Last Thursday I blew out my achilles tendon (complete rupture) playing racquetball.  Surgery set for Monday, followed by 8 weeks of immobility, then months of PT. 

In the blink of an eye, two canoe trips cancelled.  Just glad I got my "big" trip earlier this month.

Anyone have experience with this injury?  Thoughts, advice, perspective are welcome. 

prouboy

My trip partner blew out his Achilles playing flag football. His first surgery was an attempt to repair the Achilles, the surgery did not hold and he re-injured the tendon 3  months later. He then had a second surgery where the removed a tendon from his foot.

That said he was planning on going on a trip 6 months after the 1rst surgery, until he re-injured the tendon. There was nothing to indicate that he was not going to be able to go. With injury he backed out. He had the second surgery in September and he did go on the trip the next year (In late August).

He took it slow and carried a ski pole, but never used it. By the end of the trip he even carried the canoe and a pack on a couple of portages. (We single portage) The only other change he made is switching to a hiking boot, from a wet shoe.

My buddy was 32 at the time of his injury,

Sorry to hear of your injury, Mike.  Prayers as you have surgery and begin PT.

We'll be thinking of you and awaiting an update.

Sorry to hear about the injury, Mike. One of my tripping partners just had the same injury--playing racquetball--and had to cancel this year.

I have a tendonosis in one of my Achilles, and I have to be constantly aware of what I'm doing to make sure I don't have further injury. It's a pain indeed.

Best  wishes in getting back out there.

Sorry to hear the news, Mike.  I know if that ever happened to me I'd be devastated, as I'm sure you are.  I'll pray not only for the docs to fix you up right but also for you to keep a positive spirit throughout the rehab.

Sorry to hear about your injury.  Here's hoping for successful surgery and easy rehab.   

Hang in there.  My paddling partner had knee replacement surgery this off season.  After hobbling over lots of portages the last couple of seasons, it looks like he is fixed up and ready to go this year!  So, stay with it.  I'm sure you'll be rarin' to go by next season (and it will be all the sweeter after a little layoff).

dd

Very sorry about your injury and missed trips.
Having never had surgery of any kind I can understand your apprehension.
Patience, especially in a situation like this, really is a virtue.

I have Achilles Tendinitis in both feet that require constant vigilance to keep from getting worse. My weekend shift job, 3 -12 hour days on concrete floors doesn't help one little bit.

I'm hoping I can avoid a partial/complete tear long enough to have the time to let them heal-up properly.

Here's hoping your back doing what you love, sooner rather than later

Puckster wrote on Jun 28^th, 2011 at 12:02am:


Great news. Now the fun begins. Keep your focus on the endgame and easy does it. Just consider it a long winter break where reviewing old posts, planning and studying maps gets you through. Here's to a full recovery.

J

Congrats, slow down and smell the coffee as you are now becoming a "senior".  Better to be in the game and slow, then broken and on the sidelines.  Your fast days were in the past, let 'em go!

Couldn't resist the jab.  Here's to a fantastic upcoming tripping year!

Congrats on your fast recovery.
Now that your officially a "senior" tripper, you can really enjoy the ride.
Nothing to prove, just go with the flow and work smarter not harder

Quote:


Don't confuse taking time to smell the coffee with going slow all the time.
You trip smart, you know when to push and when to back off and take that camp day.

I'm guessing your going to probably always have some stiffness in that Achilles tendon.
I know with my tendinitis sitting for a long time in a chair or a canoe seat, tightens it up.

Being smarter now, I stretch it out before jumping out of a chair or before I hoist a pack.
A few minutes of loosening up is far better than tearing off like a kid and re-injuring yourself and ruining your trip and someone else's too.

I see people fighting wind/waves/rain while I'm snug and warm under my tarp with a fire going and a hot coffee in my hand.
They disappear from sight and I wonder how far ahead of me their effort got them?
I'm usually on the water by 7 am travel days and 90% of the time in a couple of hours I'll pass them at their campsite where they're drying out wet gear or so beat up they need a camp day on what should be a beautiful travel day.

That's what I call Senior/Smart tripping. Using your brain and not just your back.

Don't worry too much about acting younger than your body...your body will win, and tell you so when the time is right...like yesterday....

Impressive scar!  I have one like that a little to the side when I tore my peroneal tendon about 30 years ago in college, first trying to mimic an all-pro cornerback and then stupidly trying to impress a cute girl as an all-Amernican point guard....still feels weird to rub the area and feel...well...nothing...

But at least I can still paddle and portage and catch some fish....

My scars from my ankle surgery have little to no feeling in the actual scar area.  One was 5 years ago and the other was 2 years ago.

Mk631 wrote on Feb 2^nd, 2012 at 9:15pm:


Hey Tom, at risk diverging this thread to another topic, your phrase quoted above makes me think how my internal thoughts about the QP have caused me to be extremely cautious when it comes to alcohol and driving.  It's to the point that I won't drive if I have more than 1 drink.  It's just not worth jeopardizing entry into god's country. 

prouboy

solotripper wrote on Feb 2^nd, 2012 at 10:57pm:


Well put S_T!


prouboy

Hey Mountain_Paddler, the guy who introduced me to the QP is 71 as well.  He and I have been tripping in Canada each year for the last 20 years, and we will be going again this year on a 10 day trip this year, looping through the northern part of the QP.  I hope to be able to be doing this, and still have the "fire in my belly" when I'm your and his age.  YOU two inspire ME!!

prouboy