Achilles Tendon Rupture, Non-Surgical Recovery | Week 10: Walking, Standing Showers and Exercises

In Week 10 I provide a general update on progress, including showering whilst standing, as well as how I am doing with certain exercises.
Link to "main" Achilles video, "Non-Surgical Recovery, Early Weight-Bearing - Tips for New Patients":
• Tips for Achilles Tend...
Time stamps:
00:26 General update on progress
08:50 Walking demonstration and tips
10:56 Seated Heel Squish and Raises, with BFR and Compression Bandage
13:35 Seated Calf Raises with Weight, with BFR and Compression Bandage
15:10 Standing Calf Raises Weighted 90/10 Left-Right, with BFR
(BFR = Blood Flow Restriction)

[@josephkapembwa7395]

Thank for this sharing. I found it helpful

[@achilles_rupture]

Thanks for letting me know!

[@ajaykumara7158]

Thank you

[@ajaykumara7158]

God speed Scott

[@MosAchillesJourney24]

Thanks for sharing, day 68 myself with an appointment on day 70. Out of the boot for almost 2 weeks now, your rehab here is a bit ahead of mine though. I look forward to the day where I can do what you just showed with the calf raises.

[@achilles_rupture]

Hey Mo, thanks for letting me know. I'm sure you'll get there with the calf raises :) How did you appointment go?

[@MosAchillesJourney24]

@@achilles_rupture hi mate, thankyou, i’m doing some variations such as seated raises with my body crouched over. Also standing raises with much of my weight taken by the bannister (got to start somewhere). Sorry didn’t answer your question, i have work to do on my gait and calf/leg strength. Did you go to the gym at all during your time?

[@achilles_rupture]

@@MosAchillesJourney24 I found the process to to be overall a gradual increase in weights/intensity. So I imagine you'll use the bannister less and less over time, and apply more body weight (or add external weight) to your exercises. Yes, I did go to the gym, but typically used cable machines or similar. Free weights were typically too risky for any kind of trip or stumble. Once the boot was off, it took me a long time to attempt squats or deadlifts, mostly due to fear of re-rupturing!

[@MosAchillesJourney24]

@@achilles_rupture yes need to be patient, only week 11, for what might be a long time. Hope so! Sometimes i feel a bit behind as others are smashing out raises, but hey ho i can’t get into that train of thought. Sounds good, i have seen exercises but like yourself would avoid ones that could force a rupture at this point

[@achilles_rupture]

@@MosAchillesJourney24 it's really easy to compare yourself to others and see where your failings are. But if you look through enough of the comments on my videos, you'll see that some people have been required by their surgeons to refrain from any kind of rehab for weeks or months. So whilst maybe their are ideal timelines/schedules, every individual has their own journey to go down. Part of that is dealing with pain; part of that is finding ways to get the rehab done effectively. Some people end up re-rupturing (such as one of the guys who works at the coffee shop I go to in the morning) whilst others re-rupture again years down the track (like a guy who works in my company - he ruptured one ten years ago and ruptured the other one a few months ago). In any case, hang in there, and compare yourself to yourself :)

[@eagle3203]

So the great thing about this is that I’m at week 10 as well and pretty much where you are at. The only thing I feel that may be different is that weight bearing range of motion. I noticed that you seem to not have as much of an issue raising up past that “80%” you mentioned earlier. My weak point is closer to 50% and is ridiculously weak behind that. It’s so hard for me to go beyond that, to the point that I feel like it’ll never get strong enough to bear even a little bit of my weight. The lower 50% is strong like you’re though. I sure I could do about the same weight as you. Let me know again if that top range strength came back with any real significance.

[@achilles_rupture]

Hey Ian - in short, yes, the top of the range is now definitely stronger than it used to be, although there is still a weird "blip" at about the 80% mark for me. If I had to hazard a guess, it would be that you will need to drop the weight with whatever exercises you're doing and focus on that upper part of the range. The flipside is that not everyone needs that full range - my physio said that if I was doing, say, ballet dancing and needed to be fully extended and support my whole body weight, then it would be more relevant to working on the entire range for full strength. If you haven't already, you can also try raising and lowering both legs at the same time. The brain is more easily able to tell the affected leg what to do when it uses the unaffected leg as a reference. I think gym junkies might call this "mind-muscle connection". The other point to note is that there are two muscles in the calf - one activates when the knee is bent, and the other when the knee is straight. You might find differences in range when doing the seated calf raises versus standing. In any case, I would say this is something you definitely need to ask your physio about, since I can only relate to my own experience. There may be other things going on that I'm unaware of!

[@sherryjellison]

You will get there!

