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mcrain

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Feb 8, 2002
1,773
12
Illinois
I ruptured my achilles tendon last night. I'm scheduled for surgery in a couple of days. Has anyone gone through this?
 
I haven't but sorry to hear that you did. Is it painful? How did you do it? I don't think you want us just speculating on what happened.;)
 
I haven't but sorry to hear that you did. Is it painful? How did you do it? I don't think you want us just speculating on what happened.;)

Most common age for this injury is 25-40. I'm 38. My neighbor had a car on a trailer, and was getting ready to help push it off. I was trying to figure out how to position myself to get leverage, but before I even really pushed, it snapped like a rubber band. You could hear it in the other yard. Pop! Felt really weird at first. I hobbled back to my house and within a few minutes was crumpled up on the ground. We went to the ER and while waiting the pain began in earnest.

It's in a "cast" right now, and it's pretty painful. Surgery is Monday. I think I'll be in a cast or boot for 1-2 months followed by months of rehab. I was out of it when the doctor was telling me, so I hoped someone might have experience with this.
 
Damn, that's too bad!

I've torn my meniscus at rugby in September 2008, heard a pop when it happened, ended up having to have surgery and be told by the NHS physio that I should give up any sports requiring running and that being able to walk was 'good enough for him'.

The surgery (in March 2009) was fine though, left with minimal discomfort, swelling or scarring and was walking the same day, although only just now it feels near the strength it was before. I run once a week on it now and that feels good, looking to run more, maybe try yoga or pilates (don't mind if I'm the only man in the class) to get more flexibility and then more weight work to strengthen the muscles supporting the knee. I saw a sports physio at my club and he said I would be able to play on it, I just need to give it time, and to give it a good amount of rest, do more stretching than I did, this was arguably the reason I injured it in the first place, not enough warming up of the muscles.

I guess the achilles will be totally different though in terms of healing. Will they be doing arthroscopy for that?

I'd really like to get back into rugby or maybe even try American Football (as a lineman though - I did like to occasionally juke/sidestep, but am not really built to be a fleet-footed winger/wide receiver) and the meniscus reconstruction surgery they've been doing on athletes for the last few years looks like it should filter down slowly to everyone else (but if I go to the US and get a decent health insurance plan, maybe it'd be a little quicker than in the UK with the NHS).
 
Hey, post a picture of your cast so we can digitally sign it. You know... we open up seashell or Paint and sign our names. Not as good as the real thing, but hey why not? :p
 
Hey, post a picture of your cast so we can digitally sign it. You know... we open up seashell or Paint and sign our names. Not as good as the real thing, but hey why not? :p

Haha that's actually a pretty cool idea!

If we all go one at a time then we can get a nice collection of signatures.
 
I completely ruptured my ATFL (Anterior Talofibular Ligament (ankle)) back in 2007 in a bicycle accident. That was extremely painful, I can only imagine how bad the achilles tendon would feel. I had 2 surgeries to repair it as well as some other damaged ligaments in the surrounding area. Just remember, if you are a guy you will probably need to sit down to pee for a few days or a week or two (especially when on pain medicine). Just remember to do exactly as the doctors say, DO NOT WALK ON IT WITHOUT CRUTCHES!! Remember to ice it, don't get the gel ice packs, use real ice, the gel packs do not get cold enough to reduce inflammation.
 
I partially tore mine in Dec 2008....its still not quite 100% and I can tell you a day in advance when its going to rain....I never had surgery though although I probably should have I was in a cast for a month and a boot for 2 months after that...It was very weird to hear it pop
 
I have never incurred this injury but my friend's boyfriend had it tear while playing baseball. She said after the surgery they cast your foot fully extended, think of pointing your toes down. Due to this increased angle between your leg and foot you won't get a boot. Your rehab will be about getting your range of motion back, working your foot up toward your leg to stretch the tendon.
 
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