I was playing volleyball Tuesday night at the volleyball house with my USAV team, just a couple days before our first tournament. I went to break for a ball (we were passing like garbage and I was setting a 5-1) and it felt like someone hit me it the back of my heal with a baseball bat. I fell to the ground, and looked around because I thought for sure someone kicked me under the net or maybe one of my teammates. I quickly realized that there was no one around me and I must have taken an awkward step. I tried to get up and put weight on it, but my foot was tingly, numb and it just felt like it melted into the ground. I hopped over to the sidelines and realized that I felt a pop when it happened and I knew it was my Achilles tendon.
I could put weight on my foot, so everyone was like there is no way it could be torn. Everyone thinks they are a “doctor”, but no one knows anything, is what I learned…hahaha. I went to the doctor Thursday, 2 days after the tear and he confirmed it was completely torn without even doing an MRI. He did a simple test where I laid on my stomach with my feet hanging off the table. He then squeezed both of my calves. The good foot moved when he squeezed the calf, the other one did not, since the Achilles tendon was no longer attached.
I decided to get the surgery to repair the Achilles. There is a 1% chance that I would rupture my Achilles again if I were to get the surgery. Without the surgery there is around a 15% chance for re-tear. Also with the surgery the recovery time is supposed to be faster, and you are also supposed to retain more strength. So I figured this is a no brainer, since I am young and plan on playing sports and training for a long time.
I went into surgery Tuesday, exactly one week after the tear happened. They cut me open up form my heel to about 12 inches up close to my calf, they took out the degenerate part of my Achilles and sewed the two ends back together. The nurses said I was very feisty when they woke me from the anesthesia (a Rock-o). I was then in a cast for 1 week, and now in a boot for another 6 weeks. Below are some pictures of the cast and my nice Frankenstein incision and stitches form the surgery.
I am already imagining playing sports again and getting back to where I was (physicaly) before the tear. As soon I can start physical therapy, I will post exactly what I am doing for PT and also other exercises I will try to do, to keep in shape as much as possible while remaining on crutches. Got to remain positive and think of all the thing I can still do. More time for guitar, programming and being a couch potato. Also I might try to help out with my USAV team from a logistics point of view and maybe some slight coaching!?