UKC

On Saturday I managed rupture my Achilles tendon, by hopping between two small rocks at the bottom of Froggatt. I can confirm that this hurts a lot, and that walking back to the road on it is not fun.

Thanks to everyone who helped: Sarah for making me a walking stick and walking with me, Nick for driving me to Sheffield hospital and around the peak, James, Clive, Helen and Kate for getting me back to Leeds and the car back to Sheffield, SecretSquirrel and Rafaella for promising to wrestle me to the ground if I tried to drive and Practicalcat for looking after me and being very sympathetic. Oh, and thanks to the nurses at the Hallamshire, in case they read this.

So, I now have an appointment at LGI orthopedics where they will decide what to do. Anyone got any experience of this kind of injury? What are they likely to do, how long will it take to heal, how much does the physio hurt, what magic medicines/exercises can I take/do to make it heal in a week? Will I be able to climb Elegy next year?

For starters I've found out the following tips:
- Tesco Direct is a great idea
- vit C is apparently good for tendon healing
- codeine is quite nice
- nurses get to deliberately hurt people as part of their job

In reply to adam carless:

Kevin Peterson's having an epiduaral I beleive if you are up for a bit o'that? ;0)

Shame you couldn't make the night at the camping - twas good fun - heal soon boss!

Si

Sorry to hear about your achilles tendon - I've ruptured both of mine in the past, both times playing football, so thought I'd share some of my experiences on repair and recuperation

I ruptured my left achilles about seven years ago - repair was a surgical repair under general anaesthetic followed by six weeks in a pot. Then another six weeks or so in a 'Sheffield splint' and then lots of physio

I then ruptured by right achilles tendon about three years ago - repair was a surgical repair under an epidural followed by about 1 week in a pot and six weeks in a removable boot then physio

Both times it took me about 4 - 5 months before I was climbing again and six months before I was back to anything like the level I was at before the injuries. Both tendons are now ok but I get some soreness from the right one from time to time

When I had the first injury I read up a lot of stuff and talked to various people about surgical vs conservative repair. From what i found out, if you want to regain full function, surgical repair is the way to go. Maybe I'm being cynical but you may be talked into the conservative route as it is cheaper (by a long way) for the NHS if you choose this option. This also assumes your tendon is fully ruptured - a conservative approach may be more apropriate for a partially ruptured tendon

If you go for the surgical repair, an epidural is prefereabe to a full general anaesthetic

Anyway, hope this is useful to you. Drop a reply to this post if you want any more specific info

In reply to RobinBarker:

Something not mentioned but you may know.

How did you go on with using your old rock shoes? I had to replace my EBs with a larger size as the lump where the repair was stopped me wearing the original ones. Trying new sticky rubber shoes was a problem, the ones that actually fitted the best had too aggressive a heal that may have aggravated the tendon again so had to go for something with less serious in the heel cup .

In reply to adam carless:

I found all the same things as Robin, at least for a fully ruptured ligament, just would add that the less the amount of time in a pot, the better (if you go for the surgery).

In reply to sutty:

I was probably quite lucky in that the repair (on both sides) didn't leave a significant lump. There was some initial discomfort when wearing rock boots with the heel rubbing on the repair scar however this wasn't a problem for too long. The rock boots I wore both before and after the injuries were mainly 5.10 Anasazis (Pinks) - these have a very aggressive (and rubbish) heel shape - these were painful even before the injury but weren't significantly worse afterwards

One thing I did think about was the role that tight-fitting rock boots may have played in causing the injury in the first place.

I currently wear 5.10 Anasazi LVs - these have a great heel shape that is nowhere near as painful as the old pinks. Now if they could just graft the toe from the old pink Anasazis onto that heel - that would be a great shoe!

In reply to RobinBarker:

Another thing that we found out when being operated on that the three of us were all sportsman and were dehydrated from not getting enough fluid in us. No idea if it is relevant but others may as well take note just in case it is relevant.

In reply to adam carless: Not much to offer other than a) Bummer and b) hope it heals soon. I think brian T did something similar, hopping backwards down a slab at Robin Hood's I seem to recall.

In reply to Chris F:

Boulder hopping seems a dangerous sport, that is how mine went on the shore after doing a long route.

