Anyone ever tear their Achilles tendon?

[Cornpanzer]

So, there I was running along minding my own business when WHAM it felt like someone had kicked me in the back of the leg. It appears that I have partially torn my achilles. Im still waiting for the orthepedic Dr to get me an appointment to determine how bad it is.

Anyone ever go through this?

[pwd72s]

Not through running...just stepped wrong coming down a ladder, caught myself with the front of the foot after skipping a few steps.

This was several years ago, and it still gives me pain if I try to hike too far, stand on tiptoe, that sort of thing.

Way I understand it, these achillies injuries heal, but it takes a long time.

[Zeke]

Wow, Dave, that's a tough one. Usually they will put the leg in a cast to prevent any movement. Take real good care of it for the moment; don't use your leg. Wrap it up if you can and get some crutches so you don't put any weight on it. Ice never hurt anyone properly used.

[Cornpanzer]

I guess I should have been more speific. I have been to the General Doc, so I know how to care for it, but it is likely that I will have to have it surgically repaired. Anyone go trough this? How long is the down time?

I sure hope this doesnt interfere with my Rennsport trip!

[jyl]

A friend cut (severed) his Achilles tendon. he was on crutches for several months. It was a big deal.

[wrecktech]

My only experience is knowing about pro football players with the same injury. Takes them a year to recover and you will probably never play pro football again because you will probably be a step slower. Most all of the pro players have a very good recovery.

[adamred]

Unfortunately this is a big deal. I have both tendons with severe tendonopathy and am being very careful to avoid a rupture. In fact I have a doc appoint tomorrow and PT this week as well. My neighbor and friend had both let go over the course of around 3 years and he was surgically repaired, then completely casted and immobilized for quite some time, then crutches for months...sorry dude, that is just a crappy injury...

[Jess]

Very serious!

My uncle did it playing basket ball and had a cast up to his
*ss for at least three months.

A guy we race with here in Colorado did it playing volleyball, spent months in a cast, got out of the cast and tore it again almost immediately walking down his hallway.

If it were me, I'd lay in bed until I had an appointment with the best ortho in your area, ie the guy who treats the pro athletes.

Best of luck to you!

Jess

[pwd72s]

Not great news here, is it? Still, life goes on. Enjoy what you can, and listen to your M.D.'s...after listening to more than one of them. Be prepared for "that" phrase: "At your age..."

[slodave]

A friend was walking up some stairs and he noticed a pop and then could not walk any further. His Achilles tendon tore completley on heal and he had to have surgery, metal plates put in and was out of commission for a few months. He still walks with a limp and it's been over a year. He is in his 50's.

I hope all works out for you and your recovery is smooth and fast.

Dave

[lowyder993s]

Originally Posted by slodave

A friend was walking up some stairs and he noticed a pop and then could not walk any further. His Achilles tendon tore completley on heal and he had to have surgery, metal plates put in and was out of commission for a few months. He still walks with a limp and it's been over a year. He is in his 50's.

I hope all works out for you and your recovery is smooth and fast.

Dave

Yes...WHATEVER you do, follow drs. orders!!! I had an 80% tear, continued to bike and had only 5% holding on surgery day. 6 weeks post op tried to surf and bike. 2 years and I still have a limp, can't run, can't stand on my toes and can only bike 50-60 miles max. Dr had to take a tendon out of my big toe and graft it in. Was 45 when it happened, but still 18 in my head. Dr is my cousin, head of Ortho and was dropping F bombs on me for my transgressions, no way to repair what I did to it.

[ckissick]

Mine ruptured while playing tennis when I was 33. As an earlier post mentioned, NFL players seem to recover fairly well from it, so I went to the 49rs surgeon to have it stitched back together.

For two months I was in a cast below the knee with my foot pointing as far down as possible. When the cast came off, I could not move my ankle at all. Physical therapy for several weeks fixed me up. I'm good as new, now.

It was my left foot, and I couldn't drive a stick for a good three months.

[CRH911S]

Completely severed mine playing basketball with my son...roughly ten years ago. Doc said it looked like two mop heads when he went in there to do the repair. Anyway, took about a year to completely heal. Along the way had a scare though. My son needed and extra body for a pick-up football game and so I was thinking what the heck could happen at quarterback? Well, turns out during the first play I partially tore the thing again and my wife was really po'd about it. Had to go back into a cast for three months and start all over again. Anybody do the boot thing where they add a tall heel and shave off a portion every two weeks or so?

[TerryBPP]

I partially cut mine on sitting on the bow of a boat when I was 12. 20 stitches inside 12 staples outside.

The full recovery was pretty quick (2 months).

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by TerryBPP

I partially cut mine on sitting on the bow of a boat when I was 12. ...
The full recovery was pretty quick (2 months).

Yeah, when you're 12 ! Good luck to you Cornpanzer, and don't rush the recovery and reinjure yourself, etc.

[TerryBPP]

Originally Posted by KC911

Yeah, when you're 12 ! Good luck to you Cornpanzer, and don't rush the recovery and reinjure yourself, etc.

I'm still know to recover quickly....but only after premature ejaculation.

[71T Targa]

Originally Posted by TerryBPP

I'm still know to recover quickly....but only after premature ejaculation.

Yeah, when you're 19...

[Type911]

Dave,

Sorry to hear about your achilles. Back in January while on vacation in Mexico
I did a partial tear to my achilles....don't ask me how. If your partial tear was anything like mine you are in for about a 4-5 month recovery.
I was in a hard, non-walking cast for 2 months, then a walking boot for 1 month, then some re-hab. Being an avid cyclist & runner my recovery time was shorter than most according to my ortho Dr.
4 months after the injury I was riding somewhat competively (read getting my ass kicked on club rides), 5 months later I was starting to run 2-3x a week.

I feel for ya man, those 2 months on crutches was a real PITA !

Good luck

[Cornpanzer]

Wow, you guys are really cheering me up! LOL

Once I talk to the Orthepedic Doc, I will give an update.

[bt1211]

My brother tore his playing basketball. He had to be in a cast for a few months. The cast caused blood clots. One clot went near his heart and almost killed him. The doctors gave him too much blood thinner and that almost killed him.

Needless to say this made him rethink a few things.