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  @Fabiofl6364 күн бұрын

  Tra l'altro riesco ad alzarmi di pochissimo solo con un piede malato e solo per pochi istanti, tu quando ci sei riuscito?

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  @achilles_rupture2 күн бұрын

  Hi Fabio, I fear that the google translation may fail us here. Do you mean you can only walk (or stand up) for a few moments? I had to learn to stand (without walking) first, then slowly train the achilles and the calf muscle to handle walking in the boot. It's a lot of slow progression, not waiting for some number of weeks to pass before the body can suddenly handle something. Slow but purposeful muscle and tendon strengthening.

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  @Fabiofl6365 күн бұрын

  Ciao, sono alla settimana 14 e se cammino piano cammino bene mentre se provo ad accellerare zoppico ancora un pó, dici che devo insistere con gli esercizi?

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  @achilles_rupture4 күн бұрын

  Hi Fabio, I think your physiotherapist or doctor should be the one you talk to about advice for your situation and your current level of ability. That aside, I can remember my own experience of learning how to walk normally again. My stride was weak at the start, but main way I strengthened it for walking was simply by walking! I had to focus on "rolling" through and ensuring that I was pushing off with the calf. I also remember one of my friends asking me "Are you walking with a limp?". When he asked that, I didn't realise I still had a limp at that time, but clearly something wasn't right. So perhaps you might need to take videos of yourself to see what it looks like and adjust from there. The other thing to consider is whether the Achilles tendon is causing you pain. Specifically, a general, vague pain that lasts for 24 hours or more after you do specific exercises. That 24-hour pain is a signal that the tendon is tired and needs a break. I hope this translates well and that the above makes sense!

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  @BernieH-uc3yk12 күн бұрын

  Thanks for doing the video journey Scott. Did the same as you skateboarding last Sunday. It's a bit scary first week with limited knowledge and information. On track now. Cheers.

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  @achilles_rupture9 күн бұрын

  Hey Bernie, glad these videos were helpful to you. Sorry to hear about your rupture (and that it was via skating!) but good to hear you're on track. Not sure if you'll pick up a skateboard again (I haven't, although I still love snowboarding). Definitely agreed there's little knowledge and information out there, especially with respect to the non-surgical option. That was actually a big motivation for me to make these videos, knowing that it would one day help someone else out. Keep me out to date with how things go for you!

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  @BernieH-uc3yk8 күн бұрын

  @@achilles_rupture Thanks Scott, I'll let you know how things progress. It's now 8 days and have an appointment next Tuesday with surgeon. Hopefully after your information, will go the non surgical root. Like you, but older, am very active mainly bike riding and having raced bikes in the past, know how much stress goes through that tendon (contesting sprints). Anxiety was high for a good recovery. Not so much for the time of recovery as I had broken this foot in the past. 4 operations, bone from hip, skin grafts, external scaffolding etc lol. Westmead hospital NSW treated me so well with the broken foot (6 weeks in hospital) but I felt a bit left in the dark on the Achilles. Maybe hospitals could use your videos to lower anxiety to patients with this injury. This would at least give them a starting point. Anyway, thanks again for making the effort for me and others. Cheers Bernie.

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  @achilles_rupture6 күн бұрын

  @@BernieH-uc3yk Hey mate, as much as I like the non-surgical option, I hope that you have a productive chat with the surgeon and find what is right for you (assuming that the rupture is mid-tendinous and that there has been minimal retraction). I personally think that in time you'll be able to load up the tendon to do bike sprints, but I imagine that the more active you are, the more the average surgeon will recommend surgery (because it's the tried-and-true method). That said, I think avoiding surgery is a pretty big bonus and means not having to deal with a number of things (which I think you are keenly aware of). Two things, which I might recommend you check out prior to your appointment, if you haven't already, are the studies I have mentioned in the videos or other comments: 1) Willits et al (2010): pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21037028/ . This is the one that the surgeon who I saw referred me to. 2) Ochen et al (2019): www.bmj.com/content/364/bmj.k5120 . A meta-analysis which broadly supports the idea that the non-surgical method can be just as good as surgery (assuming the mid-tendinous and minimal retraction requirements, I imagine). Regarding hospital treatment, my general understanding is that in Australia we're really good at emergency care, but the follow-up rehab care can be a bit hit-and-miss. Whilst I'd be a little embarrassed (but also pleased) for a hospital to start showing their achilles patients my videos, I think it would be even better to put together something in conjunction with some medical professionals to make it a bit more professional (instead of my just rambling, haha).

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  @thosethickstrings13 күн бұрын

  hey how are you doing now?

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  @vegan4animals23016 күн бұрын

  Thanks Scott! 4 weeks in.

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  @achilles_rupture14 күн бұрын

  You're welcome! Hopefully by now you've gotten used to the general "pace" of things? At least, I'm hoping the hardest part for you is now over. How is the rehab going?

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  @pablocortes695016 күн бұрын

  Thank you Brother, I have my Achilles surgery in 4 days and pretty nervous and understand it's gonna be tough. Appreciate your video 💯👍

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  @achilles_rupture14 күн бұрын

  Hey Pablo, yes, I don't think this process is easy for anyone if they want to get back to walking unassisted! That said, the rehab process generally produces good outcomes. Let me know how the surgery goes and how things progress with your exercises. Wishing you all the best for the surgery and the days following!

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  @pablocortes695011 күн бұрын

  @@achilles_rupture Hello, had my surgery on the 19th of July. I already feel trapped and really can't do much of anything. Getting out of the car from the hospital. I was making my way up a steep driveway on at my house using crutches and my crutch slipped and I went down hard! Really happy the surgery is behind me....but this is no joke!

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  @achilles_rupture9 күн бұрын

  @@pablocortes6950 Holy moly, having a slip so soon (and falling hard) is not fun... my jaw dropped when I read that! Hope you're ok now (and hopefully you were nice and protected in your cast or boot at the time!). I think the good thing, however, is that you know how easily it can happen. My worst fear in my first months of rehab was slipping/falling whilst unprotected and re-rupturing. So perhaps having that fall the other day might inform the way that you get around the house and anywhere else you need to go? Like I mentioned in my "main" recommendations video (assuming you've seen it?), one of the things I learned I had to do was to just slow down and set my expectations appropriately for what I could manage. Things are just gonna take more time than normal and that's ok!

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  @kellyapplegate345917 күн бұрын

  Thank you for these videos. I’m on day 8. This is super helpful

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  @achilles_rupture14 күн бұрын

  Hey Kelly, thanks for letting me know this was helpful (hopefully some of my other videos will help out through your journey as well). How are you doing overall? The first two weeks or so are truly a rough time. I do not envy you! Thankfully, the long term prognosis is usually good... it just takes time.

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  @kellyapplegate345914 күн бұрын

  Thank you!! Really appreciate you. I’m learning a lot about empathy and patience. Lots of good and bad days!

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  @achilles_rupture9 күн бұрын

  @@kellyapplegate3459 Yes, I seem to recall a lot of ups and downs; usually too many questions and not enough answers. Interesting that you mention the empathy and patience part - I imagine that some people who I encounter in real life, who seem to be slower that I'd prefer, may be suffering some kind of pain or injury. Hopefully coming up to day 14 you'll be onto exercises now/soon?

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  @MosAchillesJourney2418 күн бұрын

  Thanks for sharing, day 68 myself with an appointment on day 70. Out of the boot for almost 2 weeks now, your rehab here is a bit ahead of mine though. I look forward to the day where I can do what you just showed with the calf raises.

