ruptured achilles

Hey Everyone,

I just joined this site about five minutes ago because I'm really needing some accountability. Hopefully this will help.

My question is this: Can anyone tell me their personal experience with a partially ruptured achilles tendon? Two weeks ago I was in the last mile of my morning run and felt and heard a popping sound. Instant pain. The DR diagnosed me with a partially ruptured achilles and has since referred me to the orthopedist with whom I meet tomorrow for the first time.

I'm beginning to doubt my family DR initial diagnosis because while I still have some discomfort I'm not in really severe pain. I doubt I could run though simply because I begin to feel that famililar tightness sometimes when I walk... I've been told that the recovery time for this injury could take months and I'm going to adhere to whatever my orthopedist says but I was wondering about any personal opinions. Also, what sort of activity if you suffered from this did you do for cardio? I've been off my foot pretty much (on the advice of my DR) since this happened doing basically nothing more than a bit of upper body strenght training and abs.

I've lost over 100 pounds and still have 30 to go. I worry that without sufficient exercise I'll gain the weight back. I'm also worried that in taking so much time from running I'll have to retrain my body for it.

Any answers would be appreicated.

Are you allowed to do swimming? Breaststroke - one hours continual swimming = 600 calories, 'tis a good calorie burn for sure.

Ack, don't try to run on your injury though, you want it to heal asap, really hoping it will be as speedily as possible for you.

I run myself and flinched when I saw this thread, I think you may just be a little lucky in that the injury did not have you rolling about ont he floor with pain to be honest, hopefully that very aspect of it means the actual injury will heal without incident.

Regarding "retraining" during running, this I really can put your mind at rest here. If you do have to take months off to recover, when you eventually go back, this is more than likely how your sessions will go:

1. First one back you will be knackered
2. Second session will be a little easier
3. Third session will begin to feel familiar
4. You will almost be there
5. From hereon in you will be working your way back to the distances you were doing before without too much hassle

Whatever the case, although you will lose some "running fitness" you NEVER lose all of it and it always comes back, sometimes quite quickly, so that before you know it, you are back to where you were (minus the injury).

Just log everything you eat and drink, do not try to train through the injury, find another exercise (hence why I mentioned swimming, there are no strains on joints and muscles with swimming because of the weightlessness in the water).

So hoping you will be okay xxx

1. Don't freak out until the ortho sees you. If they're a good one, they'll order an MRI if they can't make the diagnosis unassisted.

2. After they determine the extent of your injury, have them write you an rx for a good physical therapist.

How do you find a good one?

Look for ones who treat athletes (high school, college, semi pro and pro) and ballet dancers (amateur and pro).

I learned the hard way that not all physical therapists are created equal. I found one that's kept me going for 20+ years and this is what she's told me to do when people ask me how to find a good one. Yes, she and her staff treat athletes and ballet dancers of all ages and skill levels.