Partially ruptured Achilles...

foxc_uk

So I was on a snowboarding progression camp a couple of weeks back, and during the warm up on the 3rd morning I felt something go 'pop'. (I was running, ffs!)

Long and short of it is I've partially ruptured the achilles, and damaged the calf muscle. I'm in a cast until at least 12th April, and then am likely to get the Boot. What fun

Anyone have any experience with the old Achilles, and have any reassuring words for me?
I'm scheduled to do the 50mile Great Nottm Bike Ride (19th June), and am wondering whether this might be a bit optimistic?
Obviously I've cancelled all my biking (and snowboarding) planned for the next 2.5 months

david1512

Hi

I did similar during a rugby game, but managed to escape without a cast, but I was on crutches for about 2weeks. Gotta be the worst pain I've ever known, so I know how you feel.

I was off all sport for about a month, after that I was allowed only low impact sports, but normally cycling is recommended by physiotherapists or at least mine did, but normally it's just an hour or so to keep you moving and the tendons.

I was also given this big jello mat thing like pregnant women sit on to build up my tendon It may have just been a joke on the physio's part (I did look a right tit carrying that home on the bus). :P

Hopefully if you start slow you can build it back up pretty quick, the problem I had is i lost all fitness with a lack of any cycling. But try find ways of staying active that's what I did, but I went back on the bike too soon, and will now forever have issues with my tendon, or so I'm told... So don't do that! :?

Hope some of that helps.

Dave

foxc_uk

Thanks Dave
I figured that slow and steady was probably going to be the key, see the consultant again on Tuesday so will make sure I have answers!

Unfortunately I can't keep my level of fitness up because the 'prescription' is to keep the leg elevated. And if I don't it starts to swell up - the pot is now quite loose but after cooking my tea last night (about 20 mins in total) there was no space in the cast any more.

My arms are getting a good workout though!!

mconnaughton

Hi Foxc
My sympathies - I did this in late 2006 and went for immediate surgery, which meant a cast for the next 6 weeks or so. Physio afterwards took some weeks to show any progress. I was lucky in having good advice and good access to physio, and as I'm a doc myself (hearts rather than anything more mechanical) I knew when to take things seriously.
So my tuppence worth:
- accept this is going to take time. If you're being managed without surgery my guess is you'll be in a cast for 2-3 months. Don't skimp on the healing - it just takes time. Not allowing things to heal will almost certainly mean a much poorer long-term result.
- maintining aerobic fitness is pretty difficult while you're in a cast but if you can exercise your upper body then all well and good - do it.
- you WILL need proper physio after you come out of your cast and you will be unpleasantly surprised how much power and co-ordination you've lost. Again, this will take time to get back. Listen to your professional advisers and be realistic about rates of progress - they have almost certainly seen this before, however fit you were beforehand.
- things I found useful: 1. Having a decent heel on a sandal when I was allowed to walk. The rubbish slippers I was given to protect the cast gave no heel support and walking was painful after 200-400 metres. I found an old pair of indestructible beach sandals (OK - open toes!) and was able to cobble together some oversized Velcro straps to get them round the cast. Transformation! I hadn't realised how important a heel was to the mechanics of regular walking.
2. A wobble board when you're out of your cast - maybe borrow from a physio department or £20-£25 from a physio supplier online. Great for trying to get your balance back, which you will be surprisingly bad at.
- I did try doing calf exercises when in the cast, and how much use it was, not sure. Having said that,while I'd lost evident calf bulk, it wasn't quite so much as I thought so maybe helped.
- There are some - rather expensive - elaborate Velcro/plastic supports around which can substitute for plaster casts. They are adjustable if you lose/gain muscle bulk as you recover. A GP friend got one from a Swiss friend and swore by it. They're too expensive for the NHS, but maybe worth thinking about if you can justify the expense.

Hope some of this helps. But DO take the time to heal properly - it's an investment!
Mark C

Broken rugby player

I did mine 2 years ago, in a Vets rugby tournament and it is still not right... I can ride my bike and have been for the last year or so, but I find when on tough climbs, I appear to climb using just one leg as I can't put down as much pressure on the ankle I damaged

so the advice above is spot on, take all the advice you can get, dont skip on any of your physio home work! and most of all it will take time, don't push it or you can set yourself back.

Good luck with recovery mate

foxc_uk

Hey guys
thanks ever so for the input.

Went to the fracture clinic today and the cast is off - so I've had 1 week in a bandage that went to mid thigh which the very efficient medics gave me in Italy, and 2 weeks in a below-the-knee cast....
And now I have the lovely 'Rebound Air Walker' (Beckam Boot, for any football types) which is highly stylish and will go with my black heels so well.
I'm looking at at least 6 - 8 weeks in the boot (24/7) before I even start on the physio. Fortunately the boot will really help because I'm starting with 5 wedges in the heel (similar to wearing a shoe with a 4.5" heel) and they'll take a wedge away every 2 weeks.

Thanks for the tip mconnaughton - I think I'm going to invest in a balance board because it's essential I'm able to get back into my sports. I'm still not able to tense the calf muscle without pain - that's the place the tendon tore at, so will give it another few days/week. The boot weighs quite a bit so it means I can do leg raises and so start to rebuild the thigh muscles that have shrunk! Along with actually gently reintroducing weight bearing,

However I think I can give up the hope of doing the Great Notts Bike Ride this year. Ah well, just an excuse to get super fit for next year and do 4 weeks of snowboarding and all the biking I can fit in at the weekends!