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[Boaty McBoatface]

Never play indoor football/soccer people. All I did was move at a brisk pace to the ball, and then suddenly I partially tore my Achilles tendon, instantly putting me on the floor in pain.

One hospital trip later I was in a cast and told this will be on for many weeks, then it's a year of recovery.

Shits fucked. I'm supposed to be making a permanent move internationally starting May, got to pack and ship, clean up, finish work etc, but stuck in this cast until I get a boot, which even then I won't be able to move properly.

Anyone with stories? Recovery tips? Am I well and truly fucked?

I did get one cool thing out of it though, mate drew this cool stoned Sonic and other cool shit:

Spoiler: Soz

Oh Gaf sorry for the negative thread I just needed to vent a bit

 

[Dirk Benedict]

Never play indoor football/soccer people. All I did was move at a brisk pace to the ball, and then suddenly I partially tore my Achilles tendon, instantly putting me on the floor in pain.

One hospital trip later I was in a cast and told this will be on for many weeks, then it's a year of recovery.

Shits fucked. I'm supposed to be making a permanent move internationally starting May, got to pack and ship, clean up, finish work etc, but stuck in this cast until I get a boot, which even then I won't be able to move properly.

Anyone with stories? Recovery tips? Am I well and truly fucked?

I did get one cool thing out of it though, mate drew this cool stoned Sonic and other cool shit:

Spoiler: Soz

Oh Gaf sorry for the negative thread I just needed to vent a bit

If you lived close to me, I'd help you move for a good Daves Hot Chicken dinner. Other than that, I hope you recover well and find a solution to your dilemma.

 

[Boaty McBoatface]

If you lived close to me, I'd help you move for a good Daves Hot Chicken dinner. Other than that, I hope you recover well and find a solution to your dilemma.

Cheers dude

 

[Dirk Benedict]

Cheers dude

Cheers!

 

[FunkMiller]

You should change your name to Heely McHeelfucked.

 

[TheDreadBaron]

Hey dude. I ruptured both my Achilles, (separate incidents, 2 years apart) so I have some expertise in this area. Both complete ruptures. My left achilles went in 2019 with surgery to repair it, my right in 2021, no surgery. I see you're still in a cast, so you're at the beginning of this process. Sick sonic.

My biggest tips for long term comfort, function, and use are as follows: massage the shit out of the entire affected area to break down scar tissue. Like, every day. It will hurt like a motherfucker for a long time because theres so much inflammation. If you had surgery, you’ll need to wait until your wounds are fully healed, but can massage other areas to reduce swelling.

Elevate, and exercise whatever you can. I had no idea how weak Id get from spending so much time resting. Do what you can. DO YOUR PT. More than that, walk.

This is the most important thing I didn't pay enough attention to. When you start walking, push off with your toes. You are instinctively NOT going to push off with your toes because your body knows last time it did that, your fucking achilles blew up. Your achilles and calves will be atrophied. Your knees and hips and back may hurt because you overcompensate with your good side. Push off with your toes. Balance. Take care of your knees, hips and back by doing some mobility exercises/yoga that doesn't need your leg.

Realistically, the minimum full recovery time is a year. Be gentle with yourself. You will be surprised by how tired you get and how frightening it is to think about standing up on your toes. Do things overall to reduce inflammation, like potentially taking supplements such as glucosamine, etc as recommended/approved by your medical team.

Theres so much more I could share but those are the big things. Feel free to DM me if you want to talk more.

 

[Spyxos]

Mine is not torn, but severely overstretched. Happened about 7 weeks ago was also healing well. Then after 5 weeks I was unfortunately too stupid and have stretched and forgotten the place. The last 2 weeks are so about now like at the beginning.... The place takes forever until it heals. Heat and horse oil are helping me a lot.

Get well soon!

 

[GoldenRetreating]

Boy's treehouse third world problems

 

[AJUMP23]

I hurt my knee playing basketball. It still hurts sometimes, it has been 20 years. It makes sitting in tight spaces much harder because that knee tells me to stretch it out.

 

[Boaty McBoatface]

Hey dude. I ruptured both my Achilles, (separate incidents, 2 years apart) so I have some expertise in this area. Both complete ruptures. My left achilles went in 2019 with surgery to repair it, my right in 2021, no surgery. I see you're still in a cast, so you're at the beginning of this process. Sick sonic.

My biggest tips for long term comfort, function, and use are as follows: massage the shit out of the entire affected area to break down scar tissue. Like, every day. It will hurt like a motherfucker for a long time because theres so much inflammation. If you had surgery, you’ll need to wait until your wounds are fully healed, but can massage other areas to reduce swelling.

