Week 11: Achilles Tendon Rupture Non-Surgical - Kobe Bryant Protocol

Week 11: Achilles Tendon Rupture Non-Surgical - Kobe Bryant Protocol
Discussion points:
- Started static stretching
- Kobe Bryant protocol
- Marbles exercise
- Returning to sport

[@themack38]

I don’t normally comment on videos but this is superb! Well done, your timeline is excellent and very informative, I’m at week 8 and you’ve helped me massively! Thank you 🙏🏾

[@gregkasfikis3339]

Ive ruptured my achilles, diving into a pool. I was on holiday. Took an 11hr flight back home and went to the hospital, this was 5 days after it happened. Have gone the non-surgical route as the tendon ends were touching. Your videos are really helping me get through this so thank you!

[@James-od9dm]

Thank you for helping all of us. The best advice I heard was that you can always stretch a short tendon. It is impossible to shorten it. SO being careful is far better than being too quick.

[@michelleryan1771]

I'm at week four and your videos lift my spirits. Thanks for making them

[@leoedgemon6856]

Thank you bro! These vids are giving me strenght to recover! God bless

[@jeffreyzella3727]

Hey SJ, great videos. I ruptured mine playing lacrosse and I’m currently at week 11 (non surgical). Just wanted to tell you that I’ve been following your videos as I progress through my own recovery and it’s really helped me. I really believe in early weight bearing and ROM exercises for gaining strength around the newly healed tendon. In fact, I had a scare at the beach last weekend where I stepped into a hole in the sand resulting in DF way past neutral. Fortunately I did not rerupture and I credit that to the fact that the surrounding muscles have at least some strength. Anyway, thanks again for sharing your story. I still have a long road so I’ll keep checking in!

[@obiecrenshaw]

SJ is a life saver! I appreciate you for taking the time, while going thru the pain, to make these videos. You helped so many people (as i read in the comments), and myself. I am in my 12 month recovery and i feel fine, just some stiffness, due to me going back to normal life around month 4, and i stopped stretching as much. thanks you so much, and for the newbies that just tore, FOLLOW HIS INSTRUCTIONS, Stay a couple weeks ahead (still follow week by week) of SJ videos, and YOU WILL BE FINE!

[@kingxkobe24]

Currently on week 10 thank you for the video

[@MrBREEDENK]

Hi SJ. Just awesome documentary on this injury. I'm at week 7 (Ruptured 1 November 2023 pushing a heavy object in the back yard....POP) and right on track with your recovery and challenges as I compare with my conservative protocol and non-surgery decision. I have the same fears as you discuss. I fly for a living and hope to push the rudders again as soon as I am safe to do so. Thank you for your superb well-spoken contributions to us all recovering from this unique time-consuming injury!

[@andyvaldez212]

I appreciate your videos very much. For someone who had the surgery, I've been walking and stretching my achilles all the way to the wall since week 8 post op... I say that only to say that surgery really helps the progression of healing for those who are considering it. I'm currently at week 10 and can flex my achilles all the way to wall and more even... I credit surgery for it.

[@robertsarbo7795]

I want to thank you so much for all these videos. I believe I looked add all of them up till your three month one. I chose non-operative as well but I chose the cast. Actually I was in a boot for two weeks until I had the MRI done and thenI went into a fiberglass cast for three weeks with the cast pointing downward and now I am in my second week in the neutral position. I intend to make more comments as the days go on

[@wmj731987]

Injured calf almost looks like the other!!! Wealth of information SJ, keep it up mate

[@eternity6124]

Part of the whole "not wanting to stretch it as much" could be because of the fear of hurting it again - it really is an injury that you dont want to have , it really changes your life.

[@olstigger]

Hey SJ, im on week 10. Really good videos. Thanks for this series.

