27 replies to this topic

[HappyGas]

I ruptured my RIGHT achilles tendon last fall.

I play golf right handed.

Anyone come back from this injury ?    I had surgery 10 weeks ago and we given the go ahead to play in about a month.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Jack Pearsall]

I would think a lot of rehab, but I am not a doctor, just someone who has pretended to be a doctor so as to see more naked women.

Take it slowly. I would talk to some of those sports medicine people and see what they have to say.
Aren't you doing any PT?

[russc]

I Have suffered with micro tears in my left achilles  for  2 decadses.The vast majority of time it does not bother me.I stretch it fro 2 minutes with my heel hanging over stairs and 2 more minutes on the  prostretch. I try to do this every day.Check with your PT as to what and how much to stretch.Expect to do this forever.

[Thrillhouse]

Right achilles heel for a right handed golfer, assuming rehab doesnt make you perfect again, might suggest that you give stack and tilt a go, could work well for you.

[golow]

You're probably anticipating a fear of that pop you probably felt when you first injured it.

The back leg gastroc-soleus  complex (calf muscles) do load up in the back swing isometrically but not with very much lengthening or shortening. Depending on how much drive you use for your transition, the calf muscles be anywhere from fully engage with plantarflexion to push off or passive with a feeling of the hips initiating the downswing. Not knowing or seeing your swing this could either be of little consequence or a physical and mental hurdle to get over.

Either way gastroc-soleus active use (contraction) really is minimal. What you really need is mobility. Stretching will be the key.

Go to the Titleist Performance Institute website, sign up for free if you aren't already a member. Go to Golf Fitness on the left, then Exercise Library. Keyword "Stretch" and choose Calves from the body part drop down. Great stretches with videos ... so I can shut up now.

To answer your question ... No I haven't come back from an Achilles' tear. But my team mate did in college. Tore it and had surgery in the off season and played midfield (soccer) our senior year like it never happened.

When I started swinging after knee surgery, it was smooth wedges to get the rhythm back and the back foot rolling thru impact.

You'll be fine.

golow™           **edit - Your-you're  

Edited by golow, 06 January 2012 - 08:33 PM.

[Par Fore]

Never ruptured an Achilles, so keep that in mind, however, I have had both acl's reconstructed and rehabed through those, so my advice is from that experience.  First of all start slow. Even though your Dr. Has cleared your Achilles you pysche is fragile. Start with wedge shots and work up. You won't want to trust you repair right off the bat.  The next best advice is do your rehab. Whatever your pt tells you.  My orthopod told me that his job will only account for 10% of recovery, the other 90 is you and physical therapy

[MadGolfer76]

I have done some PT, and told my therapist I wanted to go out and play golf, so she asked me to bring in a club one day to see the motions I would be using. She altered the PT (nothing really major, tbh) to accommodate that. Consider having that conversation with yours.


(Was going to say, "One step at a time...," but didn't think I could do it without guilt).

[flipmode]

Oh man, another one bites the dust. I had surgery 9 weeks ago on my left Achilles after a total rupture. Luckily my PT is an avid golfer so he putting extra emphasis on my range of motion and stability (haven't started working on this yet). I'm still in the walking boot and will be in it for another month but I'm already starting to chip and putt in my house. Also, with the $ I've saved from not being able to golf I've saved enough to get a couple new outfits and a new hybrid. Hang in there, we'll be teeing it up before spring!

[tdeveyra]

I completely ruptured my right Achilles in early May 2002 and did not get into surgery until the first week of June (...a few reasons for that).  I was back on the golf course (riding a cart though) in the last week of July (I was tempted to play earlier while I was still in the walking boot...) and felt fine walking with a pull-cart a couple of weeks later.  I am also right handed and did not find any differences in my swing mechanics.  

I went through typical physical therapy and kept my sporting activities limited to golf.  I waited until January of 2003 to resume the other sports I play (winter - basketball, volleyball, summer - softball, beach volleyball).  I'm still playing those same sports today (with the added decade of wear and tear) and really don't notice anything unusual with my repaired Achilles.  

So as others have posted, you should be fine.

[SurfDuffer]

Never ruptured it but I have hurt it a couple of times.  You don't realize how important the Achilles is to balance in the golf swing until you hurt it.  Not to mention walking a golf course.

