I just got back into playing after several years away from the game. I'm from England and used to play a lot in leagues and clubs in London. (Big shout out to anyone from Harrow Leisure Centre BC!) I moved to California 10 years ago and gradually phased out Badminton due to a number of mundane reasons. (Work, family etc.) I was finally stimulated to get back into playing through this forum when I found some clubs had opened up closest enough to me in south Orange County, CA and that played at times I could fit into my family and work schedule. Today was my second session at Irvine Valley College BC. (I was intending to try SCCCA as well but apparently their floor is being re-surfaced) I had been playing for a couple of hours when, on perfectly normal step forward, I ruptured my Achilles tendon in my left foot. BTW Huge thanks to everyone at IVBC who helped me , especially Rose. Apparently they have many medical professionals playing there who took care of me. In all the years I spent playing prior to this I'd never managed to injure myself seriously. I've been to the ER, gotten a splint and have to see a specialist and get an MRI next week to see how badly I've rupture it and if surgury will be required, but no matter what I will be off this leg for a month or so at least. More worrying to me is after it heals will I feel confident in playing again? The ER doctor told me this kind of injury can happen at any time, no matter how fit you are or how well you stretch during warm-up. I'm not looking for medical advice. (That's what I pay the quacks my medical insurance premiums for.) I'm just wondering how many other people have recovered from similar injuries and gotten back into the game, and if so if it changed you game significantly?
sorry to hear about your injury. i reckon you might have been pushing yourself too hard after being away from the game for such a long time. in any case, i hope you get better soon.
I could name at least seven friends who have returned to the game... and play just as well as they did before. Four of them happen to be ex-national players too. In the current professional crowd, you have Lee Hyun-Il and Wong Choong Hann for august company. And at least the former is playing better than he was before Get well soon
It is true, I still have the instincts that drive me to move as hard and fast as I did when I was a teenager. However that usually just leads to muscle aches and strains, I've never experienced anything like this before. Hopefully this is just a one-off thing that won't affect me long term. Thanks for the well wishes.
Sorry to hear you ruptured your tendon. It happened to me too, about 5 year ago, started to play badminton again, and even took a class at the local community college. Then the second week of class, I ruptured my tendon. With the surgery and lots of acupuncture I would say I am back to pre-rupture condition. In my case, I would say about a year and you will have this all behind you. (I'm an acupuncturist, was actually going to acu school when the rupture happened). I am playing again, about 5 years later. After the surgery, I was in a splint for about 7 weeks, was rolling around in a wheelchair. After that I was in a boot and crutches for two weeks, and then it was off to physical therapy. I tell you, getting the splint off and into the boot was really scary and funny. I had one big calf and one tiny, flabby calf. It was complete comedy to see my super flabby calf. But three weeks of heavy physical therapy, I would say I was able to walk and run if I really wanted to. But seriously I would say about 6 months you will be able to play again, not seriously but you can move around the court. I would say about a year and it will all be behind you. Don't give up if you really want to play again. My secret was Acupucture!
Torn Achilles Tendon Hi Aunty Dan, I am orig from Edgware, Middx and used to run a badminton club in West Hampstead, now living in Toronto, Canada! I partially tore my achilles 1.5yrs ago and it never healed correctly, so I went to an orthopaedic surgeon who told me he would go in and open it up and clean out all the scarring that made the area around the achilles look like a mountain range! Last April I had the op. and I was in a walking boot for close to 3 months. I have been gently easing back into badminton and now am playing 3 times a week, I should be doing more work on it, but I am busy at work(self-employed) and trying to get my business back on its 4 legs! I hope to get back into competition as I was down in Miami last year playing at Don Shula's event and also at Ornage County where my wife played the Ladies Friendship tournament. Wish you well and all the best for 2010!