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  @achilles_rupture14 күн бұрын

  Hey Mo, thanks for letting me know. I'm sure you'll get there with the calf raises :) How did you appointment go?

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  @MosAchillesJourney2414 күн бұрын

  @@achilles_rupture hi mate, thankyou, i’m doing some variations such as seated raises with my body crouched over. Also standing raises with much of my weight taken by the bannister (got to start somewhere). Sorry didn’t answer your question, i have work to do on my gait and calf/leg strength. Did you go to the gym at all during your time?

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  @achilles_rupture14 күн бұрын

  @@MosAchillesJourney24 I found the process to to be overall a gradual increase in weights/intensity. So I imagine you'll use the bannister less and less over time, and apply more body weight (or add external weight) to your exercises. Yes, I did go to the gym, but typically used cable machines or similar. Free weights were typically too risky for any kind of trip or stumble. Once the boot was off, it took me a long time to attempt squats or deadlifts, mostly due to fear of re-rupturing!

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  @MosAchillesJourney2414 күн бұрын

  @@achilles_rupture yes need to be patient, only week 11, for what might be a long time. Hope so! Sometimes i feel a bit behind as others are smashing out raises, but hey ho i can’t get into that train of thought. Sounds good, i have seen exercises but like yourself would avoid ones that could force a rupture at this point

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  @achilles_rupture9 күн бұрын

  @@MosAchillesJourney24 it's really easy to compare yourself to others and see where your failings are. But if you look through enough of the comments on my videos, you'll see that some people have been required by their surgeons to refrain from any kind of rehab for weeks or months. So whilst maybe their are ideal timelines/schedules, every individual has their own journey to go down. Part of that is dealing with pain; part of that is finding ways to get the rehab done effectively. Some people end up re-rupturing (such as one of the guys who works at the coffee shop I go to in the morning) whilst others re-rupture again years down the track (like a guy who works in my company - he ruptured one ten years ago and ruptured the other one a few months ago). In any case, hang in there, and compare yourself to yourself :)

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  @thehealthyhooddude21 күн бұрын

  Best video thank you

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  @achilles_rupture20 күн бұрын

  Thanks for letting me know!

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  @bikepacker985027 күн бұрын

  I'm Australian too, it's a bit rich to complain about your free treatment. I found the public health system amazing. Great caring people. It could have been a day or two quicker but you should be thankful. I blew my tendon while trekking in Vietnam, there was zero help there, i had to get on a plane and fly back to Australia for treatment.

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  @pauljohny200Ай бұрын

  One more r u able to do snow boarding or karate now ?

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  @achilles_rupture29 күн бұрын

  Yes, most definitely. I got back to Kenpo about one year after my rupture. Granted, I took my time and was more on the conservative side, but I also didn't want to re-rupture. I would have been fine to go snowboarding at that time too, I think. Obviously since then, I've been back on the slopes! So the long term prognosis for you is probably going to be good, assuming a normal rehab process and no complications. It just takes time and routine in doing your exercises - gradually improving without pushing too quickly. I found it hard to find where that line was (hence why I was more conservative in my rehab and what risks I wanted to take).

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  @pauljohny20029 күн бұрын

  @@achilles_rupture Hi Thanks for the information.

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  @pauljohny200Ай бұрын

  Wanted to do martial arts. now I cant .. wil take time .. cause of archives tendon damage. .And I am in cast but its 5% down .. 2 weeks has passed will try to get cast to 20%....

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  @achilles_rupture29 күн бұрын

  Hey Paul, yes it will definitely take time. It might be a number of months before you're jogging again, and perhaps after that martial arts will be possible.

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  @pauljohny200Ай бұрын

  Enjoyed thanks ..

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  @TheGoat-ch5izАй бұрын

  2 months in and it’s super hard

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  @achilles_ruptureАй бұрын

  Hang in there mate! This is a tough time mentally... when the "novelty" has worn off, but you're also not able to perform like before. Take your time and do your exercises. Normalcy isn't that far away... but you will get there. Best wishes and be safe!

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  @Fabiofl636Ай бұрын

  Ciao, dopo quanto tempo hai cominciato a sentire il ritorno di forza nella spinta per camminare?

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  @achilles_ruptureАй бұрын

  Even though I was walking on the street without a boot or crutches at Week 12, it still took a few weeks to feel more confident, and probably a few months before I felt like things were "normal" with the stride of my walk. How far are you into your rehabilitation journey?

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  @Fabiofl636Ай бұрын

  Grazie per l'attenzione, ho appena cominciato la settimana 9, peró sento la mia gamba spesso debole e stanca nonostante stia facendo esercizio tutti i giorni, vorrei già avere più spinta 😢

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  @achilles_ruptureАй бұрын

  @@Fabiofl636 Yes, unfortunately that is the nature of this injury. It will take a long time to get back strength. That said, I think you can take comfort knowing that, at Week 9, no one has any real strength! You are still very early on in your rehabilitation journey. The good thing is that your life should start getting "back to normal" in the next several weeks (assuming you have been doing a rehabilitation protocol like I did). So just keep doing the exercises and take the journey one day at a time. In a couple months, I expect that you will be thinking and feeling quite differently. Keep me updated with how you progress!

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  @Fabiofl636Ай бұрын

  @@achilles_rupture volevo chiederti un'altra cosa, è normale che quando faccio esercizi di camminata mi sento pungere? Così come al mattino il tendine è rigido e teso...

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  @achilles_ruptureАй бұрын

  @@Fabiofl636 there are different kinds of pain. I had aches and pains in the Achilles tendon most mornings, but as the tendon warmed up, those pains went away. I also had random pains from time to time, which we might call "healing pains". Both of those are pretty normal. The main kind of pain to be careful of is pain from fatigue that lasts more than 24 hours (e.g. exercises, or walking too much, or doing something new). That is a sign that the tendon needs to rest, because it can't keep up with the new load you are giving it.

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  @Bryan9Messi10Ай бұрын

  What was the gap size ?? How many cm ?

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  @achilles_ruptureАй бұрын

  Hi Bryan, unfortunately we don't know - I only had an x-ray on the day of the injury. It wasn't until Day 11, from memory, that I had an ultrasound. My physio informed me that by that point there was no way to know whether I'd had a complete or partial rupture (but on the day of the injury, the Thompson test did not produce any movement and the surgeon described it as "a pretty serious rupture"). So perhaps it was full, but perhaps it was hanging on by a thread.

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  @MosAchillesJourney242 ай бұрын

  I ruptured mine a few days ago. Currently wearing a boot with a few layers inserted. Love the positivity at the end. Some to be had during this journey.

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  @achilles_rupture2 ай бұрын

  Sorry to hear about your rupture, but thanks for the feedback! The first days/weeks are definitely the roughest part where you have to adjust to this new "way of life". There is most definitely light at the end of the tunnel, though. I'm about 6 years post-rupture now and I haven't had any issues since that first year. Keep up the exercises and hopefully one day you'll look back and realise there can be far worse things in life to go through. Keep me updated with how you go :)

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  @theiaks16192 ай бұрын

  Hi mate, thanks for the videos, lots of helpfull info. I wanted to ask if you recall how thick the space was between the rupture when and if you got a scan? I also wanted to ask how far up from the heal bone your rupture was? Thanks again

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  @achilles_rupture2 ай бұрын

  Hey mate, unfortunately I don't have a good answer for you for either of those two questions. The first scan (which was an ultrasound) was done about 12 days after my injury. By that stage, the tendon had already done some healing (my physio showed me), and he said it wasn't possible for him to know whether I had fully ruptured the achilles or not. But the surgeon who I saw in the emergency room said "that's a pretty serious rupture" and I had no movement from the Thompson test, so I imagine that if it wasn't fully ruptured, it was only hanging on by a thread. As for distance from the heel bone, it might be easier to measure distance from the floor when the foot is flat on it (since I don't actually know at what point the achilles attaches to the heel). I just measured, and it's about 10 cm (4 in). I typically wear UK9 (US10) sized shoes. Hope that helps! Are you still in the first days of your rupture?

