Ruptured Achilles
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: Bustalung
15-Apr-17
I was wondering if anyone has experienced an Achilles rupture and repair? I'm scheduled to go on my first ever elk hunt this year in September and wondering where I'll be five months from now.
From: Dino
15-Apr-17
I ruptured mine in a water skiing accident, just before elk season! I chose to go the non operative route. At 5 months you will be on the bubble for strenuous up and downhill walking. Take care of it, let it heal properly so that you can hunt many more years without fear of re-rupture or constant inflammation! Good luck to you!!!
From: BOX CALL
15-Apr-17
I ruptured both of mine in the air national guard.I couldn't walk for some time,then was able to manage with combat boots laced tite for support.one eventually tore almost in half.it healed after some time,but I have no visible tendons but there there and not much flexibility.I can't run because of it.coct me an honorable medical discharge.that was in 1974.
From: Charlie Rehor
15-Apr-17
Ruptured mine in February many years ago and was "ok" by deer season going up and down hills but it is not likely you'll be better than 75% by September. Perhaps surgery and therapy is better/faster now but this injury is a pretty big challenge. Remember all your other leg strength will decline as well as your mobility is cut way down while in rehab. Good luck and follow your therapist. C
From: Buglmin
15-Apr-17
Tore mine several years ago while chasing elk in Utah. I remember the pain... follow what your doctor tells you and don't rush things. You'll make it worse...
From: bad karma
16-Apr-17
People heal individually. Hope you can recover in time.
From: EliteFan
16-Apr-17
I ruptured mine in early May and was hunting in September albeit not a 100%. It takes a bit to regain your trust in the injured leg. I don't think I was fully recovered until about the 9 mo mark but I got by. I think you'll be fine if you follow the Dr's recommendations and are vigilant about the rehab. Worst injury I've ever had.
From: KC9
17-Apr-17
Ruptured mine in 2009 early May and had surgery 4 days later. I was 52. Did most all of my rehab on my own. I hunted all September, I just had to take it slower, and could not hike the distances I had in the past. I didn't experience much pain, what got me more was fatigue. I remember climbing straight up gave me problems, had to side hill a lot more. Doctor told me to go for it, just let your body tell you when to rest.
From: WV Mountaineer
17-Apr-17
My buddy ruptured his in July one year and had the surgery. He hunted that call sparingly. He was 68 at the time. But an adamant hiker and outdoorsman. Took him a while even being in great condition. God Bless men
From: Bustalung
17-Apr-17
Thanks everyone.
From: Mad Trapper
17-Apr-17
Partially ruptured mine packing in on a goat hunt the first day. Only partial rupture. Kept on hunting and managed to get a couple of arrows into a goat, but didn't recover it. Was slow going on the way down though. No surgery. Long recovery.
From: 76aggie
17-Apr-17
I had surgery between Christmas and New Years. I took a client hog hunting the next March. At the end of the day, I was dragging my foot. I think you can do it a five months but hit the P.T. diligently and consult your surgeon.
From: LONEBULL
17-Apr-17
I wish you good luck!!! I tore my bursa sac in my Achilles years ago and still have problems. It flares up all the time.
From: bowthwacker
17-Apr-17
I just tore mine in December. I had surgery December 21st. I was cleared last week by my doctor to do anything I wanted. Mine was a full tear. I am working on getting my muscle back and have full range of motion. The hard part is lost all cardio and alot of muscle. I would assume i am a couple of months away from being back to where I was before the tear. Good luck
From: Ibohunt
18-Apr-17
I had surgery on mine a week ago so I'll keep you posted on the progress. About a 90% tear to my left side. Not really looking forward to the next several weeks but hopefully I'll be good to go come fall....
From: Bustalung
18-Apr-17
Ibo, I had surgery last Tuesday,Good luck.
From: Beendare
18-Apr-17
Did mine when I was about 33...i think it took about a year to fully recover.
I still feel it. Gotta stretch those calves.....
From: Ibohunt
18-Apr-17
We can compare notes Busta! I busted my a$$ for the first time this am! Tripped over my knee walker! I'm 57 so not quite as agile as I used to be! Don't think I knocked anything loose though....
From: Oregoncritter
18-Apr-17
I tore mine 90% across last June. They couldn't do surgery because it was so high that they could stich it to the muscle. I was not able to put weight on it for about 3.5 months. They let me start hobbling around about a week before archery elk season. I figured if I could hobble, I could kill a bull. I was very diligent about the PT aspect of recovery and spent a lot of time in a pool. I bought some trekking poles to aid in pack out and all was good. I didn't pack as much weight as I normally would when we had to pack, but I did carry a good bit. Good luck!!
From: gil_wy
25-Apr-17
Worst part is the muscle atrophy... you'll be "healed" in 5 months but you won't have a calf muscle!
From: Ibohunt
25-Apr-17
Yours looks bigger than mine Gil! Had two week check up yesterday, stitches removed put in waking boot. Not allowed to put any weight on it for at least two more weeks. Starting to go a bit stir crazy.....
