Achilles Help

_{Disclaimer – I am not a medical expert and this is NOT medical advice. Always follow the instructions from your medical provider. When in doubt, ask your medical provider. As an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn commission from qualifying purchases.}

I tore my Achilles while playing pickleball – it was a partial rupture. I knew almost immediately it was my Achilles. Exactly one week later I had Achilles tendon repair surgery. After surgery I was in a hard cast like split that was open on top, where I needed to be non-weight bearing (NWB) for two weeks. Two weeks post-op, I was put back into a CAM boot where I was able to progress to full weight bearing (FWB) as tolerated. Around the 8-week post-op mark I was able to slowly progress to using sneakers and return to driving since it was my right leg that was injured. I did PT for about 20 weeks.

What surprised me on this journey (and deep dives into reddit forums) is that each surgeon has their own protocol and each patient’s story is different in terms of timeline, experiences, rough patches, etc.. It’s extremely important that you follow the protocols set out by your surgeon, physical therapist and medical team.