In reply to sutty:

Interesting point on dehydration - I have read somewhere that tendons and ligaments are weaker when you are dehydrated

On the recuperation front, I found an exercise bike very useful in the early stages of recovery while traversing on brick wall edges was useful later on to stretch out the injured achilles tendon

In reply to everyone:

I've been poked at by the specialist now. Apparently it's a full on rupture with a big squidgy hole where my tendon should be. So I'm in for surgery on Thursday - general anaesthetic (maybe epi - they didn't say!), a load of repair work, plaster for an unknown duration and physio for ages too

Thanks for the advice from everyone, and good to know that full recovery is likely, even if it will mean missing this summer (and maybe autumn) climbing. Alicia, you run and climb much harder than me, and Robin, you climb much harder than me (no idea if you run too), so I'm happy to assume my normal punter abilities will be fully restored. I'll email you both soon.

Sutty, I think you hit the nail on the head with your diagnosis - it was the end of a sunny day, so I was probably dehydrated, and I was hopping amongst rocks. Sounds like I'd inadvertently wandered into the high risk group.

In reply to adam carless:

A few more things I've found out...
- epidurals appear to be really scary, but then so do general anaesthetics. How the hell can we still know so little about the human nervous system?!

- you need pyjamas and slippers if you're staying in hospital. Hadn't considered it before (never been in long enough). Time for some rapid online shopping.

- strangers are far more sympathetic than most friends and relatives.

In reply to adam carless:

You only need one slipper, and shorts for PJs as otherwise they will slicing them down the side to get them on over the cast.

I would just use their gown and use a dressing gown for bum cover.

Make sure your phone is charged in case you cannot reach a socket, remember the charger.

Top up your music box as well unless you like hospital radio.

In reply to sutty:


Doh, I just bought a pair of M&S's cheapest PJs, looks like they'll be suffering the same fate as me.

>

Good points, I'm guessing hospital radio is somewhere in the wastelands of blandness beyond the local BBC stations? That's reminded me to take a couple of books as well.

Thanks for the advice, think I might try to start a pegleg blog

In reply to adam carless:

The worst thing I found was sitting on the bog with a cast on and not being able to stand up again and pulling the cord for help.. Put the disabled handrail down!!

Clean shreddies are all you need, they never gave me a gown last time I was in so that was all I had to wear.

In reply to adam carless:

So sorry you are injured and won't make Cornwall, seems like you aren't even having zero luck at the moment, more like negative!
I hope you have the shortest possible stay in hospital and make a speedy recovery after the surgery. Get your bounce back soon, Tigger!! x

In reply to adam carless:
The hospital radio was playing 'classic 80s hits' last time I was there. Very loudly.

In reply to practicalcat:

then add noise reducing/canceling headphones to list

In reply to adam carless:


You going to be in the Northern General Adam - or some dodgy Leeds hospital??

;0)

In reply to adam carless:

you are not alone...

Feb 2:
All Blacks first-five Dan Carter will miss the rest of the season because of an Achilles tendon injury, his Perpignan club said on Monday.

"The New Zealand flyhalf suffered a partial rupture of his Achilles tendon which will keep him out of action for about six months," the club said on its website (www.usap.fr).

"Further medical tests made in cooperation with the All Blacks medical staff will tell if the treatment of the injury requires surgery," it added.

Dan Carter limped off the field on Sunday in the final seconds of a French championship game against Stade Francais, just after scoring a penalty which helped Perpignan secure a 13-13 draw.

In reply to adam carless:

Good luck with the op Adam. Heal well and fast. Sorry we didn't see you at the weekend.

The chef Simon Rimmer has just had an achilles op. They gave him something like a peg leg contraption so that the weight was kept off the leg but he could still move around. Not sure if you can get one of those on the NHS.

In reply to adam carless:

Sorry to hear about you breaking yourself. No advice here but plenty of sympathy and let me know if you need any help/lifts or there's anything we can do.

In reply to adam carless:

Was going to call you this evening and see how it went - not well I see - good luck for Thursday - we'll be in touch - I'll forward the details to the 'Anne & Noels' of this world...

Later,

PP.

In reply to adam carless:
Properly ruptured mine at Burbage a good few years ago. I was advised that surgical repair is the best way to get closer to full movement/function in future. I spent two months in plaster with the ankle position adjusted after the first month followed by a bit of physio. Like many blokes/climbers once I had an acceptable amount of movement I got lazy with the exercises. DON'T get lazy.
What I wasn't advised was that a fair proportion of repairs re-rupture. Sadly mine was one of them, so 6 months after the op I was back to square one. There was significantly less pain following the second op and the various stretches were also less painful. I got back on the rock a year, to the day, later, and at the same crag. Which was 6 months after the second op. Within a matter of months I was climbing pretty much anything I was climbing before.
The repaired tendon is significantly thicker and less elastic than it was. Except when dynoing it now makes no difference at all, though it can be stiffer in the mornings especially if its cold.
If you were up for Elegy before you will be again.
And Hugo de Vries. (Not many wishlists include routes at Turning Stone Edge)

In reply to shorts:
An Adam unable to do his Tigger style dynos would be a sad thing; if he starts forgetting to do his stretches and exercises, I'll start reminding him of your post. Thank you for the tips!

