ruptured my achilles playing netball :( - positive stories

[Jemima85]

I have ruptured my achilles playing netball - seems to be a fairly common injury.

Has anybody else done this and has a positive story to share? Google paints a grim picture.

I feel your pain and can vividly remember mine - also playing netball - 14 years ago. My kids were young (4&2) so it was a difficult time.

You will get through it but it is a long, long process - it was a good six months till I was properly out of the boot, off crutches and able to drive, and then it's a lot of physio 'learning' to walk again. I never went back to playing netball but took up running and have never had any trouble since - it just feels noticeably tighter than the other one.

There was a really good forum online when I did mine - I just had a look and there's a similar group on Facebook. I found that really helpful for advice and support along the way from people who know what you're going through.

Tips wise, wear cycling gloves to stop your hands getting too blistered from the crutches, invest in some thin long socks to wear inside your boot as it gets really sweaty and minging otherwise, and get some sort of pushalong trolley so you can 'carry' things around the house such as food and cups of tea.

Take care, I know it feels bleak right now, but you will learn coping strategies and little ways to make things easier, and you will be able to get back to normal.

Sorry to hear. I was 58 when I ruptured my Achilles tendon. It was an attrition injury and so had been going on awhile before it finally ruptured. I was in a cast for six weeks and then a boot for six weeks. Despite my age 😂 I got back some function before the 12 weeks were up and had already had a practice at driving round a car park before I was officially told I could take the boot off. In fact driving was easier than walking to begin with because it was my left leg and so I only had to manage the clutch and my uninjured leg did the accelerator and break.

My understanding is that often people with sports injuries get offered an operation instead which means the repair is quicker. Have they offered you this route?

The other thing is that when the boot came off I wasn't offered any physio and I really felt I needed some so I paid privately for about six sessions before the physiotherapist said I didn't need to come anymore. Despite recovering, it's never been what you would call a full recovery because I've never fully recovered my spring in that leg. So I'm a bit slower than I used to be, even though I walk every day.

I think if you are young and it's a sports injury you would get a better outcome.

One more thing – get yourself a knee scooter for the duration.

Not me but DH did it about 8 years ago now playing football. He had lots of physio after and was very strict with himself about doing everything the physio said.
He was off work for I think about a month mainly because he couldn’t drive.
He is pretty much back to normal now, very active loves hiking and cycling. He has gone back to running too and 5 a side football. The only thing he wouldn’t do and has been advised not to do is go back to full 11 a side football games, just because of the risk of it happening again.