From: Bustalung
25-Apr-17
My doc has me non-weight bearing for a total of 6 weeks, with some weight bearing and physical therapy starting then.
From: Amoebus
25-Apr-17
busta & ido - how did you rupture your Achilles?
And, most importantly, what could you have done as preventative before you were injured?
From: Bustalung
25-Apr-17
Believe it or not I did it dancing. I consider myself to be in descant shape, working out 4-5 days a week(pre injury). It probably has more to do with my age (49) and the damage done in my younger years.
From: Ibohunt
25-Apr-17
I blew mine out jumping rope. Been doing crossfit for a year and a half. Felt it coming on but didn't stop like an idiot...no more "double unders" for me!
From: Dino
25-Apr-17
Here is my rupture shown in the ER shortly after my accident.
Here is my rupture shown in the ER shortly after my accident.
From: MNRazorhead
25-Apr-17
Yikes! Heal fast and fully, guys. Those are some impressive incisions...
From: Ibohunt
08-May-17
One month post surgery appointment today. Doc said I can ditch the crutches and walk as long as I'm in the boot!! Start therapy Wed...things are looking up!
From: Bustalung
08-May-17
Good luck. I must have a cautious doc, he has me waiting 6 weeks before loosing the crutches and beginning therapy.
From: Dino
08-May-17
Don't even think about rushing back...let it heal properly or u will have a lifetime of pain from inflammation
From: Ibohunt
08-May-17
I'm definitely going to take it easy. Don't want any part of a do over...
From: Altizer
09-May-17
I blew mine on a 10 mile mountain run. Stepped on a rock and twisted the ankle and when I over corrected it popped. Finished the race but it swelled. Then I had a wreck two days later that finished it. Took several months to heal. The MRI showed a partial tear.
Here's the bad part. My doctor warned me that when you blow one the other generally follows. And it did just as the right was almost completely healed. It is a slow process. I push mine too much. Good luck.
From: jmb
10-May-17
Here is a pic after the second surgery to repair the re-rupture. three months in a full leg cast.
Here is a pic after the second surgery to repair the re-rupture. three months in a full leg cast.
I've had three achilles ruptures and surgeries. Ruptured my left one in 2001 and my right one twice in 2013. You definitely do not want to rush into anything after surgery. I re-ruptured my right one after 6 weeks and the second surgery was not a pleasant experience.
From: BowSniper
10-May-17
That re-rupture looks horrible! I might suggest that Bustalung retire from drinking and/or dancing!!
From: Ibohunt
10-May-17
Daaaaaamn jmb! Thanks for that! Hell, I'm not taking the boot off for a year after seeing that!! Nasty...
From: jmb
10-May-17
I had just taken a shower and wanted to air my foot out for a bit, 5 minutes later I had a crutch slip and it was over! Ended up popping the incision open towards the bottom and it was bleeding a lot and the pain was bad. I knew it wasn't good. The nasty area in that pic never healed and actually got worse. The tendon was exposed and I ended up having skin graft and skin flap to cover the nasty area. Those pics are pretty nasty too. It will be four years this July since I had the first operation to repair the tendon and to this day it is not anywhere near normal. Do not rush your healing/recovery.
From: Rut Nut
10-May-17
WOW! if those pics don't cause you to be cautious, nothing will!!!!!!!!!!!!! :(
From: Bustalung
12-May-17
5 weeks in to recovery and getting antsy, thanks for the pic JMB. No dancing this weekend!
From: JLS
12-May-17
Rut Nut, no kidding. Those just give me the heebie jeebies.
I started stepping down on my box jumps after watching a gal blow out an Achilles at the Crossfit games.
From: Zim1
12-May-17
Dang you guys make my laundry list of injuries seem like mere scratches. That's some gross stuff. Exactly what types of activities were you victims doing when these injuries occurred? ??
Whatever they were, I need to check those off my things to do list! ??
From: Ibohunt
12-May-17
As I mentioned above I was jumping rope (double unders). I will stick to single unders from now on..dancing is not an issue:)
From: txhunter58
13-May-17
One curious sidenote. Recently there has been some buzz that certain drugs can predispose you to rupture tendons, like the Achilles. Cipro is one. Anyone who ruptured every used that antibiotic?
I had a friend that was pushing a trailer door closed on some calves and his ruptured. Was exerting some effort pushing, but not enough that you would expect this to happen. He had been on Cipro several times.
From: great white
13-May-17
I am in the 8 th week post surgery just about to get the boot off . My best advise is get a kneel walker. you kneel with bad limb and walk with good one. way better than crutches. The latest therapy has been in the pool,really has increased the flexibility. Cant wait to start walking again get the lungs back
From: Jethro
13-May-17
After reading this thread I don't feel so bad about my surgery coming up on Tues to repair my thumb tendon. Its been tough enough limited to 1 thumb. How do you guys do it, being laid up so long? Emotionally I mean, not physically. We're an extremely active group of people. I have found having activity limited for any reason just sucks. At least I know I'll be recovered with enough time to shoot bow and be ready for Sept. I feel for you guys. Good luck on the recoveries.