In reply to everyone:

Thanks everyone, it's always good to get sympathy

Simon - I think I'm headed for some tiny shack in Chapel Allerton, but it depends where they can find a bed.

Shorts - yup I will be remembering to do my exercises. I snapped some ligaments many years ago and didn't keep up the regime, so I know how important it is. Elegy was really just a random slabby thing with high steps that looks like strong ankles and calves will help for the crux. I've done the routes either side of HdV, and it looks great, I'd recommend a visit to Turning Stone for anyone who isn't scared of Rhodie bushes.

Pixie, Pilate, anyone who knows me in fact - feel free to pop round whenever, I'm not going anywhere for a while! Unluckily I can still work, but luckily I can still shop while t'interweb is working but thanks for the offers to help.

Now where did I put my headphones?

In reply to adam carless:

You might not have to stay in the hospital at all if you're lucky--I had my operation at 6:30 a.m., woke up from the anaesthetic around 8 a.m. and was working from home by 10 a.m.!

Second the thing about the shorts--I had to dig through old clothes for quite a while before I found anything other than running shorts, which I thought might just look a bit too ridiculous in the operating room.

I know you like bouncing, so just a warning that I found a lot of the 'bounceyness' feeling in my ankle missing for quite a while after the surgery (9 months?) but it does come back eventually.

Hi there,

I snapped mine 4 weeks ago playing football, which I hate by the way, and within 24hrs was in surgery. Since then I have had it in a semi-cast, just the rear of my foot being supported, and last Tuesday went back the hospital where they grabbed my foot and tried to force it up to get to a 90 degree angle. That did hurt, I nearly leapt off the table. Anyway they could not get the foot to 90degrees so am in another semi-cast for a week and next Tuesday will try and bend it some more. Looks like I have 3 more weeks ina cast, then at least a week before I can stand on it, another 3 weeks before walking without crutches. Have spoken to 2 others who have done the same and the physio is where it starts hurting, will let you know.

Adam

In reply to adam carless:

Just thought I'd let people know, I was chopped up and stitched back together again on Friday (6 days from injury to surgery), and am now sporting a huge old-skool plaster cast. They kicked me out on Saturday and currently it looks like I'll be in again next week for them to check the op worked and that I haven't gone rotten. With any luck they'll give me a nice light plastic cast at the same time.

New tips learnt so far:
- hospitals are soul destroying places
- nurses are masters of being calm
- anaesthetists are magic people who talk to you for a few seconds, then in an instant turn into nurses in a different room
- hospital radio seems to be a thing of the past, each bed gets a tv/radio/internet console (which takes credit cards) within easy reach, and an emergency button placed just out of reach.
- the clever waggly beds are fun
- postponed surgery is a great way to lose weight fast (nil by mouth for nearly two days)

In reply to adam carless:

Glad to hear you got a quick op. I'd just like to add that right before we left you at the crag I believe I muttered something along the lines of 'it'll all end in tears...'. You daft b*stard.

Get better soon mate.

In reply to catt:


Yeah, you probably did, people tend to mutter that kind of thing a lot when I'm at a crag. This is the first time they've been right.


Thanks, I'm busy popping pills (ibuprofen, glucosamine+chondroitin, multi-vitamins, vitamin C), drinking lots of water and eating healthily just in case that helps. If I see any serene looking guys with beards, togas and sandals I might ask them to slap my leg too, just in case.

In reply to adam carless:

HEY, just need the toga and can then come and slap your leg for you.

If you need help during the day don't ask me. Don't know where you live.

OTOH I think you have my tel no if needed.

I have knitting needles to relieve those itchy bits.

In reply to sutty:


Great! You don't mind if we do a quick id-check do you? I've got a jug of water here...


No worries, I can find you if necessary
Luckily the neighbours have been really helpful, and my sister only lives 10 mins drive away (when she's not off playing the med). The lovely practicalcat is also being angel at weekends (apart from the next one, she's off to Bosigran without me, )


The nurses warned me strongly against that kind of thing! (said I should't stick anything down the plaster either). So I'm making do with just waggling the whole leg around when it itches.

In reply to adam carless:

Oh, in a few days you will notice the horrible smell of decaying skin that cannot escape as it normally does. Get some strong deodorant.