Achilles Tendon Recovery #1-non-surgical, early weight bearing option
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ก.ค. 2015
- -Early weight bearing protocol: drive.google.com/open?id=1ZbA...
-The intent for this video is to provide (hopefully helpful) information for people who have experienced an Achilles tendon rupture.
Information regarding the consideration of a non-surgical recovery option can be found at:
lermagazine.com/cover_story/ba...
achillesblog.com/normofthenort...
My own ATR recovery blog is at: achillesblog.com/ejbvmi/
& I have compiled a playlist of ATR recovery videos that I hope are helpful at:
• ejbvmi's Achilles reha...
Great video. I ruptured my Achilles about 7 months ago. I am not at 100% yet but have faith I will get there. It is a painful process. To anyone going through it best of wishes and prayers.
How are you doing now?
I am 100% now thanks for asking. Just know it will get better with time.
thanks for replying @@MrRight_1
I did mine 4 months ago when i accidentally stepped on a glass framed picture. I was hoping I'd be back to normal in the next two or three months but then I read this comment
@@MrRight_1
Was it non surgical?
Anyone who’s dealing with this knows how painful this is, I’m here for you. I am sorry you’re dealing with this and I pray for your earliest healthiest recovery . I know the pain seems unimaginable. You’ll feel better each day including a new day tomorrow . Keep going! You got this.
much respect to you again.. a blessing x1000...surely speaking for all those who normally never respond to these posts..my first reply ever.
THANK YOU SO MUCH Sir Evan... God Bless You More and continue being a blessing to others.
This was great, thanks. I'm at 1.5 weeks, non surgical but with a plaster cast. So good to hear someone else talk about not being able to carry things!
Elevate Your NOW How long did it take for you to walk completely normal?
Thanks for this video. 3 weeks since the injury here. Went with the surgery route. This is a morale booster.
As a retired RN, you covered some great stuff here. Good job.
Hey Evan, I just happened to experience an ATR 4 days ago and am currently on the cast. I chance upon your video while researching for more info on ATR recovery. I must say your video is very informative and it really helps prepare me for my recovery journey. Thank you so much for creating the video and providing the links. Cheers!
I’m one week into non surgical recovery and found your video very encouraging. I’m stuck in a plaster for two weeks, non weight bearing before going down the boot route. Can’t wait to have a bit more freedom!
This is amazing, I’m currently going through a ruptured Achilles and am in the first stage of the healing process, Thank u so much for this 🙏🏾
Glad I came across your video. I also took the non surg route. Got very little direction from my surgeon with care. Your tips are very helpful and it gives me some hope for a quicker recovery.
Great video, thanks for posting it. I ruptured my left achilles last year while playing soccer and had surgery, and then this year, while playing soccer again, ruptured the other one and the doctor suggested the non-surgical approach. Found the same information you mentioned all over the internet but now I was looking for a video of the actual healing process.
Never experienced a pain like this. It happened to me while i was playing basketball ( left foot ). Had to drive myself to the hospital in a stick shift car using my foot with the ruptured achilles to press the clutch in to switch gears OUCH ! I had surgery a couple days after and was back on my feet 8 months after.
I respect both options in my situation I didn't want to be off work along time and I wanted a quicker recovery.
To those that have ruptured there achilles hang in there it's depressing and a long journey but you'll get through it.
Thanks Evan, two and a half weeks into my injury and just found your videos. Brilliant! Thanks for sharing your experience.
Thanks, Claud! I hope that you have a smooth recovery.
Great video. Mine popped 6k into a 10k race last week. My sports therapist recommended all the things you have spoken about. Seems like the way forward to me. Best of luck with the rest of your recovery.