[@juicytin14]

Hey SJ, thanks for your insight on the healing long situation. I've had that same conversation with my physio, and they have recommended that I don't start stretching to the 12 week mark, so I think it's just something that is still early in its days of research and that many people don't fully understand yet, which is why there are so many differing opinions about it. Like you, I've also read a lot of things online and felt very scared about this whole prospect of healing long (since I am very keen into getting back into sports), and also like you, I am extremely tight because of all the immobilisation! I was very similar to your previous video where if I tried to do a bodyweight squat, I couldn't go down more than a few cm before my leg just completely limited my movement (and this is with my lifted shoes on), and there is a 10+ cm of difference in terms of ROM when it comes to the knee to wall test... so it feels like I am worrying a lot about nothing, but I think it pays to be safe. I think I will listen to my PT and not stretch until the 12 week mark (I am currently at the 8-9 week mark and just begun walking in shoes with a lift), since there doesn't really seem to be a downside to delaying it and I don't want to go against his protocol, but it is interesting to see different viewpoints from different practitioners. I am still doing all the other exercises like standing calf raises and balance training, so I think I am still making good progress in terms of strength gains, but I'll probably be walking for a limp for a while longer!

[@ErinLeppek]

I believe that Kobe's repair was done using a graft from his big toe, so the marble activity may be more related to that particular aspect rather than the Achilles repair.

[@SJachilles]

Ah, maybe. Didn't realise he got a graft!

[@DJJOHNNIEJOHNSON]

Thank you for these videos!

[@lewiswilliams3602]

Nice I hope that u feel better

[@carlosdasilva4236]

I is not necessary to use crutches, nor boots neather dorseflex,. From day one you just need to avoid forcing the pain and you are ready to go. I am on week 6 and I am already walking almost normally

[@analic4977]

I was wondering if you count the week from time of injury or after surgery and cast. I had Achilles rupture with 5-6 weeks in cast + 6 weeks in boot and pt started from beginning of boot - mainly range of motion. And wk 14 after boot was stretching and more rigorous exercises that you show here. Your timeline seems faster so I was wondering … thanks for great video, watching the whole journey:)

[@josea.ferradal2399]

Hey SJ, what gap had your rupture?. Thanks.

[@gregkasfikis3339]

Oh im week two in the cast. Slipped and fell today, hurt quite a lot so I'm so worried I've done some damage.

[@duonghoang5649]

Your videos allows to me to see hope at the end of this stupid injury and eases me when i watch your video! I just spent my first 3 days in the boot and i just looked at the rupture area, it is quite "meaty" where the bottom of the calf and still alittle bit of an indent where it happened, did you analyze yours around the week 2-3 mark and was did you see abit of an indent where your injury occurred as well? Also! did you elevate your feet in the boot when you sleep?

[@SJachilles]

Hi Duong, I must admit I didn't really look at it much in the first few weeks because I only ever took the boot off for 5 minutes every hour for ROMs. But it would have definitely been swollen (it still is) and the indent was there but I can't remember when it went away. I never elevated the foot during sleep. Whenever I was parallel, it felt fine but I do know others who like to put a pillow under it. Anyway you're getting closer to weight bearing so just look forward to that because it makes life much easier.

[@duonghoang5649]

My foot isn't swollen at all but the tendon area that runs in the middle of the bottom calf being stiff with very little pain. Our canadian summer begins in Canada end of May so hoping I can make a comeback to the golfing season by mid-end of June!! (there's hoping to not pay full club fees and only play 2 rounds at the end!) I am forever grateful for your channel because it allows me another set of guidance!!

[@SJachilles]

It's hard for me to work out what it's like but just ignore it (remember it's a serious injury so will look and feel weird for a while) and keep doing your ROMs every hour. Obviously ask your doc about any concerns you might have. In terms of golf, I'm pretty confident I could return with a half decent game now but I've got no deadlines so I'm being patient and right now targeting the 4 month mark to try and play a round in a cart. Let's see how things go!

[@duonghoang5649]

have you started to drive?!

[@SJachilles]

Yeah never stopped driving because in Australia we are on the right hand side of the car and hence drive with the right foot.

[@stewy313]

Did you still feel a gap when you rubbed over your achilles?

