Anyone rurture their achilles tendon?

BranFlakes · Jan 3, 2011

I should have know better playing basketball with twenty somethings when I am 44. I stretched out prior to the scrimmage and did ok for 90 minutes then went for a rebound and now my calf on my right leg feels like there is a huge knot in the middle and is swollen not quite but almost twice the size of the other calf.

hno:
Anyone have any experience dealing with this injury? I guess ice and elevation are the best treatments. I hope it goes away on its own over time but something tells me it probably won't. Any advice on other treatments is appreciated.

BranFlakes · Jan 3, 2011

Sorry I meant rupture on the title.

bellyputter · Jan 3, 2011

In 1998(47 years old), I ruptured my achilles tendon-calf muscle playing basketball. I elected not to have surgery after considering the options. To this day, my left calf is only 85-90 % the size of my right calf, but it's just as strong and almost as flexible. It took me almost 6 months to get back to normal. Ice, ice, ice. Good Luck

joebatters · Jan 3, 2011

I'm no doctor, but your injury doesn't sound like a ruptured achilles. I believe when you rupture your achilles, your heel kinda separates from the bottom of your foot. My Dad and brother both had this injury a while back. It sounds like you have a really bad calf muscle pull, tear, or strain, which of course sucks, but is not as serious an injury as a ruptured achilles. The good news is that you probably won't need surgery, but yeah you will have to ice it now and probably won't be able to do any running, playing basketball etc. for a while, probably a few months. But you will be ok, like bellypunter said, over time, you will be back to close to 100%, though it may take a while. Again, I'm not a doctor, but that what it sounds like to me. Good luck to you, bro...and be very patient with your injury before you go back to doing strenous activies.

bellyputter · Jan 3, 2011

joebatters said:
I'm no doctor, but your injury doesn't sound like a ruptured achilles. I believe when you rupture your achilles, your heel kinda separates from the bottom of your foot. My Dad and brother both had this injury a while back. It sounds like you have a really bad calf muscle pull, tear, or strain, which of course sucks, but is not as serious an injury as a ruptured achilles. The good news is that you probably won't need surgery, but yeah you will have to ice it now and probably won't be able to do any running, playing basketball etc. for a while, probably a few months. But you will be ok, like bellypunter said, over time, you will be back to close to 100%, though it may take a while. Again, I'm not a doctor, but that what it sounds like to me. Good luck to you, bro...and be very patient with your injury before you go back to doing strenous activies.

Joe, the achilles tendon actually runs from the heel(your dad and brother) to the bottom of the calf(gastrocnemius). My injury was the lesser of the two evils. Good Luck

chick'sfridge · Jan 3, 2011

First, go see a doctor. I tore my Achilles away from my calf and was in a cast for 6 months. It was not normal for two years. It most often occurs in one 's early 40's. Did mine in a 3rd hour of racquetball, dispelling the warming up theory.

HalfDaySober · Jan 3, 2011

Did it feel as if you were shot in the leg by a small bullet? That is what I thought when I partially tore my achilles tendon, maybe 20 years ago. Was playing tennis and the other guy hit the net with his return. I pushed off to make a quick (too quick) dash for it when I felt a pain like I was shot. Actually turned around to see what happened.

Went to a doctor who said I needed surgery. While deciding another friend told me not to have surgery but to try accupuncture with a guy he had used. I opted for that. It was a few weeks of treatment maybe 3 times a week. Not only needles but electrical stimulation as well. Used crutches during that time to stay of that leg. Within a month it was 100% cured! Never had a problem with it since.

Incubus · Jan 3, 2011

Are you certain you're not suffering from a Grade 3 calf strain? :think2:

Symptoms of calf strain include:

Grade 1:

A twinge of pain in the back of the lower leg.
May be able to play on.
Tightness and aching in the 2-5 days after.

Grade 2

Sharp pain in the back of the lower leg.
Pain when walking.
There may be swelling in the calf.
Mild to moderate bruising.
Pain on resisted plantarflexion.
Tightness and aching for a week or more.

Grade 3

Severe immediate pain.
A sudden pain at the back of the leg, often at the muscular tendinous junction (see image below).
Inability to contract the muscle.
Considerable bruising and swelling.
In the case of a full rupture, often the muscle can be seen to be bunched up towards the top of the calf.

..............................................................

I've strained my SOLEUS muscle in both my calves, and have experienced the exact symptoms you've described. My calf strains (soleus) actually happened playing basketball as well. :grandmais

ANATOMY

The soleus is located in the superficial posterior compartment of the leg. It originates from the posterior surfaces of the head of the fibula and its upper third, as well as the middle third of the internal border of the tibia. Its other end forms a common tendon with the gastrocnemius muscle; this tendon is known as the calcaneal tendon or Achilles tendon and inserts onto the posterior surface of the calcaneus, or heel bone.

MECHANISM OF INJURY

Repeated overuse of the muscle, eg. distance running, predisposes to a tear during push off in running or pivoting.

SYMPTOMS

Pain is felt deep the calf and recurs on repeated loading.
Pain is triggered when the foot is plantar flexed against resistance eg. Normal walking, and usually aggravated more attempting to walk on tiptoes.
Bruising may become visible on the inner side of the proximal and middle parts of the shin about 24 hours after the initial injury.
Deep local tenderness is felt over the rupture, often along the soleus at the tibial margin.

BranFlakes · Jan 3, 2011

Thanks guys for the great replies. It felt like someone hit the middle of my calf with his leg but noone did. My heel is ok but the middle of my calf still feels like it has a big knot and is still very swollen today as well as quite stiff. It is hell to age that is for sure. I think I might have to slow down on writing checks my body cannot cash!

FairWarning · Jan 3, 2011

My brother did and it is a six month injury. You have to be careful not to rupture the other one by favoring it.

stale · Jan 3, 2011

I believe I had a tear. I heard a pop, and needed assitance off the tennis court. 6 months till I felt comfortable going all out again.

Anyone rurture their achilles tendon?

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