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  @theiaks16192 ай бұрын

  @achilles_rupture thanks for getting back to me, Im actually about 5 weeks in. I completed an MRI around 3 weeks ago and the results said i had a 25mm space between the end of the rupture. Ive also been recommended down the natural path and ive still got approx 8 weeks left in the boot. Im currently minimal weight bearing and expected to remove my first cm heel in the coming weeks. Im trying to understand whether the healing process takes longer if the space is bigger, and im finding it hard to understand how the non op recovery process is the same for everyone. Anyways thanks again for getting back to me. Im yet to watch your future videos, so ill be sure to check those out.

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  @achilles_rupture2 ай бұрын

  @@theiaks1619 yeah to be honest I don't think the size of the gap matters for the healing process. The idea of either surgery or putting your foot in a cast/boot with plantar flexion is the same - either option mechanically forces the broken ends of the tendon together. The typical body response is to lay down collagen fibres over the next 6 weeks in attempt to connect the broken ends together. So I would imagine there's probably some variation between individuals (and maybe age is a bigger factor than anything) as to whether this process is "done" by 5, 6 or 7 weeks, for example. This is why I strongly recommend people see a sports rehab physiotherapist, especially if they do ultrasounds in-clinic. Keep up the exercises and let me know how things go in the coming weeks!

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  @estebansancas2 ай бұрын

  Hi, Scott. How are you? From your experience, have you regretted your decision to go non-op? In my country, Costa Rica, orthopedists saying that the only route for this injury is surgery. Do you evaluate your progress at this point good or would you have chosen a surgery if you were in day 1?

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  @achilles_rupture2 ай бұрын

  Hi Esteban. I have absolutely zero regrets about choosing non-surgical. It worked out very well for me and the circumstances of my injury. At this point, almost 6 years later, I don't worry about my achilles or feel any pain. It took me about one year to get back to martial arts, and then another 6 months before sparring felt like "normal". The calf/tendon don't have the bulk or the strength they used to have, but I would say that's primarily my fault for not keeping up the discipline required. So as you might expect by this point in my reply, I would certainly reject the surgery option if I had to go through the same injury again. That's a tough situation you're in, in Cost Rica. If your rupture is in the middle of the tendon and there's minimal retraction, then you might be a candidate for non-surgical. But that's hard to evaluate if the medical practitioners don't support the idea of non-surgical. You might be able to convince them by taking the Willits et al (2010) study with you: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21037028/ . Another study which I only found recently, by Ochen et al (2019), supports the conclusion of the Willits study: www.bmj.com/content/364/bmj.k5120

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  @estebansancas2 ай бұрын

  @@achilles_rupture Awesome, thank you for your help and generousity with the information and personal experience. I finally found an orthopedic surgeon that was up to date and was willing to conduct an non-op conservative rehabilitation protocol. I will make sure to address the strength exercises rehab part. Thank you kindly, Scott. I am so glad that you are doing very well, after 6 years of your injury. Thank you for creating these videos, also!

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  @achilles_rupture2 ай бұрын

  @@estebansancas Hey Esteban, glad to hear you've found someone who supports your decision. Keep up your exercises, listen to your achilles (you can't "punish" it like you would a muscle!) and hopefully this period of your life will be a distant memory soon. Keep me up to date with how things go for you!

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  @athleteforfun27022 ай бұрын

  Tore my Achilles Trying a nose blunt 😂 I’m non surgical week 5 with one heel lift

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  @achilles_rupture2 ай бұрын

  Haha dang, certainly more advanced than me! I was just going down the street in a straight line (albeit, pushing harder and harder). How's your recovery going?

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  @brainybuddy51762 ай бұрын

  I have 1.6cm gap on my achilles tendon rupture. Do i need to do surgery or the conservative treatment?

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  @achilles_rupture2 ай бұрын

  Unfortunately it's not possible for me to answer that - best for you to ask a surgeon (or two). However, I seem to recall people with a 2cm gap opting for non-surgical, so it might be an option for you unless there are other factors to consider (e.g. if the rupture is not mid-tendinous).

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  @brainybuddy51762 ай бұрын

  Thank you bro. Unfortunately conservative treatments for achilles ruptures are not yet recognize here in the philippines. It feels like im on my own with this. Your videos are really helping me a lot. I have another question though. Im in 4th week right now. And it feels like my rupture is gradually connecting. I can feel like an hourglass shape in my gap when i touch it. Is that common?

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  @achilles_rupture2 ай бұрын

  @@brainybuddy5176 I had what my physiotherapist called a "divut" for many weeks, as if the inner part of the tendon connected and hardened first, and then later the outer part grew over and hardened up. As for how common that is, I can't say - I can't recall my physio being bothered by it, so I'm guessing what I had was normal enough. If you're already in your 4th week and elected to go non-surgical on your own, then I would imagine you have some kind of strength and ability to point your toes by now?

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  @brainybuddy51762 ай бұрын

  Yes i can do that. Im able to lift my legs seating like the things you do in your previous videos too. Im still scared to do the standing with my feet neutral on the ground yet. Maybe I'll do that in my 6th week. This morning I did the thompson test and Im so happy it moved. By the way bro. How many wegde do you have in your boot? And how many weeks are the intervals before removing a wedge?

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  @achilles_rupture2 ай бұрын

  @@brainybuddy5176 glad to hear you have movement with the Thompson test. Judging from my other videos, I think I went down from two wedges to one wedge around week 6, and I seem to recall removing the second wedge either a week or two later. My understanding is that around week 6, the tendon has "healed" in the sense that the collagen fibres will have been laid down in response to the injury. But obviously the tendon is still weak at that point. It really is a long, slow progression of continuous improvement and strengthening (unlike a bone, which is kind of just "done" and ready to use around 8 weeks after injury). I think it's good that you're worried, because that means you care and that you'll hopefully not push too hard too quickly. The main thing I was taught to look out for was vague tendon pain that lasts for more than 24 hours. Usually this is a sign that the tendon is unhappy and you need to back off from whatever caused the longer-last pain.

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  @steveinoz81882 ай бұрын

  I'm at about the same distance. I am not very patient and put another small tear in my tendon which put me back 2 weeks. My Physio said to wear the boot for another 3 weeks. And he gave some very easy "exercises" to do. But I also ride my bike and go swimming.

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  @achilles_rupture2 ай бұрын

  Ouch, sorry to hear about a small tear. However, thankfully two weeks set back is probably preferable to going right back to the start... at least, re-rupturing was always one of my biggest fears. I think it's hard to find that balance between pushing yourself so that you get the fatigue and growth required, but at the same time keeping it safe and knowing not to go beyond the limit. Ultimately, we all make the decisions we think are best, so fingers crossed your new exercises and any other activities are right for you and lead to good outcomes :)

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  @steveinoz81883 ай бұрын

  I'm at about the same stage. I'm doing heel raises and tip toe running up to my neck in water at the local pool. If I'm feeling confident I move to shallower water.

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  @Oritz73 ай бұрын

  Hi Scott, the best informative and educational video for Achilles rupture I have seen. Your video is a God send.

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  @achilles_rupture2 ай бұрын

  Thanks Walter - your comment came through as an email the other night whilst I was having dinner with friends, and I had to let them all know what you had just said. Very much appreciated! How far along in your recovery are you?

