Archilles...last stand

Ruptured my Achilles tendon yesterday during my 1st skate at the new Ifracoombe park. Just pushed off with my back foot and ping...Some pain followed by a trip to A and E.


The end result is a cast on my leg for a good few weeks followed by months of physio/rehab. It has been a really bad 7 months a) torn ligaments to knee b) partially dislocated collar bone c) Achilles tendon gone ping (though fortunatly some is still in tact). Anyhow no surfing, skating or mtbing for the forseeable. I have always been lucky with the lack of serious injuries but I guess my 48 year old body is asking for a rest.

Thanks Mike Day for getting me back up the steps to the car park

Bad news (again) Ben. Hope things mend soon.

Sorry to hear about this !
Heal quick !

Bloody hell mate really bad news, I'm sorry to hear that! You will get there, the hardest part initially is having the nerve to stretch it and walk again but the good news is you have still got some attatched! I guess no surgery but you just got your toes pointing down?

You will hopefully be put in a boot after a few weeks and then you can load the foot 'back to flat' and your physio can start. I have seen some guys playing basketball at 16 weeks but they were younger than me. Heal soon mate in the meantime enjoy the rest, don't rush it and come back strong!

heal well, duder

Bad news Ben, was hoping to get some skate touring in with you Northern (Devon) boys this summer...

Heal well, come back strong and take it easy.

Heal strong.

Thanks guys. I 'm looking at this with a mixture of stoicism and determination. I will be getting barrelled again by the end of the summer, I will be skating Shoreham and some of the new parks and I will compete in the Exmoor Explorer mtb event in August.

The time between then and now is a matter of treating rehab really seriously and and using my mind in lieu of body (this is the trickiest part ).

Shit bad luck Ben

Good attitude geezah rest up then full on rehab

See you at shoreham in the summer

Christ, that's bad news mate - hope you heal quickly.

Best of luck with your recovery too mate. Your positive vibes will do the business for you

This starting to f*****g annoy me now . Two more weeks in the cast and then 6-8 weeks in a boot and then rehab.

Heal fast fella,

I feel your pain, went to the doc's last week and they ain't seeing me again till July!!! At this rate it'll be winter again before I'm on a board

Sorry to hear that Ben, how long have you been in the cast now? They had me out of the cast after 2 weeks and into the boot which meant I could do very gentle movements/stretches and remove the wedges gradually which helped prevent muscle wastage..... However, it did nothing to reduce the recovery time but at least when the boots on you psychologically think things are improving. Also getting around on crutches is a lot easier. Take it easy mate and try not to go stir crazy while led down!

Cast has been on 6 weeks with two more to go and then a boot on for eight weeks more.

Sorry to hear that Ben, how long have you been in the cast now? They had me out of the cast after 2 weeks and into the boot which meant I could do very gentle movements/stretches and remove the wedges gradually which helped prevent muscle wastage..... However, it did nothing to reduce the recovery time but at least when the boots on you psychologically think things are improving. Also getting around on crutches is a lot easier. Take it easy mate and try not to go stir crazy while led down!

When you wore the boot were you able to put weight on your foot?

How long did it take for you to be able to exercise normally? I'm hoping that I will be able to do some gentle surfing by the end of June.

Feel for you Ben! Seeing as how I completely snapped mine and had surgery its bizarre that you should be in a cast so long....8 weeks then another 8 with the boot! I was 12 or 13 weeks in total with cast/boot. Don't get me wrong when they put the boot on at 2 weeks I screamed and nearly went through the roof but I have to own up to most of that being fear of re-rupture! The boot I had (non articulated) had 7 blocks each 10mm thick so you start at 70mm nearly 3" under the heel, toes pointing down. I then had to take the boot off and gently lever the foot back and forth but not put any strain on it. Each week I had to take a block out hence the 8 weeks. I could walk with the boot on the ground with my sticks, which really is a blessing but it swelled quickly if not put up at every opportunity. After that, the boot is there to protect your foot while going through physio, which is a slow process as you have to learn to walk again and put aside the fear of stretching your achillies. I was advised to wait 9 months before surfing and I took it very steady but its such a great feeling getting back on a board again I can tell you, It took me 2 years to pick a skateboard up again though - that had more to do with my ex though !

I assume you are having new casts set at a slightly different angle each couple of weeks? In which case the 8 weeks in the boot could be total including physio and you may start with less blocks looking on the positive side! Alternatively ask about an articulated boot as thats whats they give the footballers and recovery is much quicker according to my specialist at the time (Salisbury did not use them as they are more expensive )

hang in there dude. think of the relief, fresh air and cleanliness on your pot off day. does the cast stink yet used to make me feel sick

Thanks guys, it is useful to be able to compare and contrast different methods of treatment. I think the way I am being treated is 'on the cheap' but I feel fairly sure it will do the job. It just seems to me that my ankle will need more strengthening and flexing than would be necessary if I got introduced to the boot earlier. My problem will be not to over do it when the boot comes off. I aim to get back in the surf by June but just paddle around and not get to my feet until August.

hang in there dude. think of the relief, fresh air and cleanliness on your pot off day. does the cast stink yet used to make me feel sick

Yes, I stink even more than usual.

Rehab boot on. I have walked from the I'm a spammy wanker to the living room without the use of crutches.

Excellent progress mate - bet is nice to get the cast off!!! How foul was your leg underneath it ?

Great news! Its a wonderful feeling to be able to get about under your own steam again ain't it?

Good news, I found chasing the woman around the house was great training. freedom is awesome.

Good news, I found chasing the woman around the house was great training. freedom is awesome.