[drbrjb01]

The guy I play most of my golf with ruptured his in the summer of '10...he is a lefty and ruptured his left so similar to you...my biggest recommendation is this from watching him...temper your expectations for the first 60-90 days of actual playing...take it easy at first and don't overdue it...at some point though you just have to trust it that it is ok and you can let it rip.

good luck

[HappyGas]

 flipmode, on 06 January 2012 - 09:54 PM, said:

Oh man, another one bites the dust. I had surgery 9 weeks ago on my left Achilles after a total rupture. Luckily my PT is an avid golfer so he putting extra emphasis on my range of motion and stability (haven't started working on this yet). I'm still in the walking boot and will be in it for another month but I'm already starting to chip and putt in my house. Also, with the $ I've saved from not being able to golf I've saved enough to get a couple new outfits and a new hybrid. Hang in there, we'll be teeing it up before spring!

How did you rupture your Achilles ??

I did mine doing P90X ((Plyometrics)).  I couldn't drive a car for 5 weeks.....took a cab to work.

I'm close to 11 weeks out and my doctor just took me out of the boot and told me to go ahead with some light exercise.   I hope to chip this weekend.

Tell me about your injury .....

[penoy78]

 HappyGas, on 13 January 2012 - 11:54 AM, said:

 flipmode, on 06 January 2012 - 09:54 PM, said:

Oh man, another one bites the dust. I had surgery 9 weeks ago on my left Achilles after a total rupture. Luckily my PT is an avid golfer so he putting extra emphasis on my range of motion and stability (haven't started working on this yet). I'm still in the walking boot and will be in it for another month but I'm already starting to chip and putt in my house. Also, with the $ I've saved from not being able to golf I've saved enough to get a couple new outfits and a new hybrid. Hang in there, we'll be teeing it up before spring!

How did you rupture your Achilles ??

I did mine doing P90X ((Plyometrics)).  I couldn't drive a car for 5 weeks.....took a cab to work.

I'm close to 11 weeks out and my doctor just took me out of the boot and told me to go ahead with some light exercise.   I hope to chip this weekend.

Tell me about your injury .....

Flipmode is my brother and he did it playing basketball.  Oh man. How do you rupture it doing P90?  Since my bro did it, I've been staying away from Bball and sticking to P90.  Your story scares me because I couldn't imagine not playing golf.  Hang in there man.  I hope rehab goes well for you.

[HappyGas]

 penoy78, on 22 January 2012 - 08:52 PM, said:

 HappyGas, on 13 January 2012 - 11:54 AM, said:

 flipmode, on 06 January 2012 - 09:54 PM, said:

Oh man, another one bites the dust. I had surgery 9 weeks ago on my left Achilles after a total rupture. Luckily my PT is an avid golfer so he putting extra emphasis on my range of motion and stability (haven't started working on this yet). I'm still in the walking boot and will be in it for another month but I'm already starting to chip and putt in my house. Also, with the $ I've saved from not being able to golf I've saved enough to get a couple new outfits and a new hybrid. Hang in there, we'll be teeing it up before spring!

How did you rupture your Achilles ??

I did mine doing P90X ((Plyometrics)).  I couldn't drive a car for 5 weeks.....took a cab to work.

I'm close to 11 weeks out and my doctor just took me out of the boot and told me to go ahead with some light exercise.   I hope to chip this weekend.

Tell me about your injury .....

Flipmode is my brother and he did it playing basketball.  Oh man. How do you rupture it doing P90?  Since my bro did it, I've been staying away from Bball and sticking to P90.  Your story scares me because I couldn't imagine not playing golf.  Hang in there man.  I hope rehab goes well for you.

I was doing the Jump Training during P90.   I'm back on the golf course at the 12 week mark of my recovery.    It's slow, but I'm going to be OK.

[flipmode]

Sorry it took so long to respond. Yeah I did it playing bball. Im at the 11 week mark now but my PT says to wait until March before I go to the driving range. Better to be safe than sorry I guess. My doc gave me the ok to walk around the house without a boot but recommended I wear it outside the house. Right now Im able to chip and putt so as other have recommended Im working on that in order to try to lower my handicap. I can sort of swing a club now but I dont think Im ready for the course or the range yet. I'd rather not rush it so I'll stick to the chipping and putting for now.

[HappyGas]

 flipmode, on 23 January 2012 - 12:56 PM, said:

Sorry it took so long to respond. Yeah I did it playing bball. Im at the 11 week mark now but my PT says to wait until March before I go to the driving range. Better to be safe than sorry I guess. My doc gave me the ok to walk around the house without a boot but recommended I wear it outside the house. Right now Im able to chip and putt so as other have recommended Im working on that in order to try to lower my handicap. I can sort of swing a club now but I dont think Im ready for the course or the range yet. I'd rather not rush it so I'll stick to the chipping and putting for now.

That's smart.

I've been on the course & would say I am 65--75%.   I ruptured my right Achilles, ((and play right handed)), so I favor keeping my weight left.   I've got a huge itch to play.

I'm chipping a lot.

[flipmode]

Sounds like a good excuse to convert over to the Stack&Tilt! If your ever in Md. give me a holler!  