Thanks for the video. I'm currently nursing an Achilles tendon tear and this is very helpful. I can't wait to be able to carry things and move around
Thank you so much for a very relatable blog, I am in UK and day 9 post ATR following a taekwondo injury, I had a cast for a week set with toes pointing down and now have a walking boot with 5 heel wedges with crutches and am currently non weight bearing. I have opted for the non surgical route. Like you were, I have been wondering how my tendons will reconnect to heal as a recent ultrasound showed I have a 13mm gap but I guess in time they will. Moving towards partial weight bearing in a weeks time, every little thing is a milestone. Thanks for the video, tips and information, found it really helpful.
Thnx for sharing Evan! i ruptured my achilles tendon a week ago and I also chose the non surgical route and I was a little bit worried so thnx for the upload!
I am two weeks in, it’s my second rodeo after a first rupture in 2015! I am so glad i came across your videos, it’s nice to have this information!!
i am so pleased to have found your video, you are so informative. i was in agony for 4 weeks and in and out of casualties for pain killing injections as they assumed it was my usual sciaatic problem no matter what i insisted. eventually a doctor decided to do an ultrasound for dvt and found i had been walking around with a ruptured achilles and in immense pain the whole time. even with my boot and crutches i am still in alot of pain but they tell me its due to have been walking on it. i have got more information from you than any doctor i have seen. thank you so much for making this video and i wish you and your family all the best x
Salutations Evan! just found this first video and I wish I would have found it 6 weeks ago. I walked into a complicated, ankle and foot reconstruction which included an Achilles tendon release procedure. I did not properly prepare for this, and now I am double-timing my rehab info. The details of daily life in a cast/boot were real! The 2nd day I was home, high on pain pills, and afraid to mess up the surgical work, threw off my crutches and fell back and hurt my upper back and neck and hit my head and received a concussion and a nice scar. No pain pills after that. So anyway, I am 6 weeks out and mentally, I have to adjust my thoughts about the timeframe on when I am going to be able to do the things I want to do. Thank you for putting all your personal experience out here for us that need it so badly. I mistakenly thought I was a badass, and that this would be no biggie, but let me say this is incredibly hard, and I have to be patient to rehab properly, but seriously, this is a rough gig emotionally and has let me see how it is for disabled, and elderly folks and has me thinking a lot differently about mobility in the future.
I really appreciate this info. I just “popped “ it in the beginning of three day weekend. So my specialist appointment ended up a week away. This helps until I get the info from the doctor. Thank you.
This is from 2015 and its the only videos that are helpful thank you so much I sub to you we need more people like you who just give proper information
thanks Evan! I preferred the chirurgical way as I've did it in the past for my right foot! Now it was my left one!! thanks again for the tips!
Respect to u man. Thanks for sharing and hope u doing well years later!
Thank you Evan for this video, it explains a lot of the daily challenges on the road to recovery and tips. I am waiting to consult with the fracture clinic to see if I will have surgery/non-surgery and the pros/cons of each to get back to health. I'm 34 and quite active. Happened during a pickup soccer game, same thing as your experience, the classical pop when pushing off. In a temporary cast now, was in the ER day before yesterday after it happened.
Thank you so much boss this is my second achilles rupture and it's to my right leg this time. And watching your process and journey on letting it heal on it's own is very encouraging for me and it has been working for me so I thank you.
Thank you for sharing this great information I rapture my Achilles’ tendon playing soccer two days ago and I decided to go non surgical and your information will help me a lot thank you again.
Hi Evan, this video makes me very happy...just seeing other people talk about the hardships of not being able to carry a cup of coffee to the couch! I'm just about 3 weeks in with a similar weight bearing schedule from the Docs.
All the best and thanks for sharing your experience. Tom
Thanks for the video Evan. I have unfortunately suffered the same fate as you have and chose to go non-surgical as well. You're video offered some great advice.
Thanks Evan, this is excellent. I'm currently 4 weeks post-injury on the same path as you. I was also finding it difficult to get some solid answers on a lot of this stuff. Thanks for taking the time to share this.
Thanks, Chris. I hope that your recovery is going well. One lesson I learned later on: memory foam is man's best invention. ;-) I developed a very sore heel, and wearing memory foam insoles for a few months helped me fix that problem. Better to prevent than recover, so I recommend folks use memory foam insoles or shoes (Skechers has many models) as soon as they transition to two shoes. Good luck!