[@jfierro7537]

Thanks for the videos , definitely helps the recovery process .. I’m a currently six weeks in , and just really want to be able to do some sort of cardio at the gym again. Were you disciplined sleeping with your boot ?

[@SJachilles]

Yes, very disciplined. I always wore the boot until i was officially out at week 8.

[@leoedgemon6856]

Hello SJ! I hope youll find time to read this comment? I have been stretching it for weeks now and im at around 3to4 cm from the wall. My question is, is it normal for my heel to hurt? And i have had swelling all day because im working, but it usually leave in the mornjng as i wake up. Is it niemal? And how long will i have this swelling? Thank you

[@leoedgemon6856]

Im on my 11th week up to thursday,

[@babithk]

Hey SJ what is the exercise you are talking about around the 12:12 mark of the video?

[@SJachilles]

babithk you can find me demonstrating this exercise in my week 4 video. I don’t do it anymore since I’m now doing proper calf raises but it was great for the first 8 weeks of the injury. Good luck.

[@babithk]

SJ appreciate the feedback. Im just about a week ahead of you post op. Similar exercises but definitely good hearing you out bro. Great stuff on what kobe did for his. Lets get it

[@SJachilles]

babithk thanks. How is your flexibility and strength going?

[@babithk]

SJ my ROM is pretty good in terms matching with my good foot when doing planter flexion and dori flexion stretches in the air however its tight and stiff when doing that knee to wall test. Strength is getting better slowly but still have long ways to go

[@JasonGBASKETBALL22]

I have such a similarity with your stretch that you do when you pushed to the wall! I just got back from the physio and he told me its time to really stretch it out, as when he initially measured me I was 12 cm! then he gave me a ankle and calf massage and it went to 9cm. So now I have to this 3 times a day and hold for about 30- 1 minute to get that flexibility in my ankle back. I was also concerned with stretching last week so I was initially only doing a towel stretch where I would put the towel around the ball of my feet and pull towards me. But yeah my physio said not to be concerned now as it's quite tight and we are now aiming to loosen up the ankle/ tendon. Hopefully I can progress over this next week! I am at 10.5 weeks and confident to walk around the house or indoors without boot. But whenever I go outside on uneven footpaths, I just don't feel the confidence. At what week did you ditch the boot completely and walk around outside or in large crowds? Thanks for the video, and for anyone watching who is going through this, just be patient , things improve a lot like SJ said when you get out of the boot and are more weight bearing each day.

[@SJachilles]

You were 12cm away from the wall? Wow that's tight. I would definitely get cracking with the stretching. I wouldn't worry about healing long at the point you are at.

[@JasonGBASKETBALL22]

Yep I was very tight haha, I have definitely worked on this knee to wall stretch the last 3 days, yesterday was at 9-8cm, now today I could get to 7 cm so happy with that progress so far. Hoping by next Friday when I see my Physio next i can get to about 3cm.

[@AbdulBasit-ie6mo]

Brother thank you for the information. Can you tell me when can someone do normal gym?? I rested two months full and then after two months I started walking and went for a trip to relax. Now I am confused when should I hit gym?

[@Blake00001]

How is it going for you 2 years after injury? I am now 15 months post and I think I am doing well but I can say it’s not back to 💯 normal

[@SJachilles]

I’m 100pc. You’ll find it will get there very soon. I reckon 100pc from about that 15-16 month mark. Planning on doing a two year anniversary video in December. Don’t worry you’ll get there too! The body knows how to heal.

[@graym5820]

Alter G looks great, probably not for me. I want to get back to Bicycle touring which is fairly low impact.

[@juanmiguelleivasserron2094]

Se mide por todos lados y tiene ese pie mas duro

[@ryannewman2082]

Just hit 12 weeks since injury. How was your swelling? Mine swells up. Heap of pain in the heal. As I’m on it all day, in a physical job.

[@ryannewman2082]

Update. Have re ruptured at work.

[@timkatko8204]

@@ryannewman2082 did you get surgery or naturally?