Recovering from Snapped Achilles

[Dibs]

Afternoon all,

Not been on here in a while - it’s good to be back!!

I had so many big plans for cycling this Autumn and Winter, but all that went out the window when I snapped my Achilles 4 weeks ago. Looks like I have another 6 weeks in cast, then physio.

Has anyone else here done this and if yes, how long was it till you were back on the bike?

Already have plans to put on a flat pedal, to save me having to unclip until i’m Sure it’s properly healed!

Any help/advice or positive news welcome... :-)

 

[AndyRM]

Be sensible, don't rush back on the bike and do what the physio tells you.

 

[vickster]

A few hits from other unlucky folk here

https://www.cyclechat.net/search/11980163/?q=Achilles&t=post&o=relevance&c[title_only]=1&c[node]=36+140+185

I see people rehabbing snapped Achilles when I’m in the hydro pool, looks like an arduous rehab

Good luck

 

[midlife]

Did you have it repaired with what look like carpet gripper rods? Sewing it is like sewing a cheese string! Best to do things by the book

 

[TissoT]

A friend of mine snapped his Achilles a few years ago he spent 3/4 months off the bike as advised by his physio (on the couch)
when he did return riding with us again he was in a small amount of pain he could only spin in low gears.

Stick with the program set out for you and dont be to hasty to return.
Good luck with the healing.

 

[User6179]

My mate snapped his years ago, finished his football playing but managed to cycle no problem once he had healed.
I would get some advice on foot position to minimise strain on the injured part.

 

[Broadside]

Afternoon all,

Not been on here in a while - it’s good to be back!!

I had so many big plans for cycling this Autumn and Winter, but all that went out the window when I snapped my Achilles 4 weeks ago. Looks like I have another 6 weeks in cast, then physio.

Has anyone else here done this and if yes, how long was it till you were back on the bike?

Already have plans to put on a flat pedal, to save me having to unclip until i’m Sure it’s properly healed!

Any help/advice or positive news welcome... :-)

Sorry to hear that. How did you snap it, was it while riding or something else?

 

[Dibs]

Sorry to hear that. How did you snap it, was it while riding or something else?

Playing 5 a side...

Only played twice in about 7 years. No more for me!

 

[Fastigan]

I snapped mine almost a year ago to the day playing football.

I was in an air boot for 6 weeks (they decided not to operate) and had physio for around 3 months following its removal.

After a few weeks in the boot I started very gentle spinning on the turbo trainer just so I could get my legs moving again and to try and maintain a small degree of fitness. After the boot was removed i followed the exercises that the physio was giving me to do and continuing on with some light turbo work, initially not clipped in but after a week or so I did clip in as the bike was static and was very careful when twisting to unclip.

Almost 2 months to the day of the injury occurring I went back out onto the road for a steady 10 mile ride, being careful not to push too hard on the injured side.

Continuing midweek turbo work i stepped up to 20 miles the week after and 35 miles the week after that. Within 2-3 months of the boot coming off i had a 50 miler under my belt. It took around 4-5 months of continued cycling to get to a point where I felt I was back at the level of fitness prior to the injury occurring.

The recovery rate surprised and pleased me although I totally went against the advise given to me by the physio in terms of when I should return to road cycling as I felt I was ready for it, and only occasionally felt a slight twinge/sensation from my achilles.

I would not necessarily recommend going against the advise from a physio, and some of that had to do with my determination to get back on the bike, but I felt that I was ready for it and listened to my body and would have stopped if I had felt it had been doing me any damage.

Good luck with the recovery, and ease yourself back in when the time is right.

 

[fossyant]

Sounds grim... (from someone who snapped his spine).

 

[lazyfatgit]

I had a complete rupture (playing squash) repaired in March 2008. 13 weeks in a couple of different casts. When the last cast came off I couldn’t believe how much muscle had wasted. Still equired both crutches intermittently for a few weeks. Consultant was happy for me to get on a static bike as soon as I felt like I wanted to but was advised against riding for about 6 weeks. Got back on the bike by doing increasing number of laps of Strathclyde Park (4 miles around the loch) a couple of times a week until I was confident it was good to get back out on the road. Built up to a 100 mile ride in Feb 2009.

I tried to stay independent with reduced mobility. Used public transport and wore out at least one pair of rubbers on the crutches. Getting about that way helped upper body and maintain some fitness as well as keeping spirits up.

Take it easy once you are allowed to stand on it and listen to your body.

 

[Globalti]

Cyclists have notoriously inflexible calf muscles and Achilles tendons. I have heard about so many cyclists rupturing their tendon while playing football, squash, tennis, running or skipping. My cycling buddy has done it. The modern doctrine is no longer to repair but to plaster and allow the tendon to heal naturally as repairing has been found not to make any difference to recovery time. It also involves an operation, of course.

 

[PK99]

Cyclists have notoriously inflexible calf muscles and Achilles tendons. I have heard about so many cyclists rupturing their tendon while playing football, squash, tennis, running or skipping. My cycling buddy has done it. The modern doctrine is no longer to repair but to plaster and allow the tendon to heal naturally as repairing has been found not to make any difference to recovery time. It also involves an operation, of course.

It's also an age thing - my mate's surgeon referred to it a classic after work rounders injury. Middle-aged, fit and active (hill walker) but not used to rapid changes of speed or direction as we age tendons become less flexible and less able to cope with the strain.

 

[lazyfatgit]

Cyclists have notoriously inflexible calf muscles and Achilles tendons. I have heard about so many cyclists rupturing their tendon while playing football, squash, tennis, running or skipping. My cycling buddy has done it. The modern doctrine is no longer to repair but to plaster and allow the tendon to heal naturally as repairing has been found not to make any difference to recovery time. It also involves an operation, of course.

I was advised there was no difference in recovery time, but that there was a difference on chances of rupture reoccuring. Had the option of naturally healing, or 2 different types of procedure. I chose the procedure which had the lower infection rate but slighlty higher incidence of rerupture. From memory, the figure i was quoted, natural healing had a rerupture incidence that was about 10% higher than either surgery.

 

[Dibs]

My path was the natural healing (too old for surgery...) lol.

Doc did say that there was very little difference between surgery/non surgery.

My biggest concern is re rupture - just need to make sure I do plenty stretches before any cycle/golf etc!!