Thank you so much, just 3 days after I ruptured my Achilles and since 1 day been watching videos that help me see what's the best path, am not a good friend of ER just because like you said they don't know everything and had some bad experiences only if I feel like I can't really take care of it, I will defenely go, but I thanks all the folks like you that share you're experience and what to do, May the power of universe and the power of our soul and body help us heal soon.
I am Mike. Thank you for sharing your experience. Your video is very in details. I especially appreciate your suggestion to others to be patient, not to be too aggressive. I re-ruptured my right achellies tendonitis on the 11th week from its first rupture, thinking i had been an atlete in the past. Then the re-rupture proved I am just a motal human being.
This video was great! I've read quite a bit but the information is extremely difficult to find. Thanks for putting this together, I'll watch the rest of your videos soon!
Hi Evan,
Thanks for posting this. I have a torn Achilles Tendon. I am having an MRI done and then off to see the Ortho doc. I've been trying to study and learn as much as possible so I am informed when I go to see him. This vid was very helpful.
Great video. I snapped my Achilles playing tennis too… I’m up to 5 weeks in recovery and have learned the same techniques to manage this as you. I’m not confident to get on my indoor bike yet.. I hope your full recovery was sooner than a year..
I'm in my 1st week since rupturing my Achilles, this is a great video 🙏
Just did mine 45 minutes ago on my way to the hospital now --- I knew nothing about it , thanks for your info !
Hi Evan, I'm in Ireland, I was dancing to the Raging Women Taiko drummers and got a little carried away during the week. Your utubeing series just great, I'm strapped up and just beginning the rehab.
All the best.
Joyce Bermingham
Really, really appreciating these videos right now, Evan. I am in week 5 -- (non surgical), just out of cast and into boot. Your clear, thorough descriptions of your process give me hope and good guidance. I have a surgeon that is very into casts for the 1st 3 months -- total immobilization -- and I needed to get better guidance / advice. I deeply appreciate that you took the time to make these videos.
+Vanessa Kuran Thanks a bunch, Vanessa. I really appreciate the feedback, and I hope that your recovery goes smoothly. It is a long road, but you have a lot of satisfying milestones ahead. Some reading material, in case it might be useful:
1- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4436906/
2- achillesblog.com/normofthenorth/2010/03/08/a-more-complete-review-of-the-options-surgical-vs-non-operative/
3- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3509775/
4- achillesblog.com/ejbvmi/
Good luck!!!
Hi Vanessa, I'm contacting a lot of people who posted some years ago to see how they got on, of that's OK. I was wondering how long it took to heal and are you back to full fitness, any issues with atrophy and strength? Many thanks, J.
what a relief it was too find your videos on achilles rupture recovery, non operative. i thought it was uncommon as well until i dug deeper. I'm in the same boat, week 4 currently. I'll be using your videos to help me condition at home. congrats on your recovery.
Thanks, and I hope that your recovery goes smoothly as well! Don't forget to the memory foam. I do wish I had discovered that sooner than I did. It took months for my heel to forgive my error.
this was very helpful. one of my worst fears is going under the knife and this information just gave me hope, thank you.
Amazingly information. Im grateful for you taking the time to share. I have Faith that i will go non surgical and will recover well
I just got out of the hospital, watching every video I can. Thanks for the tips!
I did the same. Between your doc, your physical therapist, and your research, I hope that you pull together an approach that leads to full recovery!
Thank you Evan for making the video. I am a beach runner because of arthritis in the knees. Two weeks ago, my right heel was bothering me quite a bit from the beginning of a 4-mile run. I toughed it out which was foolish. Right now I am experiencing pain where the Achilles tendon connects to the heel and an inflamed bursa. It took four days for the pain to subside after that aggravation. Walking was extremely painful and now is still painful but bearable. This morning I went to the beach and did three minutes of walking and tried some light running and ended up doing a 3-mile run. I am definitely babying the foot on each step. I needed to know if this was going to aggravate or perhaps strengthen the injury. Your video was encouraging.