What are your favorite or most useful drills that your PT makes you do in order to strengthen your achilles?

[HappyGas]

 flipmode, on 24 January 2012 - 07:48 AM, said:

Sounds like a good excuse to convert over to the Stack&Tilt! If your ever in Md. give me a holler!  

What are your favorite or most useful drills that your PT makes you do in order to strengthen your achilles?

I'm 12 weeks post op and repair seems solid.    Strength is only 70% at best right now.  

Heel Raises using BOTH feet to start is best exercise.   Also, simply walking is great exercise.   ABSOLUTELY NO violent action at this point.   No running.   No heavy push off.

[HappyGas]

 flipmode, on 24 January 2012 - 07:48 AM, said:

Sounds like a good excuse to convert over to the Stack&Tilt! If your ever in Md. give me a holler!  

What are your favorite or most useful drills that your PT makes you do in order to strengthen your achilles?

I'm 12 weeks post op and repair seems solid.    Strength is only 70% at best right now.  

Heel Raises using BOTH feet to start is best exercise.   Also, simply walking is great exercise.   ABSOLUTELY NO violent action at this point.   No running.   No heavy push off.

[racolon]

I have as well, same rupture, but in left, ankle
Cant get rid of the pain, just so you know, it will never go away, sometimes it will hurt just a little and sometimes the pain will be you know....

I play right handed as well, and all my weight goes into that foot, but Ive managed, tempo has been my key to improvement and less "pain" if you want to call it that way.
It hurts every day, even with a 10 month rehab, so good luck, just put your head and heart into it and you will be able to play golf again.

Good luck

[jrsharp21]

I ruptured mne a week ago playing baseball. Jumped for a ball and pop. Had surgery today. I miss golf so much. I can't wait to get back on the course.

[Temple23]

I ruptured my Achilles several years ago....It's a devastating injury, especially because i was a little older when i did it. It happened about a month before I was scheduled to go on a winter golf trip to FL that I coordinated for like 24 guys...the Dr. said "you'll be fine to go, although you might not play well". Needless to say i didn't make the trip. You can definately come back from the injury. But I will leave you with this bit of encouragement. I had always suffered with a pronounced fade from my driver. probably because of an overly agressive swing. When i started playing again, i was so conscious of my achilles it forced me to keep my lower body and my feet quiet on my swing,  My tempo improved dramatically and I was hitting everything right down the gut everytime. it got to the point where i would hit it and just pick up the tee. So good luck!

[AlexCzervic]

 HappyGas, on 06 January 2012 - 01:50 PM, said:

I ruptured my RIGHT achilles tendon last fall.

I play golf right handed.

Anyone come back from this injury ? I had surgery 10 weeks ago and we given the go ahead to play in about a month.

Any help would be appreciated.

If you can spare to lose some body weight do it, best thing you can do.  Of course work on you flexibility in the connected areas, feet, hams, glutes, helps to distribute stress.  14 weeks ?, complete rupture, partial tear or microtears?

AC

[matt mcgowan]

I completely ruptured my left Achilles playing AFL football about 5 weeks ago. I had surgery straight away and have been in a walking boot for about 3 weeks. I am a right hander and am wondering if people who have had this injury have had difficulty transferring weight onto their left side when they have started playing again? Itching to get back out there but have to be contempt with watching it on TV.

[JPeacockGolf]

Getting the correct weight shift and swinging in a NATURAL way will be key. With this type of swing, there is no push from the right side. I used to "sway and  push" and it was very hard on my body. Now I TURN and my right leg acts more like a kick stand that I simply rock against. This should help.

Edited by thesponge, 19 August 2012 - 07:39 AM.

[jrsharp21]

 thesponge, on 19 August 2012 - 07:38 AM, said:

Getting the correct weight shift and swinging in a NATURAL way will be key. With this type of swing, there is no push from the right side. I used to "sway and  push" and it was very hard on my body. Now I TURN and my right leg acts more like a kick stand that I simply rock against. This should help.

Thanks for the video. It seems like this would not put a lot of stress on on my right leg. Being a baseball player who started golfing, i had the tendency to use my back leg to drive off for power. But with the Achilles rupture, I know this probably won't be the case anymore. So finding a new smooth swing is going to be my goal.

[hoselrocketman]

I ruptured my right achilles and had it repaired and then my left started to go.  I went to therapy for four weeks, three times per week and put Dr. Scholls heel cups in EVERY PAIR OF SHOES I WEAR.  I have not ever had even a smidgen of pain in either achilles since then...knock on wood!!

[jrsharp21]

How did you know your left on was starting to go? When I ruptured mine, I had not had any problems with either Achilles.