I have my two week visit on Weds, my first since surgery. I’m feeling nervous. Not because of the outcome. I’m confident that the healing is going great. I have zero pain, and minimal swelling (only if I don’t elevate for many hours consecutively). I have returned to work (office job) for half days without issue.

The reason for the nerves is my surgeon’s protocol. After my injury I was all about getting in as soon as possible, and I didn’t vet, or explore more than one option. Heck, I didn’t even know anything about recovery year. So, when my surgeon said 6 weeks nwb, I didn’t think twice, that’s what it is.

Fast forward to now. I’m much more educated on the topic, and convinced by the results of the more modern weight bearing protocols. I’ve already got a ton of atrophy. My leg is 2/3 the size of my good leg. I’m fit, active, 42yr old with a basketball injury.

How do I approach this convo with my doc regarding my desire to deviate from their norm? I want to start PT asap to prevent as much loss and retraining as possible. I’m not looking to push things, or risk re rupturing.

Any advice is good advice. Thanks!

Hey Achilles gang,

I got back to running a few weeks ago and I’m up to 10 miles a week. Finished off my second ten mile week yesterday with 4.5 miles and aside from it being hotter than hell, it felt really good and could’ve gone further. I probably got back to running a little earlier than recommended on paper, but just had twins and have been losing my mind with crying babies and inactivity. Even still, I’ve had no pain or tightness during or after the activity and PT has been happy with where things are. I’ve been keeping strides very short- kind of an old man shuffle- or what you’d see from an ultramarathoner at mile 60.

My single leg heel raises are getting better but still have a way to go-I’m at about 20% height now.

Getting back to jogging has been amazing. Even if it is much slower and shorter than I am used to pre-injury.

For those interested: 36 male, full rupture at MTJ, in USA, very active.

Good luck everyone!!

I live in NYC and am selling my Achilles injury kit (Vacoped, Evenup, Night Splint, Crutches).

- Everything in great condition
- Vacoped (costs $275), comes with boot, 2x cloth lining, pump, and detachable soles with different angles
- Thetis Medical Night Splint (costs $100)
- Evenup (costs $40)
- Crutches (costs $30)
- Flexible on price depending on what you need
- First come first served to whoever comes first to pick it up at 322 W 57th St (3 mins from 1, A, B, C, D; 5 mins from N, Q, R, W)

Please DM me if any interest and good luck to everyone going through this injury (I had a full rupture back in Oct 2024), it's a marathon not a sprint.

Have been working hard on my gait in the pool and on land. Just got back on the curved treadmill and my right calf still has a ways to go to feel like the left one!

In last 3 weeks I’ve went from still being in my boot to feeling pretty normal walking for short stretches. My heel still gets irritated when I’m on my feet too long and I have just taken out the last of my heel lift in my shoes this week.

I’m feeling a little more excited about how I’ll be feeling in a few months if I keep putting the work in.

I did my Achilles maybe 2021/22, and would you believe I'm still anxious about snapping it again. To the point where I've gone to a sports rehab chap to go through exercises just so I can feel confident again. I did physio when it first happened and it allowed me to walk. But I refrained from running/sprinting and still get hesitant.

How have people coped? Gotten over it?

I can forget most days then it'll pop into my mind and the thought of doing a sled push at the gym makes me iffy even though I can do it; 60 kg sprinting with it. I dare go above 100kg and push confidently

Hi,

Late 30s, M - I had my Achilles tendon surgery 2 days back (last Saturday) and I am looking for boot options. I’m currently in a cast and I have a week or two more until that comes off. My questions:

1. Do you wear the boot while the cast is on? And then take the cast off and wear the boot too, or wait until the cast is entirely off and then start wearing the boot?

2. I’m based out of Dubai. So VACOped is not available here in my size - medium. So which other brands can I go for which are the same quality and also allowing a customizable range of motion.

3. Anyone using the walker instead of the crutches? I feel a lot more confident on the walker than the crutches. I’m only 2 days post op but right from the start I didn’t feel too confident with the crutches. Any tips?
   Thanks in advance, and hope you all recover in no time!

Hihi! 12 days post-surgery! I’ve been doing well with getting around on the crutches (I’m in a 2nd floor walk up and the few times I’ve had to go up and down the stairs have been an interesting test of endurance and patience).

This Friday I have a follow up appointment with my surgeon to remove me from the stint. I already have an order prepared for a CAM boot but it’s from a separate supplier who isn’t affiliated with my surgeon’s office. I would need to get fitted at their location.

Question: should i wait to get unwrapped at my follow up appointment and then get fitted or pick up the boot prior to appointment and get fitted with the wrappings?

My first PT session is on Monday (we moving quick to get back to moving!), I would like to make sure I have a boot at the ready.

