Achilles rupture

[Jkessz7]

On March 14th I completely ruptured my Achilles tendon and had surgery to repair it on March 30th. I'm wondering if any other mountain hunters here have had this happen to them and if there is any chance I will be in the mountains come September? I know this isn't anything to rush and have already accepted that I probably won't be hunting elk this year. Everybody recovers differently though, so I'm just looking for some success stories and advice. I can't put any weight on my right leg, so I'm trying to find different ways to get some kind of cardio in. Any ideas for this would be great. Another thing I'm worried about is footwear. Right now I wear Asolo boots but they don't have a very high back. I'm wondering if I will need a higher backed and stiffer boot? Any other advice or information you can think of would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[direwolf]

Your surgeon might be more aggressive than any of the ones i know, but I would advise no mountain hunting in September. I am usually thinking about back to sports/mountain hunting around the 9-10 month point - depending on how rehab is going. Bummer about your injury for sure.

 

[dmjojump]

I had shrapnel go through my right Achilles tendon, they had to due a procedure called a fold down. They went above the cut, cut it length wise and fold it down over and lace another tendon from my foot to hold it all together. If I understood them correctly. September might be soon, I hobbled around the woods in a walking cast, but don't rush it. For the cardio I would ask your physical therapist if your going. Good luck

 

[nodakhorseman]

I completely ruptured my Achilles' tendon on my left leg about 6 years ago in June. I was hunting the badlands of North Dakota that same year in late November. I got around pretty well and even packed a couple deer out.

I'm also an avid mountain hunter and mountain hunting that fall was completely off limits. If you can hunt more gentle terrain, then I would say you're in luck. If not, don't push it.

Starting the next season, I had no limitations whatsoever. My calf muscle is still about 20% smaller than the non-ruptured side, even after all these year. Looks a bit funny, but doesn't physically bother me a bit.

 

[Take-a-knee]

How the heck does someone rupture an Achilles tendon? That is the largest tendon in the human body. I suspect a nutritional deficit or a drug side-effect.

 

[good2eat]

Age and use. I've known a few people who have had it Hagen, all very active and healthy.

 

[5MilesBack]

Send a PM to Gil_Wy, he went through that a couple years ago.

 

[Eagle]

How the heck does someone rupture an Achilles tendon? That is the largest tendon in the human body. I suspect a nutritional deficit or a drug side-effect.

From some of your other posts, you seem like a crossfit guy, and the Achilles tendon rupture is one of the most common injuries in crossfit due to the idiotic amount of rebounding box jumps many of the workouts have. It happens to normal, healthy people all the time.

 

[Jkessz7]

Thanks direwolf, yeah he recommends about the same.

 

[Jkessz7]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. My injury happened while pushing my full size blazer into the garage, no other factors. Nodakhorseman, I've read a lot that calf size never returns to normal. 5 miles back, thanks for the info, I'll give him a shout.

 

[jmez]

Very common orthopedic injury in middle aged, fit, athletic people. As was mentioned box jumps are bad. That said, if you step off the box rather than jump you likely won't tear an achilles. I never jump down for this reason.

 

[Take-a-knee]

From some of your other posts, you seem like a crossfit guy, and the Achilles tendon rupture is one of the most common injuries in crossfit due to the idiotic amount of rebounding box jumps many of the workouts have. It happens to normal, healthy people all the time.

Never happened to me I guess because I always step down from a box jump. At 55, I know my limitations. Mark Twight always thought rebounding box jumps weren't too bright either.

Tendon weakness is a side-effect of many pharmaceuticals. I think modern shoes with elevated heels also play a role in this. Shortens the tendon.

 

[gil_wy]

Jkessz7,
I ruptured mine the first weekend of June, 2012... I took a really long step jogging to first base in a softball.

http://www.rokslide.com/forums/images/attach/jpg.gif

Didn't have it repaired until the end of July (you are way ahead of me there... waiting is not good!). I won't blow smoke... It was a miserable recovery. Your calf will atrophy to an unrecognizable point while you're in the cast/boot. I would say mine is finally close to pre-rupture size.

Here's the protocol I followed...

http://www.uwhealth.org/files/uwhealth/docs/sportsmed/SM-41576_AchillesTendonProtocol.pdf

It was quite a bit more aggressive than what my surgeon recommended but it worked and I was able to do my first unassisted toe raise by November... well ahead of the surgeon's 6-9 month time frame.

I killed a 160 class muley spot and stalk during week 5 of my recovery with my Ortho boot on. I actually hunted elk @ 10,300' the last week of September... about 8 weeks after surgery. That trip was VERY, VERY DUMB! But mentally I needed it!

You won't be 100% until 12-14 months after surgery but here's a few critters that I've taken since my surgery... There is light at the end of the tunnel!!!!

http://www.rokslide.com/forums/images/attach/jpg.gif
http://www.rokslide.com/forums/images/attach/jpg.gif
http://www.rokslide.com/forums/images/attach/jpg.gif

Footwear was a big issue... I was a full leather, stiff boot guy. Now my go to boots are Salomons and the more "athletic" style boot. They just don't fit like they used to!

 

[gil_wy]

Oh and for cardio, a stationary bike is about the only thing I found that worked...

 

[Jkessz7]

Thanks for all the info Gil_wy. Looks like there is some hope.

 

[direwolf]

gil_wy obviously made an impressive and very quick recovery from a devastating injury.
When you have a skilled surgeon who puts you back together just right and do a good job with rehab you can expect to get back to full sports and recreational performance. When you decide not to follow your surgeons and PT's protocol you run a significant risk of re-tearing the tendon. When that happens, it turns into a real mess. You may have to have a second surgery 6 or 8 months after your first and go through an even longer and slower rehab. Getting your calf to function and feel normal is less of a guarantee and high level recreational/sports performance becomes iffy.

The calf muscle group is such an important part of everything you do, I don't think the risk is worth it.

Follow the advice of the people who deal with this every day and make sure that you get a full recovery and great outcome - even if you have to sacrifice some of your hunts this fall.

Best of luck with your recovery.

 

[gil_wy]

Direwolf is very much correct... My surgeon signed off on the Wisconsin protocol I listed. I didn't follow it exactly because my surgeon wanted the cast on through week 6. We compromised and it was off after week 4. You mentioned in a PM that you'll be in a cast through week 8. Restoring your atrophied calf muscle complex will be as much a part of your recovery as the tendon itself.