Elevate, and exercise whatever you can. I had no idea how weak Id get from spending so much time resting. Do what you can. DO YOUR PT. More than that, walk.

This is the most important thing I didn't pay enough attention to. When you start walking, push off with your toes. You are instinctively NOT going to push off with your toes because your body knows last time it did that, your fucking achilles blew up. Your achilles and calves will be atrophied. Your knees and hips and back may hurt because you overcompensate with your good side. Push off with your toes. Balance. Take care of your knees, hips and back by doing some mobility exercises/yoga that doesn't need your leg.

Realistically, the minimum full recovery time is a year. Be gentle with yourself. You will be surprised by how tired you get and how frightening it is to think about standing up on your toes. Do things overall to reduce inflammation, like potentially taking supplements such as glucosamine, etc as recommended/approved by your medical team.

Theres so much more I could share but those are the big things. Feel free to DM me if you want to talk more.

Ouch mate, sorry that happened to you, and a massive thank you for your advice.

I hope to get regular PT going when I move in May and will just fully focus on recovery. I'm not making this easy on myself - I'm getting a boot next week and will need to give it back to the hospital 2 days before my flight, so that's 6 and a half weeks total between the cast and the boot, I'm fearing if I don't keep or buy a boot for the flight I'm risking re-rupturing, but being a partial tear it might be ok...

Will have to see what the doc says. Should really be focusing my mental energy on the recovery but the timing is just awful. Thanks again and will DM

 

[Rival]

My old boss ruptured hers. Just when I thought she couldn’t get any more useless she proved me wrong.

 

[PaddyOCanager]

Not the same but I rolled my ankle in a sand volleyball tournament last year. I live in the U.S. so of course I didn't go to a doctor - I'd rather die.

The new volleyball season starts next month and it's finally back to 95% healed. All I can say is shit sucks and I feel for you.

 

[AJUMP23]

You feel bad imagine how Achilles felt when he got shot by an arrow in his Achilles. Cost him everything.

 

[Fools idol]

I'll never forget the sound when my sister ruptured hers after tripping over the dog, it made a loud audible 'pop' sound (snapped that shit basically) and she was out of action for 5-6 months after surgery. Still to this day walks with a slight limp and cant run / jog / use a bicycle like she used to.

she said the pain was up there with child birth

Rest up!!

 

[BadBurger]

My condolences. I mildly pulled or sprained mine in high school and it was probably the worst pain I had felt to that point. Turned me off from playing JV basketball.

 

[TransTrender]

Didn't do the Achilles but I know someone who did.
Don't fuck around with your recovery. Do all the things your doc is telling you and when the time comes do all of the PT and exercises religiously.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Never play indoor football/soccer people. All I did was move at a brisk pace to the ball, and then suddenly I partially tore my Achilles tendon, instantly putting me on the floor in pain.

One hospital trip later I was in a cast and told this will be on for many weeks, then it's a year of recovery.

Shits fucked. I'm supposed to be making a permanent move internationally starting May, got to pack and ship, clean up, finish work etc, but stuck in this cast until I get a boot, which even then I won't be able to move properly.

Anyone with stories? Recovery tips? Am I well and truly fucked?

I did get one cool thing out of it though, mate drew this cool stoned Sonic and other cool shit:

Spoiler: Soz

Oh Gaf sorry for the negative thread I just needed to vent a bit

Casting for “weeks” is probably not the right way to treat this. Two weeks is standard of care at this point and then you should be started on early weight bearing.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

This could present a new angle for sympathy to try and get tail. Time is precious and waning. Get your crippled ass to the streets.

 

[Bitmap Frogs]

Never play indoor football/soccer people. All I did was move at a brisk pace to the ball, and then suddenly I partially tore my Achilles tendon, instantly putting me on the floor in pain.

One hospital trip later I was in a cast and told this will be on for many weeks, then it's a year of recovery.

Shits fucked. I'm supposed to be making a permanent move internationally starting May, got to pack and ship, clean up, finish work etc, but stuck in this cast until I get a boot, which even then I won't be able to move properly.

Anyone with stories? Recovery tips? Am I well and truly fucked?

I did get one cool thing out of it though, mate drew this cool stoned Sonic and other cool shit:

Spoiler: Soz

Oh Gaf sorry for the negative thread I just needed to vent a bit

Shit man, can't say much other than enjoy the pills and take it easy to ensure it heals.