Can’t say how much I appreciate this vid ... thanks mate
I want to start by thanking you Evan.You have given me hope.I ruptured my achilles playing volleyball.I was in denial thinking i could self heal with out seeing a med. Professional.I went to a same day clinic. They gave me a boot but no wedges.I haven,t seen the orthopedic spcialist yet.This is my first week.You have been going through the same experiences as me.Good luck in your road to recovery. God bless.
I am more than grateful for getting this video.
I had a fall from a height four days ago and went straight into ER.An x ray exam revealed a partial tendon rapture on the left leg.I was put on a simple bandage and some painkillers with an advice to be patient.Tomorrow ,after a second opinion,i will be going into the boot direct to aid in healing.This video has assured me of a non surgical recovery soon.
Thanks.
Hi Evan, I just ruptured my Achilles tendon 2 days ago. Your video was very helpful to me, most if all it gave me hope. Thank you!
I'm glad that it helped. It's a long, patience-trying road, but you'll get there!
Thank you for sharing this. I had a Partial achiles tendon rupture a months ago. I am also taking the nonsurgical route.
Thanks for the video Evan. I completely agree with your comments about the emergency room. I ruptured mine a week ago and A&E diagnosed as torn calf and told me to walk on it! It wasn’t until 48 hours later that I was put into a boot and given clexane injections, and only then after a private physio took one look and sent me straight back to hospital. 72 hours later, I’m still battling the UK NHS referral system to get a private specialist appointment. I will probably go surgical route if offered as a) same recovery time and b) less chance of re-rupture. My I-walk 2.0 is arriving today. I will let you all know how I get on with it. Regards, Ian.
Hi Evan I ruptured mine last Friday and was feeling thoroughly miserable until I watched your journey. Thank you for such a calm and thoughtful account. I love the way I was trying to get my calf comfortable on the cushion when you mentioned the exact same thing! Wishing you all the best
Rick Marsden Thanks, Rick! I am glad that at least some of the info is useful. Best of luck with your journey back to normal.
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Do you sleep with the brace on
Great video. It just happened to me yesterday. Going to see the specialist tomorrow morning. I'm not going for surgery since they gave me the 2 options. Thank you for the info and this helps a lot.
Thank you for vid. Much appreciated. Mine happened yesterday. Since the start I want to be in an excellence mindset. Not super hero/dumb=leading to re-injury, just to see this as an opportunity to take the optimal steps to greater strength in ankles/legs for the rest of life.Your vid is a great find in this road. My inclination is towards non-surgery. Also, to be able to bypass the research time needed to know that early movement within reason is a preferred course is invaluable. My best to you and yours.
+gmh7773331 Sorry to hear about your injury. The non-op/early weight bearing experiment seems to have been a success. I am at 10 months now, and things are essentially back to normal aside from a slight strength and diameter disparity between the calf of my injured leg and the other one. I am not playing tennis or inducing any sudden shock to that AT, but I am running normally again and don't think about it much any more... which is remarkable considering where I was last summer. To help in your research, feeding into the conversation with your ortho:
1- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4436906/
2- achillesblog.com/normofthenorth/2010/03/08/a-more-complete-review-of-the-options-surgical-vs-non-operative/
3- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3509775/
4- achillesblog.com/ejbvmi/
Good luck! -Evan
Great information I just tore my tendon 1 week ago. They casted my leg have to keep on for 3 more weeks.My orthopedic surgeon told me absolutely no weight bearing.So sounds like a long road ahead but,their is light at the end of the tunnel.Great progress of your experience hope my goes as smooth as yours.You helped answer alot of questions I was wondering about.Thank you
This was extremely helpful and encouraging. Thank you!