[@achilles_rupture]

Agreed with Sher :)

[@ajaykumara7158]

Almost 5 months of post operation I am slowly walking full rupture

[@achilles_rupture]

Nice work Ajay. As they say, "Slow and steady wins the race". Keep up with those exercises and you'll progress to running easily :)

[@lefthook701]

Hi mate just curious what martial arts you do? Im wondering how your injured leg feels like throwing a leg kick or something on a heavy bag. I indulged too much with food during this recovery process gotta lose some weight

[@achilles_rupture]

Hey Von Martin, I do a modified version of American Kenpo - modified in that a number of the old techniques and katas have been removed, and replaced with a bunch of MMA-inspired ideas, styles (including ground fighting) and sparring. Kicking a heavy bag is a not a problem for the achilles; that typically engages my quads. The achilles and calf get tired quickly when doing repeated movements like leaping or a jumping. That said, I could work on that sort of endurance, but because I don't need to leap/jump all the time, then I end up prioritising other things. How about yourself? I notice your username is left hook :) How many weeks/months are you post-rupture?

[@lefthook701]

I do boxing and muay thai just for the exercise. Im still anxious about getting a rerupture so gonna be picky with hobbies. Im 9.5 weeks non op and starting early gait training​. Cant wait to be more active but im just happy to be walking now. Your videos have been a great source of informatio thanks heapsn@@achilles_rupture

[@Anthony11777]

Hello Scott this is Navayo From Holland here. How are you? In 8 weeks time I was of the crutches and the boots and cleared by the doctor. I only suffer from moisture at the archilles tendon area. What did you do in order To diminish that. It slows up the healing proces. And what did you do To prevent To get re-ruptured?

[@achilles_rupture]

Hey Navayo, I'm doing well thanks. Glad to hear you have lost the crutches and boot! By moisture in the achilles tendon area, do you mean fluid build-up next to the tendon, under the skin? If so, I would use both hands, with fingers straight and side-by-side, then place the finger tips of each hand to each side of the achilles down close to the heel, then kind of "drag" upwards towards the calf muscle. It doesn't have to be that hard - just kind of "massaging" the fluid up from the heel and alongside the achilles towards the calf. As for preventing re-rupture - I would say I was careful not to go beyond my limits. If the physiotherapist said "no running or jumping", then I would definitely stay away from any of that. The warning sign he told me about, was that tendon aches were normal after exercises and working the achilles out. However, if the ache/pain lasted more than 24 hours, it was time to cut back on whatever caused it to feel that pain.

[@Anthony11777]

@@achilles_rupture How many times a week did you get physiotherapy and how long per session. Our healthcare system is completely stripped down. We only get 25 min. per session. So I have to pay extra if I want more.

[@achilles_rupture]

@@Anthony11777 at first I was going once per week. Then I think roughly around the 6 or 8-week mark, it became every 2 weeks. Then later on every 3-4. I started with public healthcare, but I didn't have much confidence in the physiotherapist that had been assigned to me. So I went to a private physio who specialises in sports rehabilitation. He's expensive, but is probably the best medical practitioner I have ever been a patient of. I have private health insurance, but it's a fairly basic package, which only reduced the cost per session by about 20%. Total cost was about AUD$85 (~50 euro) per 30 minute session. It was a bigger expense than I wanted, but I also wanted to get back to work and training for martial arts in the best way I could.

[@Anthony11777]

@@achilles_rupture Thanks for your reply! I’m in a similar situation as you. I have no much trust in the one who was assigned To me. They are not related to sport injuries. Now I go to a private one as well, where I need To pay for. The injury of the torn is higher in my case. It is not near the heel, but higher towards the calf. I need to take the fluit out from there With some massage.

[@ajaykumara7158]

​@@achilles_ruptureIn india quite cheaper and best. In Holland I was misdiognised saying nothing happened so after 2 weeks I air-dashed here and healed In 5 months

[@FrisodenBoer]

Hi Scott, I ruptures my achilles tendon of my right leg 6 weeks ago. The rupture was high up against the muscle structure, so it is healing. When did you start driving a car?

[@achilles_rupture]

Hi Friso, sorry to hear about your rupture but good to hear that you're 6 weeks in and things are healing! I got back to driving during the 11th Week (closer to the 12th, if memory serves me correctly). You can find that video, and others, in a youtube playlist I created regarding my progress and exercises at kzbin.info/aero/PLsTgkKF-ywMP21a9mJRxC73My6rfKuNpO Did you have surgery or opt for the non-surgical method?

[@FrisodenBoer]

@@achilles_rupture hi Scott, thank you for your reply. Due to the fact that the rupture was high up on the tendon ( close to the muscle tissue ) an operation was not an option. These "high up" ruptures tend to heal good due to more blood supply. However the revalidation process stays the same and I cannot bent time to my favor :-)

[@achilles_rupture]

@@FrisodenBoer you're the first one I've talked to that has had a rupture high up the tendon/closer to the muscle. Interesting to hear that surgery is not even an option, but that kind of makes sense in a way (I imagine the tendon-to-muscle transition is highly intricate and not something the typical surgeon would be able to assist with much, haha). Best wishes for the rest of the recovery process - unfortunately the inability to be able to bend time to one's favour is a frustration shared by all achilles rupture patients!