 

[poodaddy]

I snapped my right foot right in half training for Airborne school in the Army. I feel for ya bro, I believe a torn Achilles tendon is actually worse than what I incurred, which is called a Liz Franc bone injury. Essentially, it ends football players' careers, though I'm no football player lol. Broke my right hand recently at one of those indoor trampoline gyms playing around with my daughter, needed a left shoulder repair surgery after fuckin it up pretty bad, and I've torn one of my right quad muscles during a leg press a long time ago. Athletic/training injuries are just universally shit man. If you lived anywhere near Maine I'd help ya move brother, but something tells me you don't.

As for recovery tips, don't be afraid to get up and start talking little walks around as soon as you can. Movement is rehab, and rehab always causes better healing than stagnation. Train your upper body while your lower is recovering, you'll be surprised how effectively you can train just the upper body without your legs. Eat well, and fuckin listen to the docs when they tell ya not to smoke man. Smoking massively extends your healing time, if you smoke that's fine, but quit for now while you're healing. Other than that, just get comfortable with the wait. I just came out of a cast for my hand around six ish months ago, I'm hoping I'm done with training injuries for good, I'm so fuckin over them man.

 

[MikeM]

I hurt my knee playing basketball. It still hurts sometimes, it has been 20 years. It makes sitting in tight spaces much harder because that knee tells me to stretch it out.

Mine is like that (have a staple in my knee from surgery) and I found doing a lot of glute and hamstring work made those problem basically disappear

 

[bitbydeath]

It must suck to discover your achilles heel is your achilles heel.

 

[Vicetrailia]

I hurt my knee playing basketball. It still hurts sometimes, it has been 20 years. It makes sitting in tight spaces much harder because that knee tells me to stretch it out.

I had the same thing with both my knees and it resulted in me having a bilateral patella tendon rupture last April and I’m still recovering. Be nice to your knees, strengthen those quads with leg extensions (but don’t do them full range it your knees hurt). Also strengthen those glutes and hamstring. Help your patella out lol.

 

[Boaty McBoatface]

Casting for “weeks” is probably not the right way to treat this. Two weeks is standard of care at this point and then you should be started on early weight bearing.

That's what I've been reading, really not sure what the best way to go about this is. They wanted me in the cast for 6 weeks, but convinced them to make it 2 (technically nearly 3 that was my 2nd cast). I'm going into a boot on Monday which is good, but last few days I've noticed my toes looking dark when I get up and about, I've been taking blood thinners to stop clotting so hopefully it's just from little activity.

Shit man, can't say much other than enjoy the pills and take it easy to ensure it heals.

Cheers dude

I'll never forget the sound when my sister ruptured hers after tripping over the dog, it made a loud audible 'pop' sound (snapped that shit basically) and she was out of action for 5-6 months after surgery. Still to this day walks with a slight limp and cant run / jog / use a bicycle like she used to.

she said the pain was up there with child birth

Rest up!!

Oh man, the sound! I literally dreamt it some nights after. Sorry to your sis man, I hope there's still chance for further recovery.

I snapped my right foot right in half training for Airborne school in the Army. I feel for ya bro, I believe a torn Achilles tendon is actually worse than what I incurred, which is called a Liz Franc bone injury. Essentially, it ends football players' careers, though I'm no football player lol. Broke my right hand recently at one of those indoor trampoline gyms playing around with my daughter, needed a left shoulder repair surgery after fuckin it up pretty bad, and I've torn one of my right quad muscles during a leg press a long time ago. Athletic/training injuries are just universally shit man. If you lived anywhere near Maine I'd help ya move brother, but something tells me you don't.

As for recovery tips, don't be afraid to get up and start talking little walks around as soon as you can. Movement is rehab, and rehab always causes better healing than stagnation. Train your upper body while your lower is recovering, you'll be surprised how effectively you can train just the upper body without your legs. Eat well, and fuckin listen to the docs when they tell ya not to smoke man. Smoking massively extends your healing time, if you smoke that's fine, but quit for now while you're healing. Other than that, just get comfortable with the wait. I just came out of a cast for my hand around six ish months ago, I'm hoping I'm done with training injuries for good, I'm so fuckin over them man.

Cheers man. Did you still get through/make it back to Airborne school? and yes agree I'm well over injuries too, this being the 2nd big one after breaking my right foot a few years ago (also playing indoor soccer ). Can't wait to get out of this cast and move again.

Hope you recovered/recovering well from the injuries.

 

[light2x]

Can you describe the pain to me when you first tore it? Preferably in detail.

 

[poodaddy]

Cheers man. Did you still get through/make it back to Airborne school? and yes agree I'm well over injuries too, this being the 2nd big one after breaking my right foot a few years ago (also playing indoor soccer ). Can't wait to get out of this cast and move again.

Hope you recovered/recovering well from the injuries.