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  @Oritz72 ай бұрын

  @@achilles_rupture Scott. apologies for late response. I am in Houston, TX and I was not armed with alot of info. I am in week 3 and still looking for a physiotherapist like you did. Knee rover my wife got me is very helpful. But my orthopedic doctor merely had me in boot and asked me to only take it off at night when I sleep or shower. And follow up with him in 6 weeks since I went the non op option. I have got the most info from your video playlist. I wish I could personally speak with you, but so would 100 more people. SO that may not be practical for you. Again Thanks. I do not have pain. I still fail to elevate my foot when in the boot. Not sure if the REST protocol is applicable and if I should see a physiotherapist before starting the slow weight bearing exercise. I checked one location and they said my doctor has to clear me first. But, I am confident that I will be good because you have set a detailed guide to that path. I was skeptical about proper recovery under Non Op until your videos. Again, thanks on behalf of myself and I am sure 100s of people out there for giving us hope. I am doing the toe exercises and might start putting weight after seeing a physiotherapist. Just do not know how to find one.

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  @achilles_rupture2 ай бұрын

  @@Oritz7 hey mate, good to hear things are progressing. I'm pretty sceptical of leaving it until the 6th week unless there's some other issue (e.g. the bone is broken). I'm not a physician so I don't know the kinds of things that would warrant waiting 6 weeks. That said, I'm confident that early exercises (that start gentle and ramp up over time) are better than waiting for a long period of time before starting. Meanwhile taking the boot off to shower and bathe comes with risks. If you can shower sitting down and look after yourself that way then I think the risk there is reduced. Separately, sleeping without the boot this early could be bad if you were to fall out of bed or have a bad dream and kick the wrong thing etc. Ultimately it's up to you - I know it's quite relieving to take the boot off. I'm not sure what effect it might have on your insurance etc, but you always have the right to refuse medical treatment and you should be able to discharge yourself from your doctor's care. Obviously you'd have to look into what that entails and whether it's the right course for you. As for seeing my own physiotherapist, there was no issue with respect to whether my doctor had cleared me or not. I would suggest googling for a sports rehabilitation physiotherapist near you and asking what they would require, doctor's clearance or not. Phone calls to receptionists to enquire are usually free :) An experienced physiotherapist who gets injured athletes back on track has probably seen many ruptured tendons, and could be more knowledgeable about the rehab process than your doctor. Thank you for your kind words. I hope this reply helps!

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  @Oritz72 ай бұрын

  @@achilles_rupture Thanks for this info. I might have made a mistake. I got too confident and was walking on foot with no issues very lightly. But I am back on the boot to be cautious. So far still trying to a physiotherapist. I am in week 4 and doing some of the motion. I consulted a chiropractor to get a recommended contact. Do you have the same strength on both achilles as far as jumping or is the affected achilles slightly weaker.

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  @achilles_rupture2 ай бұрын

  @@Oritz7 yes I think walking without the boot (and more specifically - bending the foot out of plantar flexing beyond 90 degrees) at week 4 is a bad idea. I didn't start waking without the boot until around Week 8 or so, and that was work all the exercises and the physio's analysis. To answer your question: my right (affected) calf and Achilles aren't as strong as before. But they are strong enough to do the things I want to do with no issues. If I wanted to play basketball again then I would have been training all kinds of hops and jumps, and then my calf/Achilles would be stronger now. But overall, I don't think that many people get their full 100% strength back.

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  @TheFunnyCarpenter3 ай бұрын

  Scott how’s it going with the Achilles doing current day?

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  @achilles_rupture3 ай бұрын

  Hey mate, today I have no substantial issues. My main complaint is that my right calf isn't as big as my left one, but it's also my fault for not putting in the work to grow it back. I think the non-surgical option and the rehab I did were great for me; no regrets. Are you in the early stages?

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  @TheFunnyCarpenter3 ай бұрын

  @@achilles_rupture That's good to hear Scott! I'm at week 5 now- I just recently found all these videos about people sharing their experience with the injury and it has been a real blessing. It's a tough journey and I really appreciate you making your videos.

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  @achilles_rupture2 ай бұрын

  @@TheFunnyCarpenter thanks for the feedback mate, I appreciate your appreciation! Funnily enough, I think you did the hard slog already on your own through those first few weeks.

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  @deryckfrye65353 ай бұрын

  Really helpful. I see myself in your story:). This brought some support, levity, and critical decision making information. 3 weeks in - still awaiting an MRI. What a nightmare this waiting game.

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  @achilles_rupture3 ай бұрын

  Hey Deryck, sorry to hear about your rupture but thanks for the positive feedback. Yes, waiting around and not having enough information or ability to take some kind of actions is really tough. I hope that after the MRI you have some good information to work from and get to the process of healing and strengthening. Let me know how things go!

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  @terrencepickett75803 ай бұрын

  I appreciate it next week I will be in the boot and stories like this give me hope

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  @achilles_rupture3 ай бұрын

  Hey Terrence, thanks for letting me know. Sorry to hear about your rupture. However, the good news is that the long term outcomes for this injury tend to be pretty good. Keep up with the exercises and you'll get there... it just takes time and consistency! Keep me up to date with how you go.

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  @terrencepickett75803 ай бұрын

  I definitely will appreciate it.

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  @JohnSmith-dh6vd4 ай бұрын

  Do you play basketball or soccer or any type of sports? Do you feel like you can jump as high or back to where you were? They say only via surgery you can get higher chance to get fully mobility. I want to go no op, but I also want my bounce back

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  @achilles_rupture4 ай бұрын

  Hey John, I used to play basketball when I was younger and used to be able to jump and touch the ring. I can't touch it any more. That said, I haven't trained that kind of jumping for a very long time, so that doesn't surprise me, achilles rupture or not. Additionally, rupturing my achilles made me never want to play any kind of hard court sports again. As for how people recover after this injury, I don't think people tend to get their full strength/bounce back regardless of which option they go. I got to the point where things were "good enough" and the calf strengthening levelled off fairly quickly after that. The "best case" scenario might be Kobe - if you have the surgery and have the best rehab regime. But to top it all off, everyone is different - you might find with your specific case that you get back to where you were. Perhaps you might ask yourself "What percentage more jump height/bounce am I going to get by going surgical?"

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  @Joseph-im8be4 ай бұрын

  This is super inspiring Scott. I’m 1 week since rupture and I broke down a bit in the first 2 days because the loss of independence is overwhelming. The need for help is just a lot. I’m lucky to have a very supportive partner but it’s still tough to do the most basic stuff.

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  @achilles_rupture4 ай бұрын

  Hey Joseph, sorry to hear about your rupture but glad that my video was of help to you. Yes, I agree that the loss of independence (and perhaps for me, I'd say the loss of masculinity) hit pretty hard. In time I learned that I had no choice but to slow down and accept that this was just the way things were going to be for a while. Hang in there - if you do the right things, then you'll be feeling pretty different in a couple months! Keep me up to date :)

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  @niletheGunner4 ай бұрын

  Hey Scott, great videos and i hope you're doing very well now. I've got delicate case, where i partially re-ruptured my achilles 6 weeks post-surgery ( falling at home while hopping with the right leg ) 🤦🏻‍♂️. I have decided to go non-surgical path although my Doctor suggested to re-repair it. Im on my second week post re-rupture. Its been very tough as well the moment of 2nd injury at home but being strong to go through the whole process 😃

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  @achilles_rupture4 ай бұрын

  Hey Nile, sorry to hear about the re-rupture - that was one of my worst fears going through the rehab process and I don't envy anyone who has to go through it. Do you have a good physiotherapist? Once people have decided surgical or not, then I personally think the physiotherapy is what makes the biggest difference. Hang in there; I hope this reply is of some comfort to you!