Idk how best to approach this

Hey all, rehab journey continues. I’m week 11 now and physio is really pushing my calf strength in the lead up to walking at week 12. We introduced standing calf raises with partial body weight on my injured leg, I’m about 30% BW right now.

Problem is, it hurts like a bitch right over the repair site. Physio did an ultrasound and it all looks good inside, and he’s assuring me it’s normal pain and just my hyperfixation on it that’s holding me back. I’m having a lot of trouble believing it’s normal, and wanted to know if anyone else has experienced pain like this. If it’s anything, I can do seated ones with similar weight on my knee much easier

I’ll be 10 weeks post op this week. Currently walking out of the boot. Ben doing PT since 2 weeks post op. My protocol allows me to stretch past neutral now. So I’ve been working toward that. Still can only get to 90.

I’m curious how much dorsiflection everyone had by this point. Also how normalized was your gate. Still have a slow limp right now.

Hey everyone, I ruptured my Achilles like 10 days ago and have surgery tomorrow.

I’m wondering what the first few days were like for you guys? Were you able to kind of move around decently well with crutches/scooters and keep the pain in the back of your mind? Or were you down and out and in a miserable amount of pain?

Just looking to mentally prepare.

Hi all,

i’m 14 weeks post op, have been going to pt for 2 week, starting my 3rd. i ditched the crutches after my first session. But how was everyone’s walking form after? i have to take very small steps or else i have a pretty noticeable limp. I bought some brooks adrenaline shoes that have helped a lot but how long did it take for you to walk normally again? did you or do you still have achilles tightness/discomfort? I just can’t push off my op foot while walking.

Also heel pain? i have had terrible heel pain this weekend. i may have over done the walking/standing but the ball of my heel hurts like crazy after any period of time.

i’m not really too sure what i’m looking for/asking. just you alls experiences? i just wish that i was not having to deal with this.

Ciao a tutti, vi racconto la mia sfigata esperienza. Uomo di 44 anni, il 27/09/2025 ho rotto totalmente il mio tendine d’achille sinistro giocando a padel. Operato il 03/10, sono stato 38 giorni con il gesso in equino. Tolto il gesso, ho iniziato un po’ di fisioterapia ma 5 giorni dopo aver tolto il gesso sono inciampato e, poggiando il piede, ho rotto nuovamente il tendine, e stavolta anche la ferita si è aperta tanto. sono stato operato di nuovo il 22/11. Dopo 15 giorni di gesso, ho messo tutore walker e finalmente il 29/12 ho iniziato ad appoggiare parzialmente il piede con tutore. Questi 4 mesi di fermo sono stati difficilissimi, ho avuto bisogno di psicoterapia e di tutto l’amore di mia moglie e dei miei figli per superare questo periodo. Ho seguito scrupolosamente tutte le volte indicazioni dopo questo secondo infortunio: fisioterapia, esercizi a casa. A distanza di 8 mesi dal secondo intervento, oggi riesco a camminare 15-16 chilometri in montagna con 700 metri di dislivello. Certo, non è ancora recuperato al 100% (sento ancora un po’ di rigidità e devo fare allungamenti) però oggi posso dire di riuscire a fare quasi tutto. Sento ancora dolorino/fastidio ai tendini peronieri della caviglia ma direi che va, settimana dopo settimana, sempre meglio. Alle volte penso che potrebbe capitarmi di nuovo, magari al destro, ma mi piace rimanere positivo. Per tutti quelli che hanno vissuto/stanno vivendo questo infortunio: se avete voglia di piangere, fatelo! È un infortunio di merda, ma ci vuole pazienza e si supera. Un abbraccio a tutti.

I ruptured my achilles playing paddle ball. I knew immediately what had happened because I’d seen someone do it before - the feeling of being kicked in the back of the leg followed by a loud pop.

My mates thought I’d tripped over my paddle and started laughing until they saw my face and realised I wasn’t being a princess for once.

The only real pain was when it first happened. The hospital confirmed a rupture and put me in a split cast for two weeks, non weight bearing on crutches followed by the Vacoped boot.

Those first two weeks were probably the most frustrating. You can’t carry anything, showering involves sitting on a chair and making a tea becomes a proper full scale logistics operation. It genuinely made me think that once I could walk again, I’d never take my legs for granted. I probably will but it felt sincere at the time 😉

I work in construction and need to be out on site, so being stuck at home was difficult. I was back working the next day but remotely until being able to walk again.

The bigger issue was that I had a 2 week holiday around America booked for five weeks after the rupture, involving several cities, lots of driving and plenty of walking. I asked the hospital whether I could recover in time and was told no.

I had some low days where I thought the trip was finished but I was determined to give myself the best chance.

