Returning from torn Achilles - Heel Lift

[Greg Lukin]

Hi all

 

Has anyone out there returned to skiing from a torn achillies? I'm three months post Op and walking with a slight limp still. Muscle in my calf has wasted away and I think will be the hardest part of the recovery - I've started a gym program to help. I have had a couple of social skis and what I think I need to de-load my achilles is a heel lift for my RTP - how do people add a heel lift? ie: is it a wedge between the ski and the underside of the rtp of some kind of foam glued or attached to the top side of the rtp where your heel sits? Appreciate the help

[RichardDoane]

years ago when recovering from a broken ankle, I trimmed a cedar shake to go under my rear boot. It worked well for the month that I needed it.

[Jmoski]

I blew my left Achilles sprinting around the softball diamond. I was skiing again 9 months post surgery.

 

By mid summer (12 months) I was 100% from a skiing perspective. Probably lost a 1/2 second of my 40 yard dash time.

 

It was my front foot, so I switched to a reflex binding to protect it. The reflex has a safety strap on the back which limits how far forward your ankle can flex.

 

I would suggest considering a double boot reflex set up given its your rear foot. I just have the r-style rear.

 

Unfortunately the Achilles has a long recovery time because there are so few blood vessels in the area. Once you go through PT to regain your range of motion you won’t need the heel lift in the rear.

 

Happy to answer any other recovery/PT questions you have.

[mikegile]

I had the same issue after breaking my rear ankle. I have a double vapors and just put a heel wedge under the footbed inside the liner. I believed it was helpful for getting me back on track.

 

For a RTP there are a couple of good options. If you have access to extra pad material (similar to what is the footbed on your existing RTP), bevel it and add to existing pad to get desired lift. You could also take some binding rubber (or any kind that's not slippery) for that matter, and glue it to the plate. Sand/ shape accordingly. Aquaseal would be a good adhesive.

 

[skialex]

You can lift your footbed all the way to where the rubber loop starts (leave the rubber loop on the plate), then take a piece of another footbed or something similar, shape it to make a ramp to one side and glue it between the plate and footbed using contact adhesive

[skierjp]

Greg, November 29th will be exactly 4 months for my complete ruptured Achilles. It took my Dr 2 hours to put it together. He claims its the worst he ever seen, it was shredded like A mop head. It required 39 staples and over the course of a month 1 splint from surgery and 2 different cast 2 weeks apart. I was in a walking boot in a unbelievable 5 weeks. I go to therapy 3 times a week and do my own therapy 3 times a day. My PT is actually a waterskier! At this time you can hardly tell that I ruptured my Achilles. Both sides are even but the surgery side is a little weaker doing single calf raises. I will probably be released from the Dr to ski next week but I'm going to play it safe and give it a while longer. It does still give me some heel pain if I walk on it or stand for more then a hour. FYI, I only used a heel lift for 2 months and that was only in the walking boot. Good luck, I've told a few friends of mine that if I knew this would happen again I probably would give up skiing. It's been a rough couple years. In 2014 I complete blew out my rotator cuff. Now it's better then the other shoulder. FYI, same Orthopedic Dr did both surgeries.

[Greg Lukin]

thanks everyone - my ROM is getting there... really need to strengthen my calf back. I'll try a few of those suggestions and hopefully can get into a few comps in the back end of the season over here - I was aiming for nationals rating this year but that will have to wait another 12 months... This is 3 years after smashing my other foot in a slalom accident and being off the water for a year. now im in a OB4 system to protect my front foot - never had any worries from an rtp... fingers crossed!

[Skibumb]

Well, I just joined the club. Shredded my Achilles mid October and just got in a boot this week. Question out there is what ski boot system did any of you change to in order to feel safer about his. It happeneing again. Worst fear is being afraid to do what I love to do! Skierjp - nice recovery time. I have Kaiser and doubt they will see me three times a week. Any advice on what you did to recover so fast?

[Lovell]

Tore mine in July 2016. Surgery, PT etc. skied in April 2017, but had no confidence at all. Skied a little more later in the year and the confidence started to return. My plan is to come back full bore next year. I switched from Wiley's to reflex.