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  @niletheGunner4 ай бұрын

  @@achilles_rupture Thanks a lot Scott 🙏🏻 Luckily my partial re-rupture got rebuilt naturally and the gap has gone miraculously, doctor himself was shocked that all is back to normal. He asked me to keep using the removable cast for one more week, while doing some exercises at home few times a day. It seems all going well this time and i just have to be more careful 😅 I will start again the physio next week Thanks for your reply

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  @achilles_rupture4 ай бұрын

  @@niletheGunner awesome mate; pretty interesting that the doctor himself was shocked! Good luck with the physio and yes, I imagine you would want to be a little more conservative with your hopping this time :)

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  @Lou-oy2xd4 ай бұрын

  What’s up brotha. We talked a while back when I first injured my Achilles. 6 months now!!! Things are soooo much better. Able to work in the operating room and such. Still can’t do a single calf raise. Haven’t really even started stretching…. My PT with the hospital is soooo lame. Question… at any point when u were doing ur double leg calf raises did u feel and strain on ur good Achilles??? Up until about a week ago I noticed a little discomfort. Not sure if it’s due to over compensating on the good leg

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  @achilles_rupture4 ай бұрын

  Hey Lou, yes I remember you mentioning working in the operating room. Glad to hear things have improved so much. Sorry for the late reply - I've been getting over a cold/virus of some sort. How is the other achilles now? I can recall feeling strain/discomfort on the unaffected achilles in my early days, I think because I was over-using the good leg. That made me worry a bit about rupturing the good one, so I ended up slowing down everything overall and taking my time. However, for your case at 6 months in, I'd be surprised if you were compensating that much with the good leg (but then again I'm not sure how much you've been loading up the good achilles with the calf raises). The main thing I've learned with tendons over time is to watch out for lasting soreness - if a tendon is fairly achey for 24 hours after putting it through some exercises or unusual load, then that's probably a sign to back off. I recently went on a snowboarding trip and my knees were exhibiting this kind of pain, so I ended up taking multiple rest days to not worsen them (I'd been addressing the knee pain with my physiotherapist prior to the trip, so I knew what was going on).

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  @Wie245 ай бұрын

  Thank you for sharing your experience.

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  @achilles_rupture5 ай бұрын

  Thanks Wie. Are you going through the process as well?

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  @chrisjones42575 ай бұрын

  Ruptured my achilles a little over a week ago and crazy the mental ups and downs, and everything you said in the video is so true how the simplest things become so hard. For me I've been stressing about not working, cant do overtime cant do any side work its really taking a toll on me, but im glad there's videos like this.

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  @achilles_rupture5 ай бұрын

  Hey Chris, thanks for the feedback! Sorry to hear about your rupture. Totally agreed the mental ups and downs are significant and I don't know how much those around me realised it affected me. That said, it *does* get better - I think it is akin to going through the various stages of grief and loss. You kind of have to go through it and that process helps you to adapt to your new reality. The best part, however, is that the long term prognosis is generally good. Get some good physio advice and exercises, and in several weeks' time you'll be in a much better place (mentally and physically). Keep me up to date with how things go for you!

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  @alwaysreturnNurgirlАй бұрын

  I'm fighting the same battle

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  @D1the1005 ай бұрын

  Just ruptured mine about 8-9 days ago. Doctor cleared me for weight bearing on day 5ish 6. Was a little skeptical at first but after being put into the VacoPed boot wow. Such a game changer and the rocker boot is very supportive and assures that I’m not putting to much weight on it. This is a great video and informative and gives HOPE! Thank you!

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  @achilles_rupture5 ай бұрын

  Hey D1, many thanks for letting me know this video was helpful. Sorry to hear about your rupture but interesting to hear about weight bearing that early on. Whilst I don't know much about the Vacoped, if you're satisfied it's helping then that sounds good to me! I hope that things go well in the coming days/weeks with your rehab. Keep me up to date with how things go!

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  @motherofcards84863 ай бұрын

  I am now going into my 4th week after a partial tear (non-surgical) and i was also advised to put weight on it, with a boot and wedge, after only 4 days. I received a second opinion and the dr. confirmed that it is actually good for the healing process. I also had that extreme pressure in the back of my calf whenever I stood up after sitting for too long and the pain was excruciating. It finally went away during my 3rd week. thanks for the video and sharing your feelings.

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  @achilles_rupture3 ай бұрын

  @@motherofcards8486 you're welcome - thanks for letting me know about weight bearing as early as four days in. I recall at least one other person who commented on one of my videos saying he had started weight bearing (with crutches) within the first week. I imagine you might want the body to finish the inflammatory response to the injury before applying force, but then again this is not my area of expertise :)

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  @stephenawdry37195 ай бұрын

  Hey Man , great video im on my 3nd day . I did mine snowboarding in japan. I'm stuck in a hotel room in furano for another 5 days before flying back to Sydney and seeing a Dr. I managed to get an upgrade to business class on the way home, luckily. I did my left leg so it will be a bit easier , i can still drive to appointments. Thanks for all the advice

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  @achilles_rupture5 ай бұрын

  Hey Stephen, sorry to hear about your rupture. I've broken a collarbone overseas whilst snowboarding, but rupturing an achilles overseas I reckon would create even more challenges - especially in the snow/ice. Good to hear you can drive though, that will make some things easier indeed! Can I ask how the rupture occurred? Did you have any previous indications that there was an issue, or perhaps it was just a large impact? I umm-ed and ahh-ed about snowboarding during my recovery (I had a trip booked in then ruptured, still went on the trip as a holiday but decided not to snowboarding during it). Been to Furano on two separate trips :) There are some nice spots away from Niseko that aren't as touristy and have decent runs and snow. If you see the surgeon and are given the option between surgical and non-surgical, do you currently have a preference?

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  @stephenawdry37195 ай бұрын

  I'm 56 , no previous tendon issues, actually did it in Kiroro the they day before we had to check out and head to furano . I'm riding with Burton step ons and ruler boots which are a softer boot and I hit some powder and the board just stopped and I kept going . I felt the snap and knew exactly what it was. The ski patrol took me down the mountain on the back of a snowmobile. Went to hospital and they supplied me with crutches with fold out spikes on the end so you don't slip on the ice. I'm hoping to go non surgical as I had arthroscope on my knee about 15 years ago and ended up with a post op bleed. I was out of action for a long time with that and I don't want to go through anything like that again .

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  @achilles_rupture5 ай бұрын

  @@stephenawdry3719 yes fair enough, I think that's something I wasn't really aware of before this injury - the risks associated with surgery itself and what might happen afterwards. I know some people are dead keen on surgery for this injury, but as time goes by, I get more and more convinced that the non-surgical method was the right choice for me and probably is for most people. That said, every case is different and everyone needs to make their own choice. Good to know about the gear you had too - my mate has step-ons, and now that I think about it, I can see how that means the achilles is really only protected by the boot (as opposed to a heel strap over the in-step). In any case, the prognosis is usually good for achilles ruptures, and I dare say there's a good chance you could be boarding again next Japan season :) PS I've been to Kiroro as well! Did you stay there? We made the trek up from Otaru for 3 days in a row, then decided to check out some other places.

