ankle sprain/partially torn achilles

[ehirsch83]

Alright, so I have somehow partially torn my achilles and sprained my ankle(a grade II sprain). I am pretty sure I did it while doing relay races with the kids at the barn(we had summer camp the other week, and did relay races in the sand rings) and then I continued to ride the horses and the bike and aggravated something that I didn't think was a real concern.

Anyways, the pain set in about a week ago and it hasn't gotten any better, so I finally went to the Ortho today. He was quite impressed with the damage I had done to myself and prescribed for me to wear a fracture boot(one of the moon boot contraptions).

So my question to all of you who have had achilles/ankle issues, were you able to start back on the bike at a high cadence pretty soon, or were you off for a while? I have been off for 2 days and I am severely restless already.

And for the PT people, I looked up the last recent thread where some stretches were given for achilles issues, can I start to use those when I feel like I can get on the bike, or should I be waiting till after I go back for my 2 week follow up to start anything.

I know the doc said not to do anything for the next 2 weeks, but I can't do nothing for that time! maybe I will try to swim? Or will the kicking affect the Achilles tendon?

Any advice on nursing it back to health without being a complete couch potato would be great.

[Kano]

Orthopedists usually know what they're talking about. There's probably a reason he said don't do anything...

A friend of mine recently did a sort of achilles tear thing, and not being able to sit around elevating it slowed her healing time down. She's back in "real shoes" again finally, a month later.

Sometimes, two weeks of nothing beats the tar out of the consequences of doing something because we "can't" do nothing! Perhaps this could be a time when you concentrate on upper body and core stuff?

Karen in Boise

[Jolt]

As far as swimming, would using a pull buoy and not kicking at all be a possibility if the kicking might be a problem?

[Velobambina]

I'm so sorry about your injury.

I'm recently recovered from a bad case of Achilles Tendonitis. I continued riding through the injury, which probably delayed my recovery to a degree. Regardless, my doc told me that "usual" time for recovery is 3-6 weeks--if you don't exercise. Mine took about 6 weeks. I was on anti-inflams, which I stopped taking after about 4 weeks, and I went to PT a couple times.

My best advice is to be patient. My injury was much less severe than yours, so I would listen to the doc. Did he/she prescribe any PT or will that wait 'til after the boot comes off?

I've added the PT ankle exercises to my usual leg strength work. This is an injury I never want to experience again! I've also started wearing Earth shoes to work (they made cute dress shoes, believe it or not!).

[Grog]

Oh I'm so sorry about your injury!

A friend from my club had something similar, although I am not sure how the degrees compare. She was seen at spining with the moon boot! (Dunno if she could fix a cleat to it!) but that was after a while. However, she said she had been too eager to get back on the bike, especially doing some hills, and she paid a heavy price. A year after, she still had to wear the moon boot for part of the day, and her cycling has been seriously curtailed.

It seems like the Achilles is a sensitive area, and that listening to the orthopedist unfortunately seems the only thing to do. You might want to find a doctor who's a cyclist, there's got to be one!

[TexasLuckyDog]

I have stuggled for the last 9 months with foot problems. I'm 48 years old and I can believe this has dragged on this long. I was doing jumping jacks last December and felt something POP in my achilles/heel area. I had to wait a month to see a Dr and then wore a boot. Seemed OK with boot - always swollen in heel/ankle without. Never really was given a good diagnosis - so much soft tissue it is difficult to know what exactly popped loose.

Now trying a massage therapist - given up on Dr. Things are going a little better but he advises nothing but rest. We reached an agreement that a few short rides a week are OK but if things do not improve he will revoke that privledge soon.


I would not underestimate any foot injury - slow to heal and often difficult to diagnose problem.