Running post Achilles rupture

[PR76]

I ruptured my Achilles’ tendon in May 2019 and used to run a lot but now feel it’s time to start again so starting from scratch. Any advice or tips would be greatly received as I am really worried about doing it again

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on your decision.

Just take it nice and steady and stretch after every run.

This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

and includes advice on minimising impact, stretching after every run, hydration and strengthening exercises, all of which will help.

Enjoy your journey.

[PR76 in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thanks for the reply and advice

[Minimoose Graduate]

I also ruptured mine in 2019 (Feb) and my goal was to be able to run again so I worked with my physio towards this and was due to start in the hospital gym in March but Covid stopped it all! Finally I got to see her again in Sep and she said I was ready to start running (she did get me on the treadmill for 10 mins or so too and got me through my huge mental fear of spanning the tendon again!) and recommended C2K5. I started a couple of days later and have been running 3 days per week, taking 2 days off before starting the next week. I am not running fast but I have just completed week 5 (today) and am really happy. I am due to have a check in with my physio again now for an update, but I have really not had any issues. She did say to just see how I felt and only run a couple of days per week if I felt it was too much but this hasn’t been an issue for me. I am being really careful to do the pre run warm up exercises from the NHS and the post run cool down as well as the knee exercises as I have previously had knee issues. One of her main advices was to run on flat ground rather than hills to avoid too much extra strain on the Achilles but did tell me that it is now definitely fully healed and unless I go from sitting down to a major sprint up a hill I am really not going to rupture it again now! Do you have a physio? I would really recommend working with them to ensure you are physically ready to run again. Good luck and I hope you can get back to running again

[PR76 in reply to Minimoose]

Thanks for taking the time to reply, I had the physio post op but that stopped in February. I have continued with the stretches I was given but I think i need to bite the bullet now as I keep making excuses not to start as like you really fear doing it again