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  @TheAeroRising6 ай бұрын

  Great video. Appreciate the amount of information. 3 nights ago I believe I tore my Achilles. The severity is to be determined as I am finding out my ultrasound results tomorrow morning. I was playing basketball, on a slippery floor nonetheless. I am 38 years old. I jumped up to take a shot and when I came down it felt like someone landed on my leg. I immediately took my self out and basically crawled to the bench. I’ve never been injured before so in my head it was a bad ankle sprain. I went BACK IN the game and played the entire half. Just hobbled around. I drove home. Iced and elevated when I got home. All weekend I did the same. But Monday morning it him me that it might be a torn achilles. I can move my foot around. I can move my toes. I just can’t stand on my tippy toes. Swollen and Bruised on foot. I guess my question is, if it was THAT bad could I have driven 3 times and played the rest of a basketball game? I am hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.

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  @achilles_rupture6 ай бұрын

  My uneducated opinion is that if you can point your toes and you have some strength in it, then that's a good sign. I couldn't point my toes at all. However, you might have still have a partial rupture, so there's not much you can do until you get those ultrasound results and some advice from someone more knowledgeable than me about what to do next! Best wishes, let me know how it goes.

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  @TheAeroRising6 ай бұрын

  Thanks for quick response. Your video is still going. At the end now. My friend let me borrow his boot. Not perfect fit but it’ll do for now. Praying it’s just partial. I get married in 2 weeks 🤦🏻‍♂️.

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  @achilles_rupture6 ай бұрын

  @@TheAeroRising haha ouch, yes this could definitely throw a spanner in the works. But... what's a wedding without a few last-minute changes? :) Fingers crossed for your ultrasound results and diagnosis!

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  @TheAeroRising6 ай бұрын

  @@achilles_rupture now that it has been 6 days since I tore my achilles. Ultrasound results came back. They said the girl didn't get the best images so it was hard to tell but they definitely see a tear and wanted to send me to the Orthopedist. I was sent to the PA of an orthopedist. After she looked at it and did the Thompson test on me, she said non operative route is fine. First 5 days I had no noticeable "dip" where the achilles is torn. You had to push down and feel the area to feel the "dip" wear it is torn. They put wedges in my boot. Less than 24 hours later and now I have a "dip" that is noticeable to the naked eye. Should I be worried about this? Is it normal for that "dip" to be there?! I am panicking that the wedges are making the tear worse.

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  @achilles_rupture6 ай бұрын

  @@TheAeroRising I think the first thing you should do is call the surgeon's office and see if you can have these questions answered over the phone or at least relayed back to you by the receptionist. My personal take (which isn't based on any training in human biology or rehabilitation) is that if you are keeping your weight off the foot and letting it rest, then there's probably nothing to worry about. But if you're trying to walk in the boot then that is something I would stop. I don't think the wedges should cause any issues. It's essentially just pointing your toes down (thereby forcing the broken parts of Achilles tendon back together). The "dip" you now have might be due to swelling on either side of the rupture (but I'm not familiar with how this kind of thing might occur, hence my recommendation to call your surgeon). I hope this helps in some way!

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  @lilgregbigafrica66016 ай бұрын

  Are you back to Martial Arts, snowboarding, running, all of your previous activities?

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  @achilles_rupture6 ай бұрын

  Hey Greg, sure am! I went back to martial arts after 1 year (perhaps I was a bit conservative, but I didn't want to risk getting carried away). I was running (jogging) as part of the rehab process - the first video I took of that seems to have been about 10 months after rupture. Prior to that video, I was doing rehab exercises where I would jog for something like 10 seconds, walk for 20, repeat etc; that obviously built up to constant jogging. Snowboarding followed martial arts, mostly because of the snow season and leave from work. How far into your rehab are you (I'm assuming you're asking because you've also ruptured)?

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  @gjcoop56257 ай бұрын

  Such an informative video, Scott. I have a couple of 5 mm tears but it was misdiagnosed and took 18 days to get into a cast. No surgery required. Meanwhile, I was doing 5000 steps on the flat each day! Very reassuring advice from you. I had an idea as soon as it happened that my summer would be quite different from what I had planned, but fortunately, I have a Zen approach to life and have stayed cheery enough. Just started week 7 but have been bereft of physio advice due to the early diagnosis of a pulled calf muscle and then the Christmas period and me visiting family for a few weeks. Took my moonboot off for the first time yesterday, which was scary, but I will start sleeping with it off next week. Just want to start on some exercises before I lose that security blanket. Thanks for your video; I'm one of 10,000 for whom it has been incredibly useful.

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  @achilles_rupture7 ай бұрын

  Hey GJ, thanks for letting me know this video has been helpful - it means a lot, truly. Sorry to hear about your rupture, but glad you have a cheery attitude towards it and you are now getting the actual healthcare you need. Getting the boot off is great and scary at the same time, isn't it? At least, that's how I felt, and even when I was sleeping without the boot, I would put it on in the middle of the night if I needed to, say, go to the bathroom. Wishing you the best in the recovery ahead and let me know how things go!

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  @lefthook7017 ай бұрын

  Hi mate just curious what martial arts you do? Im wondering how your injured leg feels like throwing a leg kick or something on a heavy bag. I indulged too much with food during this recovery process gotta lose some weight

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  @achilles_rupture7 ай бұрын

  Hey Von Martin, I do a modified version of American Kenpo - modified in that a number of the old techniques and katas have been removed, and replaced with a bunch of MMA-inspired ideas, styles (including ground fighting) and sparring. Kicking a heavy bag is a not a problem for the achilles; that typically engages my quads. The achilles and calf get tired quickly when doing repeated movements like leaping or a jumping. That said, I could work on that sort of endurance, but because I don't need to leap/jump all the time, then I end up prioritising other things. How about yourself? I notice your username is left hook :) How many weeks/months are you post-rupture?

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  @lefthook7017 ай бұрын

  I do boxing and muay thai just for the exercise. Im still anxious about getting a rerupture so gonna be picky with hobbies. Im 9.5 weeks non op and starting early gait training​. Cant wait to be more active but im just happy to be walking now. Your videos have been a great source of informatio thanks heapsn@@achilles_rupture

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  @cq67317 ай бұрын

  Thanks for sharing your story mate. It helped me a lot. I am also a mining FIFO and ruptured my Achilles in Congo last week. Decided to fly back home for treatment and yet to see the surgeon first time tomorrow. A bit nervous though. Never felt so disabled and hopeless. On the positive side, good opportunity to stay longer at home with my lovely daughter and families, not worrying about returning back to site any time soon. Will have to decide between operative or non operative option tomorrow and your experience helps a lot! Thanks!

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  @achilles_rupture7 ай бұрын

  Hey CQ, sorry to hear about your rupture, but completely agree it's a nice opportunity to spend time with the family - weeks that you would have otherwise spent working for shareholders you'll probably never meet :) Also agreed that feeling disabled and hopeless comes with the territory of this injury... I don't think most others understand how awful it feels to no longer be able to do so many things. How did the appointment witht he surgeon go? Sometimes you might not have the option to go without surgery (e.g. if the rupture isn't in the middle of the tendon, or is at the point where the tendon joins to the bone). Keep in touch!

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  @cq67317 ай бұрын

  @@achilles_rupture Thanks Scott for your reply. Saw the private surgeon 2 days ago and he explained to me that my rupture is a very standard case, at a mid-point and gap size of 2.2cm. He recommend surgery, as expected, and said there is a lot of crap online these days assuming I have done some research already. I explained my preference is non-operative because I have been in the plantar flex position with a plaster backside since day 2 of the rupture and I am not in any pain what so ever, the healing process would have started already and by the time he has a spot for surgey, it is almost 2 weeks' healing so why bother reopening it up and go through another healing process, not to mention all the surgery and wound complications? He then said if I wish to go down that path and accept less strength recovery and a higher rupture rate then yes he supports a non-operative approach. I have made the decision now to continue non-operative management and will ask my GP to refer me to a public hospital to get a second opinion potentially managed by the public system. I think private surgeon, by default, inevitably has some level of bias. I hope I made the right decision.

