Recovery timeline for a ruptured Achilles tendon

Everyone’s recovery timeline looks different, but it usually takes 6 to 12 weeks or longer to recover from an initial Achilles tendon rupture. Beyond this, research suggests that it can take up to a year to regain full functionality in the affected tendon.

A small 2018 study explored the potential differences between early and late weight-bearing on recovery in 75 people who had surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon. The researchers found that the tendon continued to repair itself for up to 6 months after surgery, and full functional recovery occurred almost 12 months after surgery.

Are treatments for a ruptured Achilles tendon covered by insurance or Medicare?

Most insurance plans, including Medicare, will cover almost all the necessary treatments for a ruptured Achilles tendon.

One recent study found that the average cost of ruptured Achilles tendon treatment consisted of:

• $3,000 to $4,000 for hospitalization
• $300 to $800 for surgeon visits
• upwards of $850 for 24 physical therapy sessions

If you have private insurance, depending on your plan, most of these treatment options should be covered, aside from standard out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles.

If you have Medicare, your plan should cover these treatments, but you may be responsible for more than $800 in out-of-pocket costs, as well as copays, depending on where you choose to get treated.

Frequently asked questions

If you’ve recently ruptured your Achilles tendon, here’s what you may need to know about what to do and what not to do during your recovery.

Can you walk with a ruptured Achilles tendon?

Even if you can still walk with a torn Achilles tendon, you probably should not, at least not at first. In fact, your doctor will likely recommend that you keep all weight off the affected foot and leg for at least the first 1 to 2 weeks — which means absolutely no walking on the injured foot.

How does a ruptured Achilles tendon heal?

A ruptured tendon can heal in one of two ways: with rest (in the case of minor tears) or with the help of surgery. Surgery reconnects the tendon, which then allows the connective tissue to regrow — the same process that happens to the tissue naturally in minor tears.

Does a ruptured Achilles tendon always require surgery?

While a ruptured Achilles tendon doesn’t always require surgery to repair, surgery has some advantages to nonsurgical treatment. Research has shown that surgery can potentially speed up recovery time, shorten needed time off from work, and reduce the risk of re-rupturing the tendon in the future.

Is a ruptured Achilles tendon an emergency?

If you believe you’ve ruptured your Achilles tendon, schedule a visit with a doctor as soon as possible.

If you’re in severe pain or are having trouble walking, consider heading to a hospital emergency department or urgent care center, as they can provide immediate relief and a quick referral to a specialist.

What happens if you don’t repair a torn Achilles tendon?

Without the right treatment, a torn Achilles tendon can heal improperly and cause a number of potential complications, including re-rupture, blood clots, chronic nerve issues, and ongoing pain.

While you may not need surgery, it’s important to consult a healthcare professional to find out the best way to help your body recover.

The first part of your cycle, known as the follicular phase, is the low hormone phase, and the only cycle symptoms you’re likely experiencing are those of your period.

If you’re trying to exercise hard, it’d make sense that this is the time of the month to put your best efforts forth, as you have no hormonal symptoms complicating things.

The event of ovulation can be marked by a slight rise in a woman’s temperature. This doesn’t seem like a big deal on the thermometer, but it’s important to know that this temperature increase continues past ovulation and lasts the duration of the second half of your cycle.

Given the raised temperature during the luteal phase, the female body is more sensitive to exercising in hot or humid environments (think hot yoga, being in a warm gym, or running outside on a hot summer day), and athletic performance can really take a hit.

Aside from raising your core temperature, progesterone increases your resting heart rate and breathing rate. All three of these symptoms can be interpreted as additional strain on the body, especially when exercising, leaving a woman to feel like she’s having to work harder than usual.

Another characteristic of progesterone is its catabolic effect, meaning that this hormone likes to break tissue down.

This is important when it comes to strength training during the second half of your monthly cycle.

Under ordinary circumstances, strength exercises require a load to work against — bodyweight, bands, cables, free weights — that creates a tension response within the worked muscles.

Muscular tension from repetitively lifting a challenging load leads to microscopic tears within your working muscles. Your body then heals these microscopic tears by regrowing the muscle tissue, resulting in bigger and stronger muscles.

When progesterone is present during the second half of the menstrual cycle, it can reduce this protein regrowth, negatively affecting the process of muscle repair.

Just a few simple habits can make a big difference when it comes to syncing your workouts with your cycle.

Tracking your cycle

If you want to improve your exercise efficiency in conjunction with your menstrual cycle, the first requirement is to track your cycle.

It’s as easy as keeping a digital thermometer and an alarm clock by your bed. Every morning when you wake up (waking up at the same time each morning is important for this method), before you do anything (don’t get out of bed or even take a sip of water), take your temperature and write it down.

This is especially important during the first half of your cycle, so you can have an understanding of what your waking temperature is. By writing it down every morning at the same time, you’ll be able to see a small increase in your temperature around mid-cycle, indicating ovulation has taken place.

Tracking your menstrual cycle will eliminate guesswork and provide you the ability to anticipate what your body is willing to tolerate.

Note that if you’re on birth control, which can work by preventing ovulation, this method of tracking your cycle might be more difficult.

Choose different exercise at different times of the month

• Follicular phase. This is when you can HIIT it hard (see what I did there!). Get your high intensity interval training, powerlifting, heavy weight lifting, plyometrics, long runs, hot yoga, hill repeats, or other intense exercise modalities in now. Take at least one rest day between hard workouts, and be mindful of signs of overtraining, as some studies suggest you may be more prone to muscle damage from overtraining during this phase.

• Luteal phase. This is when to respect your body’s high hormonal load. Moderate cardio (no breathless intervals), outdoor walks and hikes, strength training (low to moderate weight and higher reps), yoga, and Pilates are all great choices. This is a good time to work on enhancing your mobility, and make sure to stay away from hot workout environments.

Work with your body, not against it

Exercise research and recommended protocols rely heavily on data that has used male subjects, as they don’t have the monthly hormone fluctuations that women do.

As a result, women attempt to implement exercise programs that aren’t constructed with female biology in mind, leaving them to wonder where they went wrong when their energy changes.

Through knowledge of their menstrual cycle phases and tracking their cycles, women will be empowered by gaining control of their exercise efficiency while avoiding failed workouts and self-criticism.