[@Pabiabobmel2007]

Hellow sir i am a filipino and have my achillis tendon rupture by playing basketbal. I watch ur videos and i have many question too u sir about my achillis tendon rupture

[@achilles_rupture]

Hey Wilson, sorry to hear about your rupture. From what I understand, basketball is a pretty common way to do it! How many days has it been since you rupture? Have you had an ultrasound?

[@Pabiabobmel2007]

@@achilles_rupture Sir why you choose to non surgical?

[@Pabiabobmel2007]

@@achilles_rupture its been 8 days and i dont have an utrasound yet i dont have enough money to go to the privite hospital

[@achilles_rupture]

@@Pabiabobmel2007 yeah fair enough, private hospitals can be quite expensive. I went to a public hospital. Regarding the non-surgical choice, I explain it a bit in my "main" video for new patients starting at 3m19s: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXuyhYmnrs6IhJo But in summary, the surgeon said: 1) That I had the option of either surgical or non-surgical 2) The outcomes for either option, using the Willets rehabilitation protocol, were roughly the same. There was a slightly higher chance of re-rupture without surgery, but with surgery there's a chance of infection in the ankle, which he said can be devastating. 3) The rehab time for either option, also using the Willets protocol, was roughly the same. So ultimately I saw little benefit in the risk of ankle infection for a slightly higher chance of avoiding re-rupture. I ended up looking at the Willets (2010) study and found that out of the group that they studied (about 150 people total), one extra person who chose non-surgical re-ruptured compared to the surgical group. So applying some statistical knowledge - 150 people isn't a huge group of people to study, and ultimately an extra one or two either way could just be bad luck as opposed to something to do with the method of rehab.

[@rbm4190]

Hello mate, at what month you are comfortable standing long hours without aching the AT or the Heel ? im planning to work standing job on week 10 or 11 but i will be wearing my moon boot as what my Doctor advised.. do you think i can manage a standing job while on a boot? Thanks

[@achilles_rupture]

That's probably a bit hard for me to say. It'll depend on how your rehab is going and how much you are able to keep standing leading up to Week 10/11. Unfortunately tendon rehab is a gradual, linear process of continuous improvement. This is in contrast to, say, broken bones that are basically good to go after 6-8 weeks (depending on your age) just through rest. What week are you at now? I would guess that if you can tolerate standing in the boot for a few hours in the lead up to Week 10/11 then you might have a good chance of building up to a full day. The moon boot provides a lot of support and can take a lot of weight. But at the same time, you might find that other parts of your leg start to get irritated from the constant pressure. I ended losing some nerve sensitivity on the front of my shin from the moon boot (but thankfully this came back in time). So ultimately... your mileage may vary. Sorry I can't be more specific. Perhaps a physiotherapist could give you a better prediction?

[@hawkh20]

You think you'll make an update video?? 👀👀

[@achilles_rupture]

Yes, I still have plans to produce more videos, I guess I just keep failing to put those plans into action! Is there anything in particular you are wanting to find out? Did you rupture your Achilles?

[@hawkh20]

@@achilles_rupture I relate to your story well, as I too am a martial artist primarily kickboxing. How is movement can you explode off the tendon any? How's running or jumping? Do you now pass the Thompson test? How's life going outside the achillies day to day? Future expectations for healing/progress? Really anything you're willing to share 😅😅😇

[@achilles_rupture]

@@hawkh20 Gotcha, pretty much similar to questions I had at the start. Well, 3.5 years later, I'm back doing everything I want to be doing. It took me about a year before I'd done enough rehab and felt comfortable enough to go back to sparring. It was maybe another 6 months of sparring before I felt I could surge forward fast enough without sensing I was missing power. Mind you, I could probably still work on that more. But my goals with the physiotherapist and the exercises he gave me were to help address this. Meanwhile, what I didn't really focus on was sprinting or jumping. I did end up building up to sprinting in the lead up to my black belt grading about a year ago, but I'm still not great at jumping. I used to be able to touch a basketball ring but now I'm pretty sure I can't get close. That said, it's about what you train for, what goals and what exercises you do. So today, yes the Thompson test is easily passed. In fact, you might be surprised how quickly you end up at a "pass mark". No issues in day to day activities. The Achilles feels a tad sore randomly every now and then... seems to need slightly more warming up (just walking) after getting out of bed some mornings. I have zero concerns here. The main thing that I think I'm missing is some more bulk to my affected calf. Other than that, life is pretty much back to normal. Hope this helps :)

[@hawkh20]

@@achilles_rupture Wow ok this helps a lot I screenshoted. This makes me very happy to hear you made a full recovery. I hope to make similar progress. I'm 24 and about 2 months in soon to be leaving the boot. BEST OF LUCK IN LIFE TO YOU!!!!