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  @achilles_rupture7 ай бұрын

  @@cq6731 Hey CQ, I think I know that feeling - it’s hard to know what the right decision is. Ultimately, all you can do is take in as much information as you can from what is available to you. I would say that medical professionals are in a better position to be able to advise, but it’s hard to get a good idea when you don’t have the time/money to talk to 100 different surgeons. So in some ways it is a beat of a leap of faith. I would say that in this case, that either going surgical or non-surgical is probably going to lead to good long term outcomes anyway. Personally, I’m glad I avoid surgery and the potential complications that might go with it. Regarding your surgeon’s statement about strength and re-rupture, I can’t comment on strength. On re-rupture, I know that the study by Willits et al (2010) compared a group of 150 patients; half of them went surgical and half went non-surgical. This study found that one extra person in the non-surgical group re-ruptured. So one of the issues we can point out is that this study is actually on a relatively small group of people - it would be better to have studied 1000 people and seen the results. But I imagine that even trying to recruit 150 people was difficult and took a lot of time. So one extra person who re-ruptured in the non-surgical group isn’t really sufficient to warrant much stress. If you’re not a high-performance athlete or compete at some kind of high level by using your calf and achilles, then perhaps the strength issue isn’t an issue either. (On this note, I should really ask my physiotherapist about the latest data/studies on the achilles rehab going the non-surgical way.) I think it’s also worth taking into account what my surgeon said about his surgeon colleagues: if they had my rupture, some of them would get the surgery and others wouldn’t. So even amongst surgeons, the opinions are divided. I think you are right in that some surgeons are biased and want to do the work they have spent years trying to perfect. For the future, I think your best source of rehab progression will come from a (good) physiotherapist. Specifically, I think that sports physiotherapists have a focus on getting athletes back on track. I still see mine (for other injuries I seem to accumulate, haha), and he was saying the other day that one of his recent achilles rupture patients was herself a physiotherapist, who also re-ruptured. She rehabilitated herself through the rupture to start with, but didn’t know tendons well enough and ended up re-rupturing. My physio was saying that the physiotherapy field can be a mixed bag (just like doctors, dentists and surgeons). So I think just do your best to find a good one - public health system physios might be free, but they might also not be well experienced or highly qualified. Anyway, I hope that provides some comfort. Hang in there and keep me up to date with how you progress :)

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  @cq67316 ай бұрын

  @@achilles_rupture Hi Scott Happy New Year! I am at 3 weeks mark now and has been in the boot just over two weeks. Started partial weight bearing but there is still a noticeable dip where the rupture occurred. Do you remember at which week you could feel the gap is gone and feel the tendon? Hard to tell if the tendon is healing or not so abit frustrated. Surgeon and Physio appointment next week due to the new year period so have to wait and see what’s going on. Hope they don’t say that I need to go back to surgery. Cheers

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  @achilles_rupture6 ай бұрын

  @@cq6731 hey CQ, happy new year to you too. Good to hear you are making progress. Yes, I definitely had a dip/divot in the Achilles for a while. I was told this was pretty normal and recall that it was many weeks/months before it felt flat. My gut feeling is that this is normal and shouldn't be a problem, but obviously it's best to check at your doc/physio appointments next week. Unless you've re-ruptured or something else has gone terribly wrong, I think your chances of needing surgery are very low - I can't recall anyone who has said they needed to go back for surgery except when they had re-ruptured.

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  @jifigz7 ай бұрын

  Today marks the end of week 9 since my rupture and the start of week 10. I just stood for the first time yesterday in my barefeet since the injury. I am definitely behind where you were, but I am making noticeable progress. I don't think i could put all of my weight on my left leg yet or take steps.

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  @achilles_rupture7 ай бұрын

  It's all good man, thankfully this is not a race against anyone but our own egos :) Take your time to do the exercises right and you'll get there in the end. Thanks for sharing.

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  @2A_LEGOS7 ай бұрын

  Currently on week 9 and my Physical Therapist suggested I take 1 wedge out every week and a half. Does anyone else have a ball/lump close to the area where the rupture was? Someone mentioned before it might just be scar tissue but it's pretty solid and tender and it's just raising some concerns for me.

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  @achilles_rupture7 ай бұрын

  Hey J, assuming you had two 1cm wedges to start with and are now taking them out (or similar), then that sounds about right to me. I didn't have a ball or lump at any point, but I definitely had a "divot" in the rupture zone, but that filled in over weeks/months of exercises. I personally would imagine that it is scar tissue, but I'm neither an expert nor qualified to know for sure, so the best bet would be to ask your doctor or PT. Sometimes I've found that calling the clinic and asking to leave a message with the medical practitioner can result in them having the receptionist call you back with the answer. If your doctor/PT can do ultrasounds in-clinic then that could help with diagnosis.

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  @2A_LEGOS7 ай бұрын

  Hey Scott, first off thank you for such a quick and detailed response! I really do appreciate it. I actually had 4 wedges and I have taken 2 out now. My heel is taking the brunt of the boot and has been extremely tender but I am still in the boot at 9 weeks. I have been walking around at home without the boot but it feels really odd, I can't walk as well as you are with bending your knees and such. I still walk with a limp(I'm sure I'm just scared). I also have a divot on the ruptured area but above it per say, is where there seems to be a firm ball and I have been massaging it. I know not everyone will heal the same but I am just scared I may not be healing accordingly hence why I ask people that have gone through the same thing. I have PT again tomorrow 12/19 so I will def ask my therapist.@@achilles_rupture

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  @achilles_rupture7 ай бұрын

  @@2A_LEGOS you're welcome :) Ok I hadn't heard of anyone with 4 wedges, but perhaps they're about 5mm each? In any case, my heel was extremely tender for certain things. Most memorable was standing in the shower on a non-slip mat which had ridges on it, and holy cow they were painful. It was crazy, because it's not as if my heel hadn't been in contact with things, but goes to show how nerves and surrounding tissue heal in different ways. How did the appointment with the PT go? I'm not sure if massaging scar tissue does much (although I did have someone comment on one of my videos asking about some proprietary massage tool), but my own physio never recommended massaging the tendon itself. Rather, he recommended massing upwards besides the achilles to encourage any fluid to move up and away from the ankle. Hopefully you now have some new exercises to address the limp and bend of your knee :)

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  @2A_LEGOS7 ай бұрын

  yeah I had 4 total but they had to custom make it per say to have my ankle angled that 45 degree. Okay I'm glad to hear that these are normal side effects because I do agree, it is very painful. The appt was great, they did the Thompsons test on my calf/achilles and my foot was moving a lot more than before so its showing great signs of healing. About the ball/lump my therapist mentioned its the ruptured muscle rolling up but as far as progress, I am able to bend my foot past neutral and can walk with no boot. Therapist suggested I start trying to use my normal shoe around the house only with a wedge but to my comfort so I don't overdo it. I really appreciate your responses and feedbakcs! Thank you very much!@@achilles_rupture

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  @philam19737 ай бұрын

  I’m walking about what you are doing. I’m walking in the boot but I can’t wear the boot for long. The height difference hurts my hips and major itching on my foot/ankle. I walk a BIT indoors without the boot carefully across the room on occasion and it gives my feet more exercise. I’m going into my 10th week post surgery and the PT seems too ultra conservative.

