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Ruptured Achilles
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Author:  BMo [ Mon Jan 13, 2014 9:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Ruptured Achilles

I've been quiet on the boards…ruptured my left Achilles 4/20/2013 in a DIII 200m race. Coming off the curve and pop! Felt like I was headed for a sub-24s time too. :o Oh well. Anyway, had surgery, cast, PT, etc. Been running for the past 3 months and slowly coming back. Highlights include a recent 5K in 19:27 (6:16), a mile in 5:44, a 400 in 63. Don't think I'll be sprinting again or racing in spikes, but maybe I'll race some 800's or 1500's. Definitley a lot of 5K's. Hope to see y'all out there. Drag getting' old!

Author:  Roger Parnell [ Wed Jan 15, 2014 2:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Ruptured Achilles

I am sorry to hear about your injury, but impressed with your rate of recovery. Are you being told that the short sprints are out for good? It seems to me that there are other masters athletes who have returned to sprinting after Achilles surgery. Since there are many of us aging athletes who risk this injury on a regular basis, it might be valuable to know how you are arriving at this very difficult decision. Regardless, the very best of luck on your future competitions.

Author:  BMo [ Mon Jan 20, 2014 8:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Ruptured Achilles

Hey Roger, thanks for your thoughts! My foot & ankle Ortho has 33yrs under his belt and has Tx'd a lot of athletes (I live in Eugene - UO Ducks). When I asked him if he thought I'd be stupid to sprint again he said, without hesitation, "No!". Problem is, when it happened I had NO WARNING! No sore tendon before, no symptoms whatsoever. One step and it was all over! Bottom line is, I don't want to go through it all again. So even though it can happen with running in general, it's less likely if I'm not sprinting and less likely without spikes on. So for now, I'm a 5k - 1 mile guy. We'll see how long that lasts.

Author:  fidel [ Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Ruptured Achilles

You're in my age group so go with the 5k's...:).

If you like to sprint, then I say sprint. But, if you also get the same satisfaction from seeing your mile/5k times improve then go with distance. Something tells me you want to get back in the blocks. I know I do.

Author:  Roger Parnell [ Tue Jan 21, 2014 2:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Ruptured Achilles

I agree with Fidel. Do what you want to do. Many of us have been through injuries that we would not like to revisit. However, it is good information that your surgeon gave the green light on sprinting again.......you should ever change your mind. Thanks for sharing. Hope to get up to the Hayward Classic this spring(best non-championship meet in the country). I will look for you in the 5k.

Author:  danw34 [ Wed Jan 22, 2014 9:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Ruptured Achilles

BMo

Go where your heart takes you. We all want to get better at our events. Sometimes compensating for an injury is good but doesn't give you the satisfaction of you primary events. Keep training and your body will tell you where and what events you'll feel comfortable doing.

Dan

Author:  BMo [ Wed Jan 22, 2014 10:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Ruptured Achilles

Good advice y'all…we'll see. The 5k's are fun but truly nothing like running a 54s 400! Now THAT'S fun!!!

Author:  tonyb [ Sun Feb 02, 2014 8:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Ruptured Achilles

Hey BMO,

Sorry to hear about the Achilles injury, but glad to hear you are running again. Keep up the hard work my friend.

Tony
Coachtonysprintcoach.com

Author:  Brian McKinley [ Thu Feb 06, 2014 8:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Ruptured Achilles

BMo,

Thanks for sharing your experience - hope you recover fully.

I'll offer a slightly different experience from an older (age 61) athlete. I ruptured my left Achilles tendon on Feb. 10, 2013 while playing basketball. Like you, there was no previous pain, no warning, not even a particularly forceful movement that caused the rupture. Surgery was a week later. The killer was 6 weeks of putting zero weight on my left leg - calf atrophy was very bad. Two courses of PT and a year later, I have resumed whitewater kayaking, road biking, light weights, lots of walking and some jogging. Still fighting some swelling in the lower leg after workouts and the left calf is still much weaker, but improving.

In general, it has seemed much harder to repair injuries and build muscle strength after age 55 than before. BMo and Fidel have both described their experiences returning from Achilles tendon rupture in their 40s. Can any older athletes point to success in returning to sprinting after Achilles rupture? I would like to return to hurdling (Hi, Roger!), but my surgeon suggested that sprinting, hurdling, and basketball may not be a good idea at this point.

Brian

Author:  Roger Parnell [ Tue Feb 11, 2014 3:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Ruptured Achilles

It is great to hear from you Brian. I am sorry to hear about your injury. Racing against you was always a highlight reel for me. I do see your point about putting an age factor in such a decision. I know that, at my age (65 in May), staying off the injured list becomes an ever increasing challenge. While I completely support the decision that you and B'Mo have made, I will be rooting for both of your comebacks. Would really like to step across a set of hurdles against you again Brian. You are a class act on and off the track.

Author:  BMo [ Mon Feb 17, 2014 12:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Ruptured Achilles

Managed an 800 in 2:30 and a 400 in 60.4 last week. Little by little.

Author:  danw34 [ Mon Feb 17, 2014 7:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Ruptured Achilles

BMo,

Great job!!! I like the 800 time but really like the 400 time. Shows that you are recovering nicely. Keep up the good work. Starting to get some speed back. Good job!!!

Dan

Author:  tonyb [ Mon Feb 17, 2014 9:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Ruptured Achilles

BMo,

Looks like you are progressing nicely. The 800 and 400 times are quite impressive at this point in your recovery.

Tony
coachtonysprintcoach.com

Author:  BMo [ Mon Feb 24, 2014 11:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Ruptured Achilles

Thanks for the kind words fellas! Did a 5 x 800 w/o today and on the last one my training partner stepped it up. I stayed with him until the top of the curve then went by w/ about 120m to go, finished in 2:28. Damn that was fun!!! Looks like the track is gonna suck me back in this spring!!

Author:  BMo [ Sat May 10, 2014 9:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Ruptured Achilles

Well, at 12 months & 12 weeks post-Achilles repair I had my first real race…the masters exhibition 400m at the UO meet. Just had to trust the tendon would hold, and it did. I really wasn't thinking about it during the race. Was focusing more on general race issues…and the stiff wind off the back curve! Anyway, managed a 56.79 FAT. Not bad for a season opener. It's mildly sore today, day 1 after race. About 3/10. I think I'll take a few days off. Feels good to be back!

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