[@achilles_rupture]

@@hawkh20 thanks mate, much appreciated. At age 24, you'll likely make a quicker recovery than I did. Just do your best to get good medical advice (e.g. exercises relevant to your needs) and keep up the discipline! Keen to hear how you progress in the coming months!

[@clarke2047]

Hey Scott how is your Achilles feeling now, you haven’t recorded for half a year , wonder if everything is ok?

[@achilles_rupture]

Hey Clarke, yes all going great - nice to know there is someone out there checking up on me! Funnily enough, it was around 6 months ago when I started a new project for work which requires a lot of time away from home. As a result, some of my hobbies or side interests have taken a hit! It might still be a while before I get around to editing and uploading my footage. Is there something specific you're keen to hear about from my perspective?

[@clarke2047]

Glad to hear toi are doing ok, I watched a lot of videos but yours stood out and I’m following your steps, I’m on my 6 week non op, from Vancouver Canada. Router mine playing soccer March 2nd playing soccer, I’m doing my pt my self, i start full weight bearing on my 3 rd week, and exercises early. I worries about rerupture sometimes as I hear many people non op re-rupture doing physio on Facebook group ( Achilles rupture ) Are you back to 100%, how was your journey? l love playing soccer and I’ve had many injuries sound so, cracked ribs broken bones and now this one ;( I don’t think I should play again, but I don’t know if I can anyway after this injury. I’m 42 by the way.

[@achilles_rupture]

@@clarke2047 thanks mate, nice to know my videos stood out to you! :) I'm curious: were you playing soccer on a hard floor? At least, the most common achilles rupture causes (from my understanding) are court sports, especially in 30-45 year old males aka "weekend warriors", which I'm sure you've heard of before. That said, I know one lady who lives in my city who ruptured her achilles whilst walking out of the ocean onto the beach. Totally understandable that you worry about re-rupture - I worried about it quite a lot. From my understanding, the first six weeks are when the tendon is most vulnerable, and after that it kind of "sets". However, it's certainly not like breaking a bone (which is usually good to go after about 6 weeks). Instead, tendon rupture rehab is a continuous and ongoing process of improvement. That said, I don't know what the Facebook group members are basing their claims upon. The main scientific study I'm aware of is the Willits (2010) one where they compared two groups of ~75 patients. It's possible that the FB group members have a more comprehensive and up-to-date study that I haven't yet heard of, although I think it's more likely that they're relying on anecdotal evidence. It could also be that some of the people who have joined the group are less likely to adhere to the same medical advice as those who went through surgery, so that makes it more like comparing apples to oranges. But if there are other studies you're aware of comparing the differences, please let me know! Regarding whether I'm back to 100% - it's kind of yes and no. "Yes" in the respect that I'm doing everything I want to do without noticing or being let down by my achilles or calf. However, it's "no" in that the calf muscle is still not the same size as the unaffected side, and I don't have the full power in my affected side that I used to have (e.g. jumping to touch a basketball ring is something that I probably can't do). That said, these things are more of my own fault for not persisting with exercises and going back to the physiotherapist to ask for more advice and more relevant exercises. I guess it's all to do with what you're aiming for, and whether or not the rehab/exercises support you in that (ongoing and continuous) journey. I think at age 42 you're still not out of picture, but it's something you might have to build back slowly towards. For me personally, I'll never play any court sports because I really really *really* do not want to go through the rehab process again. Luckily at this age I have no strong desire to play basketball (or go skateboarding) anyway! But obviously the martial arts are important to me, so most of my rehab was geared towards that and getting back on the mat, sparring and hitting/kicking boxing bags again. I still recommend you consider a sports rehab physiotherapist, even if you don't visit them that often. One of the things that came out of my physio sessions was ultrasounds and achilles tendon measurements - it turned out that my unaffected achilles was still a bit thin and needed some work as well. A good physio will be able to give you an idea of what you need to do and how likely/soon it might be that you can get back to soccer. My guess is it's possible, but it will be that slow, ongoing process of building back more and more. Hope this helps :)

[@clarke2047]

Thanks Scott that’s really helped. There is new study latest was in 2019 I will send you a link you can watch, kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnXbmYmtlp53idk You are totally correct I was playing indoor soccer in hard surface, I was blaming myself not warming up enough, then later I figured there ara a lot of people like me ;) I strongly device you to join the Facebook group 6.8 k members all had Achilles rupture, It’s called Achilles tendon rupture group

[@achilles_rupture]

Hey Clarke, your and another viewer's comments motivated me to get on with publishing my next video. I just uploaded it if you want to check it out.