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  @achilles_rupture7 ай бұрын

  Hey Phil, that's a tough one. I have heard of a "riser" kind of product that you can attach to one shoe to help balance out the difference in height between the hips. The conservative PT, however, may need to be compared/contrasted with a second opinion. The physio I had (and still see) is a sports rehab physio, so he has a general view towards getting atheletes back on track sooner rather than later. That may be worth consideration, if it's an option for you.

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  @addisonfinley77467 ай бұрын

  I am 14 weeks post-rupture (conservative) and always appreciate hearing people open up about the psychological or emotional side of this injury. The first six weeks were some of the hardest of my whole life, but like you, I got through it! Love your advice for others!

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  @achilles_rupture7 ай бұрын

  Thanks Addison. Whilst I know other people have it far worse with some of the things that happens it life, it didn't take away from the fact that the injury wounded me more than physically, and far more emotionally than I had expected. I think it's certainly a journey of loss and mourning (loss of ability, changes to life and plans, fear of unknown with what the future will bring etc). Glad to hear you got through it and I assume at 14 weeks you are now walking without the boot? Keep up the exercises! :)

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  @addisonfinley77466 ай бұрын

  @@achilles_rupture out of the boot for about five weeks now and walked a total of 48.9 km last week! The days of the boot feel like a distant memory now! ☺️

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  @achilles_rupture6 ай бұрын

  @@addisonfinley7746 awesome mate, that's a lot of walking! It's funny how quickly life starts moving once you're out of the boot and doing (most) of the things you need to be able to do, hey? A stark contrast to the first weeks where everything drags on (which takes that emotional toll). Glad to hear you're doing well and looking forward to the next report :)

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  @alwaysreturnNurgirlАй бұрын

  Yeah this is a very depressing and saddening injury...it really blows, as I've found myself tearing up and I never cry. It's such a tough time to endure.

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  @Othdaking7 ай бұрын

  Thanks for this Scott. I'm 2 weeks post ruptures down here in the UK. Went down the non-surgical route and currently in a Vacoped boot. You're vulnerability is both inspiring and encouraging. My key takeaway here is "take your time, you will get there" - thank you the reminder. God bless you Scott.

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  @Othdaking7 ай бұрын

  Thanks for this Scott. I'm 2 weeks post ruptures down here in the UK. Went down the non-surgical route and currently in a Vacoped boot. You're vulnerability is both inspiring and encouraging. My key takeaway here is "take your time, you will get there" - thank you the reminder. God bless you Scott.

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  @achilles_rupture7 ай бұрын

  Thanks Othdaking. I did hestitate in showing some of that footage, but it's certainly true that the emotional toll this injury took on me was far greater than I expected or wanted to have to deal with. Keep up those exercises and you will indeed get there and hopefully it never happens again to either of us :)

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  @utraquist7 ай бұрын

  Thanks for the video, do you think your precautions to not reenjure slowed down your healing progress?

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  @achilles_rupture7 ай бұрын

  Yes, but there are some considerations to take into account. In the initial days/weeks, any lack of progress felt like a big deal. Years later, the weeks fly by and I look back and think it wasn't such a big deal if I was delayed by a week or two. But that's hard to say when all you want to do is get back to something that you need to get back to. As for the long term, I was probably a bit too conservative with some of the exercises or going back to martial arts; I probably could have done many things sooner. That said, a guy I know in person ruptured his Achilles about 3 months ago, and he was out of the book at Week 9, only to re-rupture the other day. So if I had to choose delay or re-rupture, it's delay any day of the week.

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  @utraquist7 ай бұрын

  ​@@achilles_rupture I completely understand like the saying goes "Better safe then sorry" the reason I mention it is because I myself am into now a 4 week natural recovery of complete Achilles rupture, and I have been doing exercises while sitting down . I have been following your videos and comparatively speaking I feel like I'm on a quicker path ,but then again everyone is different when it comes to recovery. Regardless, my concern and question is about rerupture, when would a rerupture occur? Would it be an unexpected sudden movement , would it be during controlled physio or just regular walkin? Or would it be through overuse at an early stage , like walking up and down stairs at week7 ?

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  @achilles_rupture7 ай бұрын

  @@utraquist nice work and good on you for perservering. It's funny because the other day I received a comment on one of my videos saying to me "Man, you are way ahead of other people at Week 7", so I think the recovery can be quite different for people depending on the severity of their injury, how good their advice and physical therapy are, maybe some genetics and diet thrown in there, and of course discipline when it comes to doing exercises :) Regarding re-ruptures and when they occur, I would preface this by saying I am by no means an expert and am only taking a guess here, but here goes... My understanding is that any tendon will break if enough force is applied, regardless of warm-up or stretching. Less force is required if the tendon isn't already tensed and expecting force to occur. So one of the riskiest times is during the first six or so weeks whilst the tendon is still healing (i.e. laying down collagen fibres, which are yet to be strengthened). After six weeks or so, then the tendon can take a bit more (assuming a person has been strengthening it prior) and thus the Willits protocol (and maybe others) might start allowing dorsiflexion at this point (but a medical practitioner might do an analysis and deem you to not be ready). As the strengthening progresses throughout rehab, so will the amount of force the tendon can take. However, what seems to make sense to me about what happened to the local guy I know is that perhaps he was pushing too hard (exercises, walking) and the tendon was actually regressing. He did mention he was experiencing pain, but it didn't sound out of the ordinary to me (but that's why I hesitate to diagnose or make concrete suggestions... because I'm not qualified to do so, and my physiotherapist would always want to prod the achilles and ask me questions, get me to do exercises etc before he could make a recommendation for what I should or shouldn't be doing next). So ultimately, there is an amount of force that the tendon can take (for both "ready" and "not ready" states) and given proper rehab, this force should increase over time, but might get set back by pushing too much too soon. However, like I said... don't quote me on this, it's just my understanding as a layperson :) Best to check with your doctor or physio!

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  @BF-mm8oz7 ай бұрын

  Just found this I felt exactly the same. I’m 2 weeks and waiting to get a boot fitted tomorrow. It’s so hard not being able to do anything for yourself. As an active person i’m struggling mentally more than dealing with pain. Hope you made a full recovery.

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  @achilles_rupture7 ай бұрын

  Hang in there BF! It's a long process, but the good news is that a full (or full enough) recovery is possible. It took me about a year to get back to martial arts and then maybe another 6 months before sparring felt like before. How did you boot fitting go?

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  @BF-mm8oz7 ай бұрын

  Thanks for the encouragement. Boot isn't as comfortable as I thought it would be but being able to put the left leg down and kind of 'walk' is something. I need practice but think it is easier than the cast. It's good to be reassured a full enough recovery is possible. I cannot wait for it to be over!@@achilles_rupture

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  @achilles_rupture7 ай бұрын

  @@BF-mm8oz yes I thought the boot was definitely better than the cast. At least it is possible to remove it and shower! :)

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  @user-sz9fb6mt5q8 ай бұрын

  Hi Scott and guys out there Thanks again for such awewsome videos My doc had asked me if I had taken antibiotics prior to my Aquilles T Rupture. I know it seems very odd but I thought that it might be useful to some of you know that certain antibiotics may have a negative effect on that even If taken as long as one year and a half before the rupture. He even ordered me a blood test... Chers and good luck!

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  @lefthook7018 ай бұрын

  Bro you are so far ahead of a lot of people at week 9

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  @achilles_rupture8 ай бұрын

  Thanks Von Martin, although it didn't feel like that at the time... I thought I was right on par with what the Willits protocol recommended. Are you going through rehab at the moment? If so, how far along are you?