From: Ibohunt
13-May-17
No cipro here, just old age and over use I think. Been to therapy twice and taking it really slow. Walking in the boot 4 weeks after surgery and it feels good, no pain. I guess different doctors have different protocols as far as when to start walking etc...it does/did suck not being able to walk for a month and I was getting a "bit" frustrated. Good luck to my Achilles brothers!
From: Ibohunt
13-May-17
No cipro here, just old age and over use I think. Been to therapy twice and taking it really slow. Walking in the boot 4 weeks after surgery and it feels good, no pain. I guess different doctors have different protocols as far as when to start walking etc...it does/did suck not being able to walk for a month and I was getting a "bit" frustrated. Good luck to my Achilles brothers!
From: jmb
14-May-17
No Cipro here. I was playing basketball when I blew my left one, went to push off and "ping" it went. Kind of sounded like a hammer hitting a piece of metal. Playing softball when my right one blew, that sounded like taking a rolled up newspaper and smacking it on a table. Ibohunt, that is good that you are walking around(I think). My ortho doc didn't let me me do any walking until about 8 weeks with my first rupture in 2001. He kept me in an adjustable ortho boot for 8 weeks and then put me in a walking boot. I was still in the adjustable boot and on crutches when I re-ruptured my right one and that was right at the 6 week mark. My right foot was basically locked for six months. At my first PT session, I had no range of motion at all in my ankle/foot.
From: jmb
14-May-17
" How do you guys do it, being laid up so long? Emotionally I mean, not physically." It was a challenge. I really had to get myself in the right frame of mind and just deal with it. Kept track of the days right on my cast:):)
From: Tjw
14-May-17
I had a total blow out on left achilles. 4 years ago. Read every blog every study. Decided to push hard, was able to hunt went on book cliffs deer and nevada elk but a long hike or pack out would have been impossible. I was 44 and blew it out in march. Good luck. Peace and good whiskey and frequent hunts to you. TJW
From: GregE
30-May-17
Ruptured my R in May playing softball ( highest sport injury cause )
Hunted Oregon ELK in September but had to take it easy. Got my ELK out with help from friends.
My R calf is still less developed- over the nearly 20 years since the injury I've compensated too much with the L leg. I'm trying to correct that but .. double knee replacements didn't help.
G
From: Orion
30-May-17
Here is mine tore it two years ago I was 34 and was going to recover a deer I had shot. Got my foot stuck in some rocks on a scree slide I was traversing and when I pulled my foot out. POP! No cell service and was solo. Wasn't quite sure what I did, but I packed that deer out 2.5 miles back to my truck with it like that.
From: Orion
30-May-17
Here is the after pic. Healed nicely and lots of PT, took nearly a year to do a single calf raise, but I was fully mobile after 6 months
From: GregE
03-Jun-17
EEEEYouch!!
No pics of mine Thank God
From: Ibohunt
07-Jun-17
8 weeks post op. Boot off trying to walk somewhat normal. Therapy twice a week etc. Going to be a bit of a head game too....feeling good though.
From: longbeard
07-Jun-17
I did a complete tear on my right side. It was late February and I was playing basketball. There were about 30 seconds to go in the first half when it happened and I had played every second so needless to say I was about as loose as I could be. It was just one of those things that happens. I cried like a baby because at the time I ran my own turkey guide service and I knew I would have to pay back all of the "down payment" checks to the incoming hunters. By May 1st , opening day, I was out hunting but in a walking boot only. I was able to get around ok and the walking helped with my rehab.
From: great white
09-Jun-17
Now nine weeks after surgery PT sucks never thought I would have a balance problem after all this but they have you stand on one foot and hold the other leg in front of you for a five count, Wow wobbly. Doing the calf raises, As in standing on your tip toes and keeping heels in the air. do three sets of ten. Really hard walking any distance thus far,but you can ride the stationary bike with resistance to get you wind back. Very slow process didnt think it would take this long but they say I am ahead of the curve
From: Bustalung
07-Oct-17
Five months later and the Achilles held up. Lots of ibuprofen and ice got me thru 6 grueling days in western Montana. Day 6 is was able to connect on a 5X5 and couldn't be happier.
From: Hawkeye
07-Oct-17
That's impressive! Congrats! Where there's a will there's a way.....:)
From: goelk
07-Oct-17
Wow that awesome
From: tobinsghost
07-Oct-17
Busta, good for you!
From: T Mac
07-Oct-17
Way to persevere congrats!
From: Ibohunt
07-Oct-17
Way to go Busta! I’m jogging again and put up my first tree stand today 5 1/2 Months after surgery! Look out deer!!
From: EmbryOklahoma
07-Oct-17
Great job and congratulations!
From: Habitat for Wildlife
07-Oct-17
Congrats.
From: WV Mountaineer
07-Oct-17
Congrats fellas. The hardest thing about being immobile is the mental stress it causes. Way to get back after it. God Bless
From: stick n string
07-Oct-17
Congrats!
From: spike buck
07-Oct-17
You have will power!!! Congrats.
From: Bustalung
10-Oct-17
Thanks guys.
From: Scar Finga
10-Oct-17
Congratulations, way to tough it out!