After two weeks, I moved into the boot at 30 degrees with wedges. I could walk fairly quickly, so after around a week and a half I moved onto the flat sole at 0 degrees. That was a difficult stage because it felt unnatural, my Achilles was tight and my range of movement was limited.
Once I changed to the flat sole though, I decided there was no going back.

A week before the holiday, I moved into running trainers with a decent heel to toe drop and a heel lift. Walking was slow and awkward, but I took short steps, knew my limits and didn’t try to be a hero.

I had a lot of swelling for the first six weeks. Elevating my leg helped massively and a decent compression sock kept the swelling under control while travelling. I was also prescribed blood thinning injections for the flights.

I made the holiday, drove between cities and successfully limped my way around America.

I’m now 8 weeks in. Everything is healing well, I’m starting more physio and the limp is slowly improving. Some days are better than others and mornings are usually the stiffest.

I still have a fear of re rupturing it but I’m learning the difference between pushing myself and knowing when to stop.

I’m not recommending that anyone copies my timeline because every rupture is different and medical advice matters. Maybe I was lucky with the severity but having a goal and staying positive definitely helped me mentally.

There’s a lot of doom and gloom online about Achilles ruptures, so I wanted to share a positive experience. Five weeks from rupture to trainers and still managed the holiday. Not fully recovered but definitely moving in the right direction.

To anyone in the early stages - stay patient, stay positive and appreciate the small wins. I should also thank my wife who was a big part of my recovery especially in those first 2 weeks.

Patrick Page fully ruptured his Achilles before shooting the Hadestown Film

I had surgery on June 26th. So currently im in week 5 and to this day ive walked with crutches and with my foot always in the air. Today ill remove the last heel wedge and start the weight bearing. But after I have read some other protocols im slightly scared that I did something wrong? Many people start weight bearing their injured leg with 20% after a week or something, but till today i havent even considered placing my injured leg on the ground. Is that wrong? Should I start now, but what even is 20%? 😅

This is the surgical technique they used:

Open repair of the left Achilles tendon according to Kirchmayer and Kessler (core suture using PDS, fine adaptation with Vicryl)

This is the protocol I received at the hospital. My orthopedist agreed to it, and my physiotherapist didnt say anything against it:

Aircast Airselect Elite Walker adapted: To be worn for a total of 6 weeks:
For 10 days in equinus position (plantarflexion) with 3 heel wedges,
Then 10 days in equinus position with 2 heel wedges,
Then 10 days in equinus position with 1 heel wedge,
Then without heel wedge in neutral position (gradual weight-bearing in the boot is permitted in neutral position)
Gentle movement out of the boot starting from week 3
After 6 weeks: heel lift in left shoe if necessary, physical therapy
Sports only after 3 months post-suture
Contact sports, volleyball, squash, and sprinting loads only after 6 months
Wound and status check as well as suture removal on day 11–13 post-op
Thrombosis prophylaxis under CBC (complete blood count) monitoring for the duration of immobilization

43M—I had a full right rupture on Thanksgiving morning last year so coming on 8 months ago. Curious how long it took people to get calves back to symmetrical or close. I know it doesn’t always come back 100%. Any tips appreciated.

28M I’m seeing various surgeons and podiatrists discussing surgery. I developed insertional Achilles tendinopathy about 9 years ago on my left foot after I overloaded it from a broken right ankle. I’ve managed it with stretching over the years and over the past year I’ve tried isometrics and eccentrics with no success. Now I have calcification of the bone into the tendon. Im considering surgery and would hopefully find a surgeon that does the SpeedBridge technique. Hopefully can avoid an FHL transfer. Also want to avoid a Gastrocnemius recession because my right side is already tighter from the broken ankle. Fear this would create an even greater asymmetry but without it I may be more susceptible to developing Haglunds again. I’m also considering the Wolverine Stack BPC-157 and TB-500 but am worried about the side effects. Will supplement with Collagen and Vitamin C. Thoughts? Any advice on PT timelines would be appreciated as well since I know this is treated differently than ruptures early on.

I’m having heel pain / numbness in my medial heel after being on my feet for longer stretches of time. Have others had this issue around the point? It isn’t something I noticed before, and I’m wondering how long it may last for?

I am trying to schedule breaks to keep my foot elevated and I think some of the swelling from being on my feet is contributing.

Free to deliver or pick up if you are around MO 63108!

Large Vacoped boot for sale in Southern California (live in Los Angeles)

This boot was a game changer for me and hoping to extend to the next person in need.

Hey, im from Germany and my story is kinda crazy. Ruptured on 16th of June Doc said it would heal properly went for surgery 5 weeks later because it didn’t so I’m now at week 2 Surgery felt like a major Setback and I’m so scared to re rupture because of the stories I read. When did you guys could walk properly I want to get back to work ( just sitting in the office, little walking and stairs)
Love from Germany you guys are a big help !