I had an Achilles Tendon rupture whilst on holiday with friends. Fell from a beach bike. Opted to go for non-surgical route(though ortho recommended surgical route)Currently on a vacoped boot with crutches for support. Bathing was stressful so I got a plastic stool for the bath and now, it's so much easier. Thanks for your thorough explanation.
Evan - Thanks for creating this video series and with it a community of commenters that are going thru the same process. It has been very helpful to get info from your videos and from the comments. The one thing I can add is that getting a leg scooter (Knee Rover) made this injury much more tolerable than crutches. It allowed me to go on a Las Vegas trip 4 days after my injury and also allows me to get around my condo and the city so I don't feel completely immobile. I am 2 weeks into my injury and look forward to watching your videos and I continue my recovery. Thanks again.
Thanks, Dave. I saw the leg scooter and considered it, but I live in Germany and shipping times can be long... and I'm cheap. :-) It seems that everyone who invested in one of those raves about it. I flew my family to the US just under two weeks after the injury and a scooter would have been hugely beneficial. Best of luck with your continued recovery!
Hi. I would like to know, if anyone knows the lymphatic drainage as a recoveey therapy in this specific injuries. Thank you.
Thank you!! This helped me out a whole lot!! I am very encouraged...
Thank you so much for posting this. I ruptured mine doing cheerleading two months ago and just got cleared to walk without my boot yesterday (YAY).
Partially tore mine 5 days ago. Pretty much everything you said was exactly how my situation was. Thank you!
after a week did you feel any popping near your ankle?
Great Video im glad you shared. I just ruptured my achilles last Saturday and this video helps me lots
Thank you, Evan! Much love, brother
Thank you Evan ...... this info helped me .... i ruptured my cord 3 days ago ..... God bless ....
Thank you soooo much for this video! I'm at 3 weeks after my injury and though I didnt go to doc, I can tell not only did I partially tear my Achilles tendon but also have a grade 3 high sprain. I've managed to miraculously walk day one but it was because i had no choice due to how I fell and no one around to help me. All my bruising is gone but the pain is still pretty bad. My foot bruise on the inside looked just like yours but I also had bruise up my shin around the front of foot and all up the back of my ankle, it was worse than most of the pics I have seen on the internet and took 2.5 weeks for all bruising to go away. 😭 I got the boot, compression tape and a brace. I'm a massage therapist so when I work, I use the brace or tape, when I'm out and about, I have crutches and boot on. I'm slowly walking normally but very slow. I feel its gonna be atleast another month before I can jump on a bike. It's challenging getting out of tub so i use a towel on side of tub when getting out for balance. I pray I fully heal. I also had a hairline fracture in that same ankle over 20 years ago so it's not my first rodeo but definitely much worse this time.
I just ruptured mine 4 days ago and I’m going the non surgical route, thanks for all this info!
Thank you for sharing your advice and tips. I've just done my Achilles tendon a few days ago and it's great to have come across this now. Need to look for a chair like the one you use in the bath tub.
Good for you for making this video. I am ten weeks post Achilles rupture so I have living your video. Lol. God I miss golf!
Thanks, and good luck. There is light at the end of the tunnel, and it is not a train... but the tunnel is longer than we'd like. You'll get there.
Great Video. Protocol in New Zealand a lot different, I ruptured my Achilles on the 20th Aug 2020, was put in a cast and on crutches for 4 weeks, then 2 weeks in a moonboot at 30 degrees, 2 weeks at 15 degrees and then 2 weeks at 0 degrees. Only at 0 degrees was I allowed to start putting weight on it. Now I have heel lifters in my shoes for 2 months and see a physio every 3 days to for rehab. Its November and I have only been cleared now to start riding a bike at the gym and gym upper body.
Thanks a lot for the video Evan, not a lot of stuff out there and this was really helpful. I also found the Brady Browne vlog helpful for anyone else who has just either partially or fully ruptured their Achilles.
Shane Carritt Thanks, Shane! I hope your recovery is tracking well.
