Achilles Tendon Rupture | 9 month update! *BIG* news with my road to recovery - Part 17

OMG it's been 9 months?! That's like as long as it takes to grow a baby 🤯 😅 Check out this update with where I'm at now and let me know in the comment section if you have any Q's.
xo,
-A
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FAQ ✨
Name: Alexa
Where I’m from: Wisconsin → San Francisco → San Diego
About: I’m a designer! I live, breath, and value design. My background is in Graphic Design and digital Product Design and I’ve worked at a number of tech startups as a Product Designer as well as for larger industry leading tech companies such as Yelp and Zendesk. I’m currently a Senior Product Designer at Zendesk on the growth and monetization team.
Myers-briggs: ENFJ
Education: BFA, Graphic Design
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[@koreankyrie]

Congratulations!🎉. Glad to see the good update!

[@Robynno]

Congratulations! It’s been helpful to watch your updates and hear your optimism. I’m almost 3 weeks post op and had been overwhelmed with the unknowns around timeline and recovery. This has eased a lot. Looking forward to a successful healing journey for us all. God bless you! 😊🎉❤

[@HelloImAlexa]

Awe thank you!! I'm sooo glad you're enjoying these videos and they have been helpful for you. Wishing you a smooth recovery as well 💪

[@alexghdv]

Congrats Alexa 👏 I tore my achilles a few months ago and your vids have really helped track my progress and keep up the motivation

[@HelloImAlexa]

Thank you!! And I'm so glad to hear it. Wishing you a smooth recovery 💪

[@tracimarlowe756]

Congratulations!!! That's very exciting! I found your videos while searching about after having Achilles surgery and coincidentally I was starting a design program. Your videos have been super helpful so thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your positivity and willingness to document and share your journey gave me so hope and motivation to stay positive.

[@HelloImAlexa]

Awe thank you!! 🥲 I'm soooo happy to hear the videos have been helpful for you. Good luck with your recovery journey AND getting into design!

[@ajaykumara7158]

Congratulations

[@nolviaramos8327]

Congratulations on your pregnancy! Your videos have helped me so much through my recovery. thank you for being optimistic and so open about your experience 💖

[@HelloImAlexa]

Thank you!! 🥺 And I'm so glad to hear you've enjoyed these videos. Wishing you the best with your recovery as well!

[@tirrellwalker1321]

Congrats to you and your family! God Bless

[@HelloImAlexa]

Thank you! :)

[@andreaweinberg9111]

Thank you so much, Alexa!! I am one week post surgery and seeing these videos feels like you’re talking to me from the future. This has given me so much strength & optimism - congratulations on your pregnancy!!

[@HelloImAlexa]

Awe yayyy, I'm so happy to hear it! Wishing you a smooth recovery and thank you for the congratulations 🙂

[@BHRAGE]

Congratulations!! 🎉

[@HelloImAlexa]

Thanks so much!

[@shaymia6962]

Congrats 🎉

[@maxwalker7880]

Congrats girl!! Awesome to hear that things are going well. I just recently made 7 months post op from my full tear and it's going well. I'm back to playing 5s full court but just at open gym with people who all know what happened to me. Not playing in league games with randoms ya know. My calves (both) also feel tight and sore after a long or new type of workout, also still feeling a bit tight when I wake up. I can move right away but I'm aware of my leg, looking forward to that leaving but congrats again!! Looking forward to your next update and best of luck with everything

[@HelloImAlexa]

Ahhhh thank you! LOVE hearing this. I think this totally the best way to do it. If I was able to start playing competitively I think this is where I would start, games with friends who know I'm still recovering - gotta get comfortable and back into it. Glad to hear you're back in it 7 months post-op! Hope others reading this can get inspired to get to that point too 💪 Thanks again and best of luck for you as well!

[@joeyyoshi]

WHOA Congrats!

[@HelloImAlexa]

Thank you!!!

[@peace1729]

New too your channel you are so beautiful 😊I ruptured mines two years ago 2inches for you get too the heel 😢I had too have surgery I still have issues now with swelling , scar tissue and stiffness when it gets cold 🥶 and when it’s bout too rain 🌧 I have a long cut but I’ve not ran or play basketball since then.. And I’m glad you doin better and congratulations on your pregnancy ❤

[@arim5045]

Omg HUGE CONGRATS!!! 🎉✨ Also wondering, what type of exercises have you been doing for agility and strengthening. My PT suggested to end sessions even though I barely started progression for running 😅

[@HelloImAlexa]

Thank you!!! 😌 Oh dang… let's see strengthening was a lot of squats, lunges, and calf raises. Agility I think was side by side movements and then the walk to job program which I talk about in one of my previous videos. Hope that helps!

[@melaniemagalis3830]

Congrats on the progress and the baby! I’m almost 6months post achilles rupture and went the surgical route. I had a lot of similar pain on the outer incision in my foot /heal and actually ended up getting the hardware removed at 5 month. Best decision ever as I have no pain and show full healing of my Achilles on my MRI. I’m also at the same stage in my life as you! We’re trying for a family and still recovering from my injury but since it take a year to fully heal why not delay it with a baby 😂😂

[@HelloImAlexa]

Thank you!! Was there hardware in your foot? I don't think I have anything like that in there 👀 I'm glad to hear its working better for you and that you're at a better place with family planning as well 🙂

[@Trails.andponytails]

Congrats on your pregnancy! I’ve been watching all of your videos because I just tore my Achilles 3 weeks ago and also had surgery. I tore mine playing basketball as well. Im 40 and have 5 and 7 year old boys. I had just started playing again when it happened 😢. I don’t even know if I’ll ever play again. Im nervous and don’t ever want to have to go through this recovery again. I can’t work right now because I’m a nurse. This is such a disruptive injury! When my recovery is done I hope to get back to my active lifestyle again though.

[@HelloImAlexa]

Thank you!! And ooof - super tough. You definitely don't need to get back into playing if that's not what you want but from everything I've learned about it, it's totally possible and after recovery your Achilles is stronger than ever (still need to stretch it out and your calf though!). If you're going the surgical route and have a similar protocol to me, I was walking again (with a boot) around the 4th week so if that's the case you could start looking into working again; I could only imagine how tough that would be for you and your family. Sending good vibes your way! LMK if any questions come up.

[@melvinbutler6424]

Thanks for the update I feel horrible I’m 6 months in after surgery I had an infection after the first my leg is still swollen and I have a lot of pain is it anything I could do besides elevation to help it come down, thanks you are very inspirational 🎉

[@HelloImAlexa]

Oh jeez, I'm so sorry to hear that. Perhaps ice could help too? But I recommend asking your medical team for advice since I am not a doctor. Wishing you the best!

[@MrGarciaR23]

What meds did they put you on?

[@HelloImAlexa]

I don't remember exactly - after surgery my medication was prescribed to me. I also was advised to take some over the counter high strength Tylenol at different points in the recovery. Hope that helps!

[@RiShAbH_651]

How long does your swelling lasts after your ATR surgery??

[@HelloImAlexa]

Hmmm I don't quite remember but I do remember icing after the 1st week when I got my splint off… I probably iced a lot more during my first month and a lot less during 2nd month

[@queenjames9026]

Are u still in rehab