Achilles Blog

It's been a tough few weeks watching the huge dumps of snow in the Alps.
However I've just had some good news that this season may not be over (before it started) after all. So I'll do a bit of a blog as I hopefully get to ski later in the season.

The summer had gone well – back running 10ks and started to do some gym work ready for skiing (3 weeks planned for this season as last year was curtailed by a freak injury to my big toe and surgery to put it back together)

On 7th November, having a knock about on a badminton court at Centre Parcs with my brother-in-law and his son-in-laws. I used to play on the league circuit in the midlands but hadn't played for over 15 years and was pleasantly surprised how easily I dropped back into playing. Then, as my timing returned I scampered back to smash a flick serve to the accompaniment of a loud crack as my Achilles snapped. The others thought I'd broken my racket. (Other than my wife who saw the look on my face) I'd failed the 20-20 test in that common sense should have told me I was 20 years too old and 20 Kg over my playing weight to play how I used to. Whilst some of the look on my face reflected the pain, it was more the realisation that that I had B***ed up skiing for another winter.
A trip to hospital in Bury-St-Edmunds saw me put in a boot. Messages sent to warn work I would be off for a week or so and not driving for many weeks and a follow up arranged back home in Leicester.
The next week I saw the consultant who is a national expert on Achilles injuries and was reassured that surgery wasn't required & I swapped to a Vacoped boot which is remarkably similar to a ski boot with a rocker sole and the facility to open up the hinge to allow restricted movement as the Achilles starts to heal. Strict instructions that I was not to take it off other than when changing the liner and washing my foot. Other than that 24/7. Now I am sure going to bed in ski boots is probably a fetish practice in the Alps, Claire was none too impressed by 2.5Kg of plastic flying around the bed. Still it's better than the old days of an above knee cast. At least you can swim in it.
After 2 weeks I went back to work, driving a desk. All seemed well until one of the physio's where I work decided it was time to take a look, 3 and a half weeks post injury (2 weeks in to the Vacoped regime) and declared that the ends of my Achilles haven't stuck. Off to see the consultant mulling over the likelihood of a late surgical repair, not a recipe for a good outcome. Fortunately the consultant disagrees and decides the ends have stuck! Come back in 2 weeks for the hinge to be unlocked. After 2 weeks all was well and the hinge unlocked to give me 15 degrees of movement. Felt strange for a few hours but no pain. 2 weeks later a further 15 degrees and a flat sole – real progress and I could tell things were really moving.
Saw the consultant 2 weeks later it came off (the boot).

Asked the key questions such as:

When can I drive? – at the weekend.
When can I run? – about 3 months – when I can comfortably raise onto my toes standing on my right foot.
OK to ski next year? You can go this year – the treatment is to wear a boot and the risk of re-rupturing it in a ski boot is negligible.

(That was 2 weeks ago and initially it felt strange as if it was someone else's foot I was walking on attached to a leg that belonged to a sparrow. 2 days later it felt like my foot again. Saw the physio who gave me graduated calf exercises and OK'd getting back on the static bike and the rowing machine. No stretching permitted to avoid elongating the scar. He too said he had no concerns about skiing. Pleasantly surprised that within a week I was doing my usual program within 5% of the outputs I was doing before the injury. (Perhaps that was the benefit of keeping swimming – which was definitely hard work with the boot on.
Saw the physio at 8 days out of boot and he upped the calf exercises and set me on the cross trainer. Joy! I have always hated cross trainers and thus far I've not changed my mind!
Broke the news to Claire that I have been passed fit to ski. Not so well received – she's a timid skier after doing her ACL at the end of or very first week's skiing 11 years ago and has to psych herself up, although she does admit to enjoying it.
If progress continues to plan mid-March is my target.

Red Bull produced a wonderful documentary on Lindsay Vonn's recovery after her horrific knee injury. To come back from such a horrendous injury to win further World Cup titles is truly inspirational. It would definitely be worth a look for you if you can find it - possibly on YouTube.

Good luck with your recovery but you might want to leave the Big Air tricks until next year - remember the 20/20 rule :XD:

"Big air" is usually followed by "ground level splat" in my case.