Blew out my Achilles in 1993. Had a great ortho surgeon, did a full surgical repair. Had the boot, with a thigh attachment that locked my knee in place. No weight bearing for 4 weeks, then walking on the boot for 4 weeks plus started working with the sadists (rehab specialists). They pushed me hard. I was doing some light jogging at 3 months. Bottom line? Go to a reputable sports medicine surgeon, you'll be glad you did.
I could not agree more with getting the best Docs on one's case. The trick seems to be finding one who knows this injury specifically, and the latest developments in how to best treat it.
Hi Evan,
Good evening. Happy thanksgiving man. I watched all your video blogs on your achillies tendon rupture because I too ruptured mines from playing football. I believe mines is not a complete tear but sure hell hurt when i initially ruptured it. But i must say, the information you have provided is impressive. You nailed all the A's,B's, and C's and gave helpful tips on how to go about living for the first trimester of this horrible injury. I'm 1 month in it right now, I was told sometime within 6-9 months I'd be back and healthy playing sports. Just like to say thank you because you are living proof that the Non-Surgical, early weight bearing exercise works in the road to recovery, patients is key is this process. Anyways man I hope all is well and that you stay healthy.
-Homie from Cali
@crazyedgar123 Thanks for sharing your story. I also tore mine playing football (while making a quick direction change). Super pleased to hear you were back to playing sports in under a year. I am about to enter my final year of school and I really want to be able to play on my school's team.
Do you recall how big your gap was? mine is about 3cm in length...
Your video was like watching my own rehab and ongoing recovery! Long road! Thanks! Ruptured mine 2/6/22.
How you getting on with it? I'm coming up yo 3 weeks, 2 weeks post surgery. Due to get my cast off tomorrow
Thank you so much for this video…. My orthopedic suggested surgery right away. and no other options and they chose a non-surgical route. Thank you for your video.
Such great info. Thanks for sharing it! I'll be watching the rest of your videos on this subject for sure.
Cherrise Gaster Thanks! I hope they help!
Thanks a lot for all the information Evan, super useful video !
Ruptured my tendon 3 days ago and here I am. Thanks for the wonderful video :) !!!
I'm glad that it may help fill in some blanks. Best of luck with your recovery.
@@ejbvmi Getting there slowly :) thanks
How did the pain feel? I think I tore mine
Thanks Evan. This is helpful. I injured my Achilles tendon this morning (playing tennis) in almost the same way that you described your injury. I went to an urgent care center and got a temporary cast, and have an appointment on Monday with a surgeon to evaluate the injury. Until I saw your video, I hadn't thought about a non-surgical approach. I will consider that now along with my other options.
Alex Murfey Good luck with your recovery, Alex. It's a long road back to normal, but you will get there! It's easy to focus on the AT and atrophied calf, but the muscles and bones of your foot also need work to get back to the way things were pre-injury. Focus on that and flexibility as well. Good luck!
I have surgery coming up on March 3rd so I've been scanning the TH-cams and your video is the best one I've seen for real world recovery tips. My doc is saying 6-8 weeks non-weight bearing for my reconstruction so I have quite a lot of "on my butt" time coming up!!Thank you!!!
I hope that you are recovering well! Good luck!
Hì Evan
Cracking video - I'm just 6 days in, post-rupture and v much appreciate the advice in here... not to mention the feeling of a kindred spirit (albeit Evan, you are now, I hope fully recovered!)
I'm 2 1/2 years post-injury. Aside from a little tightness in the tendon to act as a subtle reminder, and a calf that still has a little work to be the same size as its neighbor, I'm back to normal. It's a long sequence of "half way to the objective" without later steps being smaller, getting really close but never 100% at the objective. The early challenge is having the patience to not overdo it and re-injure, and later the challenge is maintaining the discipline to keep working on flexibility and strength despite it being "good enough" to get by already. Best of luck with your own recovery!
Evan Brown thanks for your reply which by chance I saw as soon as you posted it! 6 weeks ago today for me. Feels good to actually have a tendon I can feel again. Onwards and upwards - thank you again...