Thanks man, no unfortunately I never did finish Airborne school. I was barred from special training schools after as I was given a P3 profile, essentially meant I was undeployable and had a permanent injury. It kind of ruins your military career in the Army, particularly when you're in an infantry unit. When they offered me the medboard, I went ahead and said yes, as any further time in the Army was essentially just spinning tires.

As for how I recovered, well I've got some permanent pain that comes and goes, but they said I'd never squat or run again and I'm here to tell you they were full of shit. Very, very full of shit

 

[Richard Cranium]

That's what I've been reading, really not sure what the best way to go about this is. They wanted me in the cast for 6 weeks, but convinced them to make it 2 (technically nearly 3 that was my 2nd cast). I'm going into a boot on Monday which is good, but last few days I've noticed my toes looking dark when I get up and about, I've been taking blood thinners to stop clotting so hopefully it's just from little activity.

Casting for 6 weeks is what we used to do but turns out that doing this is associated with higher re-rupture rates and poor outcomes. We figured this out maybe 15-20 years ago and pretty much every paper written since then acknowledges early weight bearing and functional rehab as necessary. Some old school physicians still stick with tradition but that’s the wrong approach imo. I start my patients weight bearing in a boot with a heel lift at 2 weeks post injury using crutches. Protocols do differ in terms of how high the lift is, how long it’s used for, when to start range of motion, etc. but most of them will start weight bearing fairly early.

 

[Boaty McBoatface]

Thanks man, no unfortunately I never did finish Airborne school. I was barred from special training schools after as I was given a P3 profile, essentially meant I was undeployable and had a permanent injury. It kind of ruins your military career in the Army, particularly when you're in an infantry unit. When they offered me the medboard, I went ahead and said yes, as any further time in the Army was essentially just spinning tires.

Damn sorry about that dude, but really glad there was an option at the end there

As for how I recovered, well I've got some permanent pain that comes and goes, but they said I'd never squat or run again and I'm here to tell you they were full of shit. Very, very full of shit

That's awesome! always good to show 'em

 

[Boaty McBoatface]

Casting for 6 weeks is what we used to do but turns out that doing this is associated with higher re-rupture rates and poor outcomes. We figured this out maybe 15-20 years ago and pretty much every paper written since then acknowledges early weight bearing and functional rehab as necessary. Some old school physicians still stick with tradition but that’s the wrong approach imo. I start my patients weight bearing in a boot with a heel lift at 2 weeks post injury using crutches. Protocols do differ in terms of how high the lift is, how long it’s used for, when to start range of motion, etc. but most of them will start weight bearing fairly early.

So that's interesting, I did some reading online and found a few studies that confirm what you're saying. Being in a boot now I do think that was a good choice to switch to from the cast after 2 weeks, as I'm able to try weight bearing and also 'exercise' my foot with up/down movements each day (and actually scratch the leg lol).

Heel lifts though, I can't imagine doing that right now, it really hurts when I put weight on it (I put near full weight by accident and I'm worried I've 'reset' my recovery somehow). Actually as I type this, I'm wondering if you meant the heel splints that keep the heel lifted in the boot, or heel lift exercise? I have splints that I have to remove each week for the next 4 weeks, then I'll see how things are back at the specialists May 1st. Hopefully there's progress.

 

[Trilobit]

Atleast something good came out of your ordeal, OP. It made me want to rewatch Troy.

Get well!

I snapped my right foot right in half training for Airborne school in the Army. [...] Broke my right hand recently at one of those indoor trampoline gyms playing around with my daughter, needed a left shoulder repair surgery after fuckin it up pretty bad, and I've torn one of my right quad muscles during a leg press a long time ago.

 

[Richard Cranium]

So that's interesting, I did some reading online and found a few studies that confirm what you're saying. Being in a boot now I do think that was a good choice to switch to from the cast after 2 weeks, as I'm able to try weight bearing and also 'exercise' my foot with up/down movements each day (and actually scratch the leg lol).

Heel lifts though, I can't imagine doing that right now, it really hurts when I put weight on it (I put near full weight by accident and I'm worried I've 'reset' my recovery somehow). Actually as I type this, I'm wondering if you meant the heel splints that keep the heel lifted in the boot, or heel lift exercise? I have splints that I have to remove each week for the next 4 weeks, then I'll see how things are back at the specialists May 1st. Hopefully there's progress.

Heel lifts are wedges that go into the boot. Some kits come with multiple wedges that you successively take out over time. You shouldn’t be walking with the foot flat at this point. Sounds like you’re already set up with the wedges. I wouldn’t stretch too much and definitely not with the ankle past neutral. The Achilles needs to heal at the correct length. If you overstretch it, you will lose power and function.