are incredibly important if we want to continue doing what the activities we enjoy!

[halbs]

Well it 13 weeks since my achilles rupture so 12.5 from the surgery and it is going so well I have "almost" forgotten about the initial setback. I have started walking/jogging/struggling again and yesterday I had my best surf since the injury. I am still only wearing one flipper which I see as a positive as for years I have wanted to be rid of them and now I am 50% there! Kudos to Ross, Damo and Simon as after watching them surf I have been even more eager to be flipperless! I have some swelling but overall the reattachment feels very strong and I have enough confidence to climb sand-dunes weighed down with boards, wetsuits and a bag of food!! So I intend to increase my "training" decrease my beer swilling and be ready for Bali in four weeks! Thanks to all for your input and if things turn pear shaped I will let you know!

Also - no more football for me sticking to surfing from this point on!

[DYdamo]

[quote="halbs) decrease my beer swilling![/quote]
my god MAN have you gone mad...........I thought that WAS training ....

[quadfin]

Well it 13 weeks since my achilles rupture so 12.5 from the surgery and it is going so well I have "almost" forgotten about the initial setback. I have started walking/jogging/struggling again and yesterday I had my best surf since the injury. I am still only wearing one flipper which I see as a positive as for years I have wanted to be rid of them and now I am 50% there! Kudos to Ross, Damo and Simon as after watching them surf I have been even more eager to be flipperless! I have some swelling but overall the reattachment feels very strong and I have enough confidence to climb sand-dunes weighed down with boards, wetsuits and a bag of food!! So I intend to increase my "training" decrease my beer swilling and be ready for Bali in four weeks! Thanks to all for your input and if things turn pear shaped I will let you know!

Also - no more football for me sticking to surfing from this point on!

Excellent

[szrbloke]

Well....I snapped mine playing badminton on the 12th November this year. Only a few weeks ago. They decided against an operation for me, as the Consultant reckoned the ends were close together and recent research says they can heal up if treated right. So I was straight in a temporary cast for a week, and then THE BOOT. So I have been given 6 weeks off work on a sick note, and that will have to be extended as my second ultrasound and hopefully boot removal day is 9th January. Also been given 6 weeks worth of Clexane which I inject myself with every day - never had to do that before. My wife has suggested I don't play raquet sports again - which is a blow as I love all raquet sports! She suggested archery and chess. Its getting to her that she now has to do everything around the house, and we have a young daughter...she's mega tired all the time now. Not sure if I am doing the right thing, but I have been using the BOOT in combo with crutches to get around - so not had my leg up all day, just most of the day.

Halbs and guys - you give me hope.

[quadfin]

Well....I snapped mine playing badminton on the 12th November this year. Only a few weeks ago. They decided against an operation for me, as the Consultant reckoned the ends were close together and recent research says they can heal up if treated right. So I was straight in a temporary cast for a week, and then THE BOOT. :shock: So I have been given 6 weeks off work on a sick note, and that will have to be extended as my second ultrasound and hopefully boot removal day is 9th January. Also been given 6 weeks worth of Clexane which I inject myself with every day - never had to do that before. My wife has suggested I don't play raquet sports again - which is a blow as I love all raquet sports! She suggested archery and chess. 8) Its getting to her that she now has to do everything around the house, and we have a young daughter...she's mega tired all the time now. Not sure if I am doing the right thing, but I have been using the BOOT in combo with crutches to get around - so not had my leg up all day, just most of the day.

Halbs and guys - you give me hope. :D

Keep up those injections as painful of those are, and keep that leg up. My injury was almost 3 years ago to the day and still dealing with issues from the blood clots.

[halbs]

Scotty bummer about your injury - but time will go quite quickly and in no time you will be thinking about rehab! I hated those injections not that I'm a wimp but the actual stabbing of your own belly sometimes used to get to me! I hope all goes well and your christmas new years is not too hampered by the boot - it's great for crushing cans once empty!!

Stay positve and you will be back in the water in early 2012, but leave the courts alone!!

[szrbloke]

Hope so Halbs - the 9th is D-Day as far as I am concerned..full scan and assessment. I really don't know what I will do if the news is bad - go on I suppose!

[szrbloke]

Hey guys, well the news was good - the ends have knitted together OK so they have given me 4 more weeks and then I have to start physio, bending it and later building up strength. So I'm still in the boot, but they say I can do a desk job, so tomorrow going for a trial at work to see how it goes. I imagine I will be pretty knackered to begin with. Will have to catch the bus to work and back home. Finished the injections on the 3rd.