Thanks for the information. Ruptured mine two days ago!
Ruptured mine yesterday. Thanks for the info
Evan, thanks for the info. I am in the second week of the injury but thought I'd share through you the fact that I have found a knee scooter far better than crutches for mobility. It takes away the fear of overbalancing etc and with a basket on the front gives you the opportunity to be useful in carrying things. Definitely worth considering. Incidently I am 75 and balance is probably more of a problem at my age.
I agree, Pete. Had I been in a place where I could have easily acquire one, I may have rationalized the purchase, even for the short two weeks I was non-weight bearing. I hated crutches! I hope your recovery is coming along well!
Interesting and useful Evan. I’m 10 weeks in and the boot is coming off tomorrow, so a lot of rehab is ahead of me. Between week 2 and week 4, I’d started taking the boot off whilst sitting and putting my leg on a footstool. However my doctor, was against this as he felt there was more risk of re-injury. I did as he said for a further 4 weeks to week 8. Consultant suggested it was ok to remove the boot for short periods, so I’ve sort of gone along with that. Roll on tomorrow and freedom day, although I’m a little concerned about my current status and what I’ll be able to do and when. It’s my right foot, so I’ve not driven in over 2 months. Hopefully driving will be an option in the next few weeks, and then progress as per physio advice thereafter. Hopefully you are now 100%. I injured myself playing basketball at age 54…..I think i might be sticking to golf and cycling going forwards
Really appreciate the video!!! 8/21 ruptured mine going non surgical.
I just tore my achilles, thinking about going the non-surgical rout. John Stewart books helps!
Thanks Evan. I ruptured my Achilles 3 weeks ago now. I was put into the moonboot at 2 weeks and told that I could weight bear as tolerated. However I had done some research before hand and found a lot of the protocols were quite different, suggesting no weight bearing for at least 6 weeks. However, now hearing this video I feel a bit more confident in my protocol. My doctor did mention that this is a relatively new protocol which is probably why there aren't many like this out there online (the only place I could really search). Thanks for this video, really helpful.
Emma Smith Thanks, Emma! I hope your recovery is going smoothly. I am just over two years now, and pleased to report that I don't think about the injury all that often these days. Best of luck to you!
Great video - I am in week 3 having been in an equinous cast for 12 days and now in a boot. looking forward to next video wk 2-5. Thanks for sharing Evan.
Simon Marks Thanks, Simon. I hope your recovery goes smoothly. It's a long road, and a struggle to balance pushing enough against not overdoing it. I passed the two year milestone last month, and don't give the injury much thought any more. Hang tough, and you'll get there!
Your Protocol worked for me with my first Achilles injury. Now I have one on my opposite leg!! Just hurt it a week ago. Thanks again Evan.
omg this sounds like hell, good luck
Excellent video. I have a tear in mine and am three weeks in a walking boot. The doctor sent me home with minimal instructions and no discussion of what’s next, except come back in 4 weeks. Your video gives me some context for the process and possible outcomes. Also your video has excellent production values both in the video and audio. At 76 I want to avoid surgery and get back to being able to walk at least four miles without re-injury.
I'm almost 50, and have found that strength in both the lower leg and foot don't come back without deliberate and sustained effort. Even after four years, my right calf is not a full match for my uninjured left calf, but I allowed myself to slack off once it become "good enough". I ride ~30 miles at a time and swim, and was running up until a year or so ago when I stopped due to hip joint aggravation. The AT itself should not prevent you from regaining you full activity level, but be careful not to let your limp while you are recovering to contribute to problems in other areas. I had some hip issues before the AT injury, but I think poor running technique during my recovery caused further trouble to my hip on that side.
Thanks Evan. This was very helpful. I'm on week 2 of non surgical route as well. Hopefully this works out.
Thanks, Abraham. This recovery will try your patience, but you'll get there. Once you get into two shoes again, I highly recommend memory foam insoles!
