achilles rupture

Hello-
I popped my achilles and got stitched at the end of september. Things are feeling good now, and I plan on waiting until February to climb. Anyone with first hand (ankle) experience have advice on the time line?

Desbien,

I snapped my left achilles tendon about ten years ago in a climbing gym accident. It took me about three months from the date of the operation until the first day I went climbing. I put in alot of tentensive therapy in those three months and came away fine. It was probably a total of six months before I felt like I could climb with impunity and not have to be careful.

The long term effects are that I climb and exercise like I never had that injury in the first place. I've had to continue the PT exercises to keep the muscles in shape and there was some atrophy in the achilles that did not come back.

I think if you do the PT religiously and don't rush the recovery you'll be fine and leading 5.12 in no time!!

Best wishes for a quick recovery!
JACK

I snapped one and ruptured the other at the same time in a skiing injury about 20 years ago.

It took me about a year before I was able to climb again without pain and several years before I could walk without a limp. Be patient and take your time in rehab. I don't ever think about it and can't use it as a climbing excuse. I'm sure these days surgery has improved a lot and rehab is probably considerably quicker.

I REALLY whacked my achilles back in May, and it still gives me fits, especially first thing in the morning.Epsom salts in a warm soak helps too.After all the advice I've seeked,just patience and walking on uneven terrain seems to be the common cure.Just hang in there and take the time to heal properly,those rocks ain't goin' nowhere.

I wanted to expand a bit just to let people know what it feels like and when to seek treatment. I fell, pendulumed into the wall, so the rope only redirected the force. My legs hit in an "L" to stop me from hitting my face (i wonder if I made the right decsision?). I pleaded to be lowered and the pain was bizarre, stunning, and felt deep, i cant describe it beyond that. My ankle felt really floppy, i thought i had just sprain and that introduced the instability. Fortunately I had enough tape to wrap it up and walk; even got my draws back thanks to my partner. The walk out was mercifully flat (penitente canyon). After some camp side whiskey and false hopes and I got up the next morning intending only to belay. I managed to climb a bit, using my now patented pirate, peg leg technique. During the two weeks afterwards I walked around on it, constantly returning to the store looking for a better brace, even climbed on it a bit more, it hurt but not as bad as just walking around and taking a misstep.

Eventually the swelling went down and I noticed a suspicious gap in my achilles. After perusing the internet I ran across the simonds test en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simmonds'_test. Some guy (simmonds I assume) was hacking around on a cadaver and noticed that if he squeezed the calf muscle the foot pointed down, he must have hacked the achilles and then noticed the squeezing produced no movement. I tried the simmond's test three weeks after the fall. I failed. My primary care physician took about thirty seconds to confirm my fears and refer me to an orthopod. They took about 10 seconds to ask when i wanted the surgery. I dont know what happened but opiates make me puke now. That really sucks because vicodin used to be fun. Another consequence of being 30+.

Long story long, whiskey, doctors and the internet are our friends.

Whiskey, Vicodin and a pretty nurse all helped get me through the hard times and kept a smile on my face ;^)

Hang in there, take your time and do a through rehab and you'll be back in no time.

Jack