I run away from them these days.

Good news, I found chasing the woman around the house was great training. freedom is awesome.

I hobble away from them these days.

Boot off. Physio starts.

Good news fella and take it easy

Excellent progress mate!!! Stay focussed and don't be a pussy like me about using/stretching the leg!!

Cycled to Braunton and back today (under physio advise). I hope to get back in the water for a paddle about within the next week.

Things are looking up.

Well done fella.... It took me a lot longer to get where you are!!!

Great to hear Ben!

Back in water today. Here endeth the first 3 month break in over 30 yrs. I entered the weird but hopefully wonderful legion of kneeboarders.

there you go!

It's four months to the day, it went twang. My regime of swimming ,cycling and kneeboarding is paying dividends. I have stopped hobbling and now only limp.

On schedule to return to MTBing in a month, stand up surfing in a month and a bit and skating sometime in September or October.Mike Day has been telling me of his exploits at Shoreham...I'm itching to get back.

Good stuff!! The physio found that I stopped limping when I took long strides but if I tried to walk slowly and deliberately I limped like a right prat trying to avoid stretching it

Good to hear Ben. The concrete isn't going anywhere. Plus nice indoor bowl pool and mini in Hemel Hempstead open for your return.

I took my MTB up the local trails today for the first time. Remarkably easy .Stand up surfing the next swell that hits.

Great news Ben! Hope to be riding something somewhere with you again soon then.

Took my fish to Croyde tonight . Stood up and surfed. ... Life is complete again.

YESSSS!



Skated yet? I guess that's higher risk... can wait eh.

"Surfing's the source man, it'll change your life.. swear to god."

YESSSS!



Skated yet? I guess that's higher risk... can wait eh.

"Surfing's the source man, it'll change your life.. swear to god."

Skating will commence late September. You are right it is higher risk. Though I 'm good at going to knees sometimes it is neigh on impossible to avoid running out of situations. I cannot run yet so putting my tendon under that sort of stress is not a good idea.

Thanks for your support guys.

I completed the Exmoor Explorer MTB event in trying conditions today.

I will be getting barrelled again by the end of the summer, I will be skating Shoreham and some of the new parks and I will compete in the Exmoor Explorer mtb event in August.

Off to France on Thursday to get barrelled. Shoreham here I come in September.

I completed the Exmoor Explorer MTB event in trying conditions today.

I will be getting barrelled again by the end of the summer, I will be skating Shoreham and some of the new parks and I will compete in the Exmoor Explorer mtb event in August.

Off to France on Thursday to get barrelled. Shoreham here I come in September.

Glad to see your on schedule mate

I think some of us are planning a Midsomer Norton day in Sept too, be a nice warm up for you!

I think some of us are planning a Midsomer Norton day in Sept too, be a nice warm up for you!

Keep me me appraised. Sounds like a good idea.

No barrels in France but I got a session at Guetary..the first for a few years.

gutted for you mate good that it`s still attatched ,heal strong

What I ment to say ,if I had read the whole thread before posting was on the surfing .

gutted for you mate good that it`s still attatched ,heal strong

Thanks for your good wishes and to everyone else that has offered encouragement and support. This thread has been somewhat ego driven but has helped me enormously simply by setting goals and ticking them off. The occasional whinge has also been therapeutic. MAS is great.

I'm hopefully off to Ireland for a surf trip in the next 2-3 weeks. I have a lot of regained confidence in the water now. Floaters and hacks are coming back. Its still a bit of an issue climbing over the rocks and paddling in and out of gullies to get to reef breaks but my leg is gaining strength now that I have mobility back.

Skating commences immediately post surf trip.

Message to Bowl Troll-Where shall we start my skate rehab....Ifracoombe or Newton Abbott?

You going on holiday AGAIN? You must av built up a lot of brownie points, finished the decorating av we?
All joking apart enjoy your trip mate you deserve it, with regards the skating we go wherever you want as long as its Shorham ho ho nah wherever mate back to the scene of the crime if you like...Ilfracoombe then a

gutted for you mate good that it`s still attatched ,heal strong

Thanks for your good wishes and to everyone else that has offered encouragement and support. This thread has been somewhat ego driven but has helped me enormously simply by setting goals and ticking them off. The occasional whinge has also been therapeutic. MAS is great.

I'm hopefully off to Ireland for a surf trip in the next 2-3 weeks. I have a lot of regained confidence in the water now. Floaters and hacks are coming back. Its still a bit of an issue climbing over the rocks and paddling in and out of gullies to get to reef breaks but my leg is gaining strength now that I have mobility back.

Skating commences immediately post surf trip.

Message to Bowl Troll-Where shall we start my skate rehab....Ifracoombe or Newton Abbott?

Really chuffed for you mate - been a long haul but it seems like you're right back on track again.

Enjoy yourself and go steady!

You going on holiday AGAIN?

Err yes.....where was it this weekend?.....Nottingham I believe.Glass houses Michael,,,,glass houses.

This is my last post to this thread.

http://www.middle-age-shred.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14243&p=387812#p387812



Thanks again for the support

A big well done to you mate you bloody surprised me, a couple of rusty runs and then the old Ben was back, did i mention the word old ... oh thats ok then.
A very big to you

A year and 3 days on it all seems a distant memory.

If some of you are unlucky enough to get a snap take heart. The thing is to stay active as possible I reckon.

Great news Ben. I think you need to come and check out Paignton then eh? It's a tight challenge if you are up for it? Pool coping.

Or how about you guys coming down for the Prime private hire that's in the works for May? Prob do some outdoors stuff beforehand and can find you somewhere to stay.

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