Great video. Showering is definitely a worrying issue for me. Very helpful.
Thanks, Marko. The chair was worth its weight in gold during those initial weeks. I hope you are doing well!
Thanks very much for the video. Had a full rupture and consultant has gone with the non surgical route. Great to see someone come out the other side. I'm currently on week 6 and still in a cast and feeling pretty grim about it. As others have said it gives a lot of hope.
All the best. Mark.
+Mark Brockwell I hope you are out of that cast soon, Mark. The sooner you get that foot moving again and get some weight on it, the better... unless your injury has some complexity beyond the AT rupture. Early weight bearing seems to be the key to recovering as much of your former flexibility and strength as possible. Best of luck with your recovery!!! If you need some data to back you up in negotiations with your consultant, let me know. Lots online, especially at Achillesblog.com.
@@ejbvmi I broke mine 4 days ago, i really didnt want surgery but doctors have been advising against it, saying it wont fully recover & will be weak, not allowing me to walk long durations & distances. Is this true?
Thanks for this it has given me more encouragement
@evanbrown how has it been since? Did u rereupture it?
update: i've consulted 3 doctors from 3 diff hospitals. 2 govt. They advised against non surgical, saying it wont fully heal esp if the tear is 2cm or more. & the chance of rerupture is big.it will be weak the fibers wont grow back to stick togther w/o surgery. I am really confused now. Anybody pls share real insight on what i should do.
Hello I am Charlie : All I can tell you is that any claims that the non-operative route is a bad choice because it significantly increases the probability of a rerupture or that the tendon will never fully heal are coming from people who have not objectively read the research on the subject that has come to light over the past decade or so.
Mine healed fine, and I am as active as I was before the injury. It is also worth noting that my range of motion and calf strength are better than a friend who had surgery for his rupture a decade before mine. I believe that difference had more to do with my early weight bearing protocol and the fact that he was in a cast for three months than the surgery/non-op choice, but the bottom line is that non-op is not a path that reduces the quality or confidence of your long term outcome.
Going against your doc’s advice might be hard or inadvisable, though. I am neither a doctor nor familiar with your exact injury, so you may want to research and see if there are any ortho docs near you who are familiar with and supportive of the non-op protocols.
I didn’t see your reply when you posted it two weeks ago. It is worth noting that putting your foot in the right plantar flexion position during the first few weeks is vitally important for the non-op path. If that was not done in your case, that may make choosing non-op more difficult.
Good luck with the decision. I’m not against all surgery, but avoid having people cut on me when it does not need to happen. Either way, you can make a full recovery. Advocate for early weight bearing!
Good man. Thanks for putting in time for the video. Popped mine recently.
Thanks! I hope that you have smooth progress through your own recovery journey!
babaee9 the
Thank you very much sir 🙏, I am also on the road to recovery non-surgery and your videos helped me immensely with my recovery. It has been exactly 8 weeks since my injury and I can’t thank you enough for your videos!
Tore my achilles tendon last week! This definitely has helped a whole lot! Thank you
Thankq so much sir, I was so scared, I got my injury 7 days ago and I went to doc and got x-rays it has shown normal but at the time I saw your video I new it,it is exactly the same as yours, I was about to get surgery I was so scared thankq so much for giving me new hope...I hope you are leaving a healthy life now,this clip makes me so motivational...GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY LOVE FROM INDIA.. THANK Q Sir
Thank you for this. Great points and helps!
Hi Evan,
I ruptured both my achilles at the same time in june. now 18weeks on post operations, recovery is going slowly but surely. Walking not to bad now and started back on mtb bike although mainly flat road stuff. I can concur with your video on recovery , its a long road.
+Barrie Kinnaird Oi vey! One was bad enough, but at least I had one good leg to use with the crutches for the first couple weeks! Glad to hear that you are back on the bike. Getting exercise is hugely beneficial for quality of life and morale. Keep up the great work!
Thank you very much Evan for this information, I was offered the option of surgery and I did not take it.