Hello

My GF, fell on her bike………… and teared her achilles…….
She wore a “walker” (velcro-support thing for her lower leg) for a couple of months, and the tendon has grown back. It is visible thicker where it teared. It been 9 month since now
It stil hurts, mostly in the morning, where it also feels stiff, and walking and standing for more than a couple a hours, courses pain………….

Please let me know about good advice!

Cheers Jesper

Hey, Achillies take a very long time to heal fully (just ask anyone who has snapped it!) so I would be looking to work with a Physio to work out the best way forward as she now needs to work on the Rehab phase as the tendon has healed. The likely main issue is that it will have shorted during healing so will be stretched out as part of rehab work. While it must be frustrating (everyone hates waiting!) she needs to get the rehab right otherwise she could end up with a permanent issue which won’t be fun!

Hope this helps!

I was on a loading programme which culminated in heel lowering off a step with 30% of my body weight on my back.

I’d had months of massage and stretching but that really made the most difference and I’d certainly recommend mentioning it to a specialist rather than just having a go yourself.

Both mine went badly wrong during training for the 2012 Great North Run. Did the race but haven’t been able to run since. I have to do five or ten minutes on my wobble board each morning to loosen them up before I can walk anywhere. Once they’re loosened up the pain goes away. The big bumps (scar tissue??) halfway along them seem permanent. I’ve never known an injury last so long.

So I would suggest the posters above are correct when they say make sure you get the rehabilitation right.

I was on a loading programme which culminated in heel lowering off a step with 30% of my body weight on my back.

This would be the usual program unless it was a complete rupture, as in it was teared (or torn) right across so that the tendon was in two (or twored) pieces. 9 months is a long time, not sure if much can be done about the thickening at this stage but I would certainly get stuck into the ankle raises.

When did the veldro walker come off and how long was it on for? If it was on for a long time then a graded return to activity may be necessary.

Achillies take a very long time to heal fully (just ask anyone who has snapped it!)

Testify sister.

I snapped mine maybe 7yr ago playing football, it’s never been right since. It aches in the morning and when it’s cold, all I can do it try stretch it out and after 5 mins it usually stops hurting.

Snapped one of mine coming up to six years ago, worst injury I have ever had in terms of losing mobility.

Still not right, can’t lift onto my toes without help, probably two to three years before I stopped favouring it, even on the bike 🙁

Probally could have pushed the recovery, but couldn’t take the risk of re breaking of which I was advised there was a risk.

Its a bit of time thing unfortunately, once I was able to walk again I found this was really good in helping with recovery.

Thanks for the replys!

Shermer, the walker was on for about 6 (actually looks like a massive shin protector, that goes all around the lower leg, main purpose to position the foot dawnwards so that the tendon will catch the heel again and grow back…).