How Long For Diving After Achilles Surgery

[ScubaBunga]

I blew both of mine 11 months apart (nov 2012, oct 2013). - same indoor soccer field - ref said he heard the first one snap. I was on a dive drought (moved, little kids, busy at work) and not diving at the time so it was 2+ years before I got in the water - but through rehab, I would say when your back to full walking/light running that diving shouldn't be any stress on it (check with DR). For me this was probably 10-12 weeks. I was walking on the second one by around 8wks post-op.

 

[jaybeegee]

I blew both of mine 11 months apart (nov 2012, oct 2013). - same indoor soccer field - ref said he heard the first one snap. I was on a dive drought (moved, little kids, busy at work) and not diving at the time so it was 2+ years before I got in the water - but through rehab, I would say when your back to full walking/light running that diving shouldn't be any stress on it (check with DR). For me this was probably 10-12 weeks. I was walking on the second one by around 8wks post-op.

thank you for taking the time to respond - appreciated.

 

[jaybeegee]

I snapped mine about 5 years ago and went op route, in hindsight a mistake as found out about loads of horror stories regarding infections, multiple ops, years of issues etc etc when it goes wrong, although I was fine and had a great surgeon, non-op carries far less risks with almost identical outcome.
You are at most risk when the boot comes off and many rupture again during the first 4 weeks after the boot comes off normally due to an overly aggressive exercising (weeks 8-14 or so). My advice is get weight bearing as soon as possible in the boot, get some hydrotherapy as soon as you are allowed (really important to get movement back in), make sure you have a physio who has experience in Achilles ruptures and spend 6-9 months doing exercises (got to love those single leg raises) then you will be back strong again. But be careful on rocky shores until the ankle is stable and strong.

I was diving about 9 months later and have never noticed the achilles under water, surfing was a bit harder but I got there and after 14 months could cycle 100 miles in just over 5 hours. Yoga a couple of times a week has also really helped.

I am back to almost perfect now, still stiff some mornings and if there is a swell may pass my tanks up to the dive boat as I feel a little unstable on a ladder in a swell, however I think this is physiological as I snapped it on a boat in Kenya.

There is a strong facebook group called Achilles Tendon Rupture which is a mine of great info, if you can wade through the normal rubbish

thank you so much for your input <3

 

[Tracy]

I don't know and hopefully I never have to find out. Good luck with your recovery.

 

[DiverDean59]

I torn my Achilles back in the late summer of 2011. It took me about 6 months to heal and I was back in the water the next summer. Once I was able to get movement I used the stretch bands a lot. Make sure you don't rush that though and that you can move your foot up and down without the bands first. Praying for a speedy recovery for you.

 

[Dan]

Appreciate it differs from person/injury to person/injury but 3months must have been a record - good job! Was this in accordance with the docs advice?

Yes

Can I just ask if you dont mind was it straight into scuba diving or did you swim in the pool (without any diving equipment) before with or without fins?

Straight into SCUBA.

I imagine you did a series of strenght training/exercises in the period between when you removed the boot until you go into the water or not? Can you share any insights of what it consisted of if any?

Did a lot of walking with high heel insert for 1st month, progressing to medium heel insert in 2nd month and no heel insert in the third month.

Just wondering did you have a problem carrying the equipment or did you kit up in the water?

Wore gear while sitting in skiff & did backroll entry. After the dive, removed gear in water before climbing up to skiff.

What about your fining style - did you have to switch to frog/breast stroke type?

Just do the freestyle without stretching / contracting the bad heel. The power stroke was done by the good leg. The bad leg was just for balancing the motion.

Frog kick would require heel stretching for every stroke. So it’s a no no.

Nowadays I don’t do freestyle finning much anymore and do mostly frog kick for slow glide, exploring the underwater scenery, unless I need to go fast, going against the current, then I do the freestyle finning.

 

[Dan]

Did you try different types of fins?

No. I had the split fins at the time.

I quit using that flimsy split fin two years ago and now use a more powerful Mares Avanti Quattro Plus with frog kick.

 

[Dan]

after 14 months could cycle 100 miles in just over 5 hours. Yoga a couple of times a week has also really helped.

That’s dang good. My average speed is 17 mph. My furthest cycling distance is 78 miles.

 

[noserider]

Did a lot of work to get up to that speed. Twice a week on a trainer and a couple of long rides as well. It was on closed roads which is worth a couple mph as well,

I lead group rides at 15 mph and when riding with mates aim for 17-18 mph average over 60 miles. But in my books anything over. 15 mph is good