Achilles surgery to end the year

[zebraman]

Had my last district game last night. A great game and a perfect way to end the year.

Had surgery today (it was planned for a couple months) on my achilles. I've been through rehab (physical therapy) four times and it just gets worse every year. I'm tired of limping for two days every time I have a real fast boys game.

The surgery I had was called an "achilles debridement." They basically take out all the scar tissue and remove the dead and damaged fibers. In addition to causing the body to regenerate new healthy fibers, the body also realizes that it's had a major injury which causes a major healing response rather than the little minor healing it does once the achilles injury becomes chronic like mine.

Since I know that several refs on this board have struggled with long time achilles pain, I'll let you know how it goes. It's a fairly new surgery - kind of similar to the tennis elbow surgery that some tennis players are getting these days. I'll only be on crutches for 12 days and then into a boot for a month and then rehab. I'm hoping for a pain free 2005-2006 season.

Z

[assignmentmaker]

Originally posted by zebraman
Had my last district game last night. A great game and a perfect way to end the year.

Had surgery today (it was planned for a couple months) on my achilles. I've been through rehab (physical therapy) four times and it just gets worse every year. I'm tired of limping for two days every time I have a real fast boys game.

The surgery I had was called an "achilles debridement." They basically take out all the scar tissue and remove the dead and damaged fibers. In addition to causing the body to regenerate new healthy fibers, the body also realizes that it's had a major injury which causes a major healing response rather than the little minor healing it does once the achilles injury becomes chronic like mine.

Since I know that several refs on this board have struggled with long time achilles pain, I'll let you know how it goes. It's a fairly new surgery - kind of similar to the tennis elbow surgery that some tennis players are getting these days. I'll only be on crutches for 12 days and then into a boot for a month and then rehab. I'm hoping for a pain free 2005-2006 season.

Z

It's rare I go out there at (age deleted) without receiving messages from my achilles . . .

[dblref]

Good luck with your recovery and I know how you and assignmentmaker feel -- although my pain is a little higher up (knee). Might have to have it scoped and I will be 62 in May. Might be time to hang up the whistle, but I do enjoy officiating.

[Dudly]

Z,
Please keep me posted on this. I am tired of limping for days afterwards.

Good luck.

dblref,
My mother just had a full knee replacement. She was up on it the following day. Her recovery is going great and she is like a new kid again (she's 64). My father-in-law had the knee replaced 2 years ago (at 60) and his is still giving him trouble.

I'd go for the replacement and wear the brace.

[Dan_ref]

Good luck Z!

[dblref]

Originally posted by Dudly
Z,
Please keep me posted on this. I am tired of limping for days afterwards.

Good luck.

dblref,
My mother just had a full knee replacement. She was up on it the following day. Her recovery is going great and she is like a new kid again (she's 64). My father-in-law had the knee replaced 2 years ago (at 60) and his is still giving him trouble.

I'd go for the replacement and wear the brace.

Thanks, Dudly. I have been wearing the brace all season. Ortho doc told me to rest it this summer (oh, no! No rec ball!)and see how it is then. Told my rec assignor this last night and he said good luck with it. He called me at 9:00am this morning to see if I would work a couple of games. DUH!