Achilles Tendon Rehab

[lnllayman]

Just had surgery to repair a torn achilles tendon. Anyone have any ideas or suggestions on rehab, exercises, recovery, timeline, etc... Thanks.

[JasonE]

That's an open-ended question! :)

Care to share some more info? Please post the nature of the tear and the repair job, how long ago these happened, what your doctor/therapist have said, and how it feels/performs now.

[lnllayman]

To be more specific, I tore my achilles tendon playing soccer on October 16. As I made a cut to recieve the ball, the turf gave and the tendon popped. Tore completely about 1 inch higher than where it inserts into the heel. I had surgery to repair the tendon on October 20th. Since the surgery I've had my foot elevated constantly and I'm on my back. (per doctors orders). I'm told I have 6-8 weeks before I can have weight on the foot, and 6-8 months before I'll even be close to full speed.
As for myself I'm 41 yrs old, extremely active. Have been swinging clubbells for nearly 3yrs, bodyflow, warriorwellness, kettlebells, weights, yoga, martial arts, soccer, etc... Completely new experience being laid up like this. Would be grateful for any ideas on how I might want to progress with training or if anyone might be familiar with this injury. I do plan to rehab aggressively, but don't want to do anything that could potentially set me back or reinjure myself. Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated.
Thanks,

Lance

[JasonE]

Ouch! Yeah, I see how frustrating that would be. :(

First off, be glad that it was repairable! Even better, it can be rehabbed! :D

While you are laid up, moderate your diet to account for the decreased level of activity so you don't pack on weight. Include lots of water and minerals, plus plenty of Vitamins A, C, E and D to aid the healing process.

Try to avoid taking ibuprofen for your discomfort. Aspirin or another non-ibuprofen-based pain med would be better, as ibuprofen can slow the regeneration of those connective tissues.

If you have swelling, I highly recommend bromelain. You can find it at health food stores or in the supplement section of your grocery/pharmacy. It's very effective for reducing swelling, even post-surgery, and has no known side effects or drug interactions. Take 2-3x the amount recommended for "daily use" and stop taking it when the swelling has subsided.

Are you using crutches or a cane? If crutches, be sure to continue your Warrior Wellness practice as best you can to minimize the accumulation of tension in your back and shoulders. You will find that your good leg gets somewhat tighter and stronger too. This will be a strength imbalance that can be resolved later. For now, the best thing to do is retain what mobility you can without endangering your ankle. Occasional therapeutic massage and/or chiropractic will also help minimize accumulation of tension and related structural imbalances.

By the time you are getting close to putting weight on that ankle, you should be able to start regaining some mobility in that ankle. You can do simple WW movements while lying on your back, one leg up in the air: knees bent thigh movements to open the hips, flexing and bending the knees or doing leg circles, ankle flexion and extension, inversion and eversion, then ankle circles. You might experiment CAUTIOUSLY with assisting the movement with your hands prior to solely using your leg muscles. You will be reminding your CNS that the ankle can explore that ROM, and it may require a little help at first.

When you are able to start putting weight on that foot, do simple things like sitting in a chair with some weight on it before trying to stand or walk on it. INCREMENTAL progress will be key! Limit the time spent doing this. While you have your feet down, start with the weight evenly distributed. Then gently move your feet so the weight feels slightly more intense towards the toes or the heel, then to the inside or outside of the foot. Gradually increase your ability to raise and lower your heel, toes and the sides of your feet. Work your way to standing comfortably, and do similar simple exercises with shifting your weight. Let your WW practice progress towards normal as well.

You might want to spent time at a pool where the water gives you some buoyancy and slows you down. This would make it easier to practice bearing weight and moving around on that ankle. As it progresses, move slowly from neck-deep to shallow waters to increase the amount of your weight it bears. When you are able to stand comfortably, practicing the Four Corner Balance Drill in a pool is recommended before you practice it on dry land.

Don't be in a huge hurry to make your injured side catch up to your strong side. Any imbalances that take weeks or months to settle in will take some time to resolve. Once you are able to start walking a bit, we can look at your progress and make further recommendations.

I have little doubt that you'll be doing well within a year! :) 8)

[JasonE]

Ouch! Yeah, I see how frustrating that would be. :(

First off, be glad that it was repairable! Even better, it can be rehabbed! :D

While you are laid up, moderate your diet to account for the decreased level of activity so you don't pack on weight. Include lots of water and minerals, plus plenty of Vitamins A, C, E and D to aid the healing process.

Try to avoid taking ibuprofen for your discomfort. Aspirin or another non-ibuprofen-based pain med would be better, as ibuprofen can slow the regeneration of those connective tissues.

If you have swelling, I highly recommend bromelain. You can find it at health food stores or in the supplement section of your grocery/pharmacy. It's very effective for reducing swelling, even post-surgery, and has no known side effects or drug interactions. Take 2-3x the amount recommended for "daily use" and stop taking it when the swelling has subsided.

Are you using crutches or a cane? If crutches, be sure to continue your Warrior Wellness practice as best you can to minimize the accumulation of tension in your back and shoulders. You will find that your good leg gets somewhat tighter and stronger too. This will be a strength imbalance that can be resolved later. For now, the best thing to do is retain what mobility you can without endangering your ankle. Occasional therapeutic massage and/or chiropractic will also help minimize accumulation of tension and related structural imbalances.

By the time you are getting close to putting weight on that ankle, you should be able to start regaining some mobility in that ankle. You can do simple WW movements while lying on your back, one leg up in the air: knees bent thigh movements to open the hips, flexing and bending the knees or doing leg circles, ankle flexion and extension, inversion and eversion, then ankle circles. You might experiment CAUTIOUSLY with assisting the movement with your hands prior to solely using your leg muscles. You will be reminding your CNS that the ankle can explore that ROM, and it may require a little help at first.

When you are able to start putting weight on that foot, do simple things like sitting in a chair with some weight on it before trying to stand or walk on it. INCREMENTAL progress will be key! Limit the time spent doing this. While you have your feet down, start with the weight evenly distributed. Then gently move your feet so the weight feels slightly more intense towards the toes or the heel, then to the inside or outside of the foot. Gradually increase your ability to raise and lower your heel, toes and the sides of your feet. Work your way to standing comfortably, and do similar simple exercises with shifting your weight. Let your WW practice progress towards normal as well.

You might want to spent time at a pool where the water gives you some buoyancy and slows you down. This would make it easier to practice bearing weight and moving around on that ankle. As it progresses, move slowly from neck-deep to shallow waters to increase the amount of your weight it bears. When you are able to stand comfortably, practicing the Four Corner Balance Drill in a pool is recommended before you practice it on dry land.

Don't be in a huge hurry to make your injured side catch up to your strong side. Any imbalances that take weeks or months to settle in will take some time to resolve. Once you are able to start walking a bit, we can look at your progress and make further recommendations.

I have little doubt that you'll be doing well within a year! :) 8)