Had a BAD knee, right leg - insecure, giving away. Have a torn achilles tendon in left leg ---- so after much physio and exercise routines I finally hit it. Picked a small safe surf to "test" out! Slightly sore BUT 20 minutes and how out of paddling condition I find myself. Been swimming laps but no substitute really. Steve

Well done and take it slowly

Well done. Take easy as it sounds like a couple of injuries you don't want to aggravate.
Is that spot just north of Coffs?

I'm hearing you. Don't take long to lose paddle conditioning.
Couple of months of dust storms and not Street Suping has it's effect on us.
Take it easy and Enjoy

Yes, 30 min north of Coffs, some great coffee shops - leave car and gear, walk to 4 different ones. Not good often, needs right sand build up and then right swell. Steve

Well done. Is there a reef break around? Better if you can paddle around waves to get out while you are still building your knee strength.

How long past your achillies rupture are you? Hiw many months before you were back surfing
Chur

Great point break two minutes from home, had my 2nd surf in 2 mths this morn - getting crowded the last couple of years with beginners ( backpacker blueberry pickers ), on working hol. A small percentage are very good tho! The Achilles was a small tear that I had to rest so it would repair. Bit confusing really - the general theme seems to be : doesn't really repair itself - you need to build up surrounding calf muscles, have done this thru exercise but need guard on to surf. Seems like it has to be pretty bad before surgery is an option. You got any feedback Supmaori? Been two months as I said - bit suss, before that tho - nother couple of weeks of gradual decline. Steve

Awesome!
Feels good to be back on the water huh!?!

As another guy with a suspect right leg, I do have a suggestion...
No need to surf all the way in..... shallow water is the fastest way to destroy a weak knee

Select to expand quote

supthecreek said..
Awesome!
Feels good to be back on the water huh!?!

As another guy with a suspect right leg, I do have a suggestion...
No need to surf all the way in..... shallow water is the fastest way to destroy a weak knee

Agree with creek.My two worst injuries happened in one foot of water!!!,I still struggle to stop my mind making appointments my body carnt keep,takes so much longer to heal as you get older!

I ruptured my Achillies in October last year playing indoor netball- the very same day my new 8ft JL destroyer and Fone wing arrived...what are the chances...6 weeks in..and first weekend out of the boot I re ruptured again. I'm now 4 months down...no surfing , foiling or winging over summer..I now physio x 2 a week...against advice a snuck in a flat water paddle about a month ago to test it..Achillies held up but surrounding muscle needs time to strengthen...I'm getting close to getting back into water..this injury is a long journey man..that cant be rushed..when you can do 5 heel raises on bad leg your ready to ride...I got a good Achilles specific support brace for surfing. I tried to research other surfers stories but not alot of there..we all heel it different speeds ..one thing i do know..the struggle is real

Chur

I ruptured my Achillies in October last year playing indoor netball- the very same day my new 8ft JL destroyer and Fone wing arrived...what are the chances...6 weeks in..and first weekend out of the boot I re ruptured again. I'm now 4 months down...no surfing , foiling or winging over summer..I now physio x 2 a week...against advice a snuck in a flat water paddle about a month ago to test it..Achillies held up but surrounding muscle needs time to strengthen...I'm getting close to getting back into water..this injury is a long journey man..that cant be rushed..when you can do 5 heel raises on bad leg your ready to ride...I got a good Achilles specific support brace for surfing. I tried to research other surfers stories but not alot of there..we all heel it different speeds ..one thing i do know..the struggle is real

Chur

Well done Steve. Yes have to agree with jumping off board in shallow water. If you're not prepared can sprain ankle, damage knee & back.
I try & fall off flat but even that presents its dangers as well.
I've been out of the water since a shark bit my ankle. All good so far & hangin to get back in the water.

Select to expand quote

Supmaori said..
I ruptured my Achillies in October last year playing indoor netball- the very same day my new 8ft JL destroyer and Fone wing arrived...what are the chances...6 weeks in..and first weekend out of the boot I re ruptured again. I'm now 4 months down...no surfing , foiling or winging over summer..I now physio x 2 a week...against advice a snuck in a flat water paddle about a month ago to test it..Achillies held up but surrounding muscle needs time to strengthen...I'm getting close to getting back into water..this injury is a long journey man..that cant be rushed..when you can do 5 heel raises on bad leg your ready to ride...I got a good Achilles specific support brace for surfing. I tried to research other surfers stories but not alot of there..we all heel it different speeds ..one thing i do know..the struggle is real

Chur

Must feel like hell SupMaori.
injuries can really be depressing

Hey Chur try this on heel raises stand on a thick plank or boogie board ( soething that is about 2 inches (50 mm) max off the ground, Iam doing 12 heel raises by 3 sets But the heel lowering part ( tendon stretch ) is limited by height above ground. Using steps is a bit risky if you stretch too far accidentally! Limit your downside and limit risk - can always increase slowly as strength and flexibility improve. I do think that smaller surf, ormy local point break will be the go for a while - even yesterday's second surf I could feel strain on one good bottom turn with knee turned across board - also have been bailing with starfish shape in mid thigh deep water - no more knee or achilles impact for me, unless I mistime or get creamed unexpectedly Steve

Supmaori said
" the very same day my new 8ft JL destroyer and Fone wing arrived...what are the chances..."

apparently pretty good....
My first week in Florida, I cracked a rib..... later that day, I received 3 new GenRations and 2 new Sunova's.
After a week, I could flat-water... but was 5 weeks before I could surf.

I guess it only happens to the nice guys Rick. Bahaha

@supmaori- I ruptured my same archilles twice in the same year so I know your pain- second time was 5 months after the first snap and basically back to full health.
DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT overdo it or push it. While it may feel alright, that bloody tendon takes 1yr plus to fully recover. Don't skip the physio exercises either :)
did you have surgery to sew back together?

Its actually the reason I got in to sup- I had a custom shortboard made 3 weeks before snapping mine the first time so never got to really use it! I couldn't stay out of the ocean and couldn't shortboard so rented a sup (moonboot and all) in the Phillipines while on holiday and never looked back! Pic below is from that first paddle! 6 months later, I would surf our west coast waves with a moonboot on (even though the physio said it should be repaired now) and have never gone back to probe surfing. stationary cycling on a bike is another good rehab exercise. Mine has healed up pretty nicely (but have seen some ugly looking scar tissue lumps on other people who haven't done the rehab exercises properly)

Thanks Benji
The struggle is real.. I'm now at that stage where I'm feeling stronger each day and closing in on my 6 month mark but yeah man.. I'm super cautious after my re rupture...I wont risk surfing and foiling till i get the all clear from physio.
It feels strong and my muscles are responding well to physio..yip I never miss a session plus do 3 x 30 reps each day of stretching and strengthening at home.
Put on about 9kgs..but that's slowly dropping now I'm mobile.
Aiming to do some flarwater paddling to get paddle fit before hitting waves
Thanks man
I went the non op way..they seldom operate on Achillies here in NZ.

Ah Interssting, I live in nz too. Mine wasn't operated on first time but second time they decided it had to be done. what kind of rep exercises are you doing at the moment? Like standing on a step facing forwards with your heels off the back and lowering down? Also pushing back up to tippy yoes?
i did about a month only allowed to go down, then a month only allowed to go back up there level with the stair and then maybe a month doing the full tippy toe raise, as well as shoes with built in wedges to minimise the angle of movement and stretch while walking etc. god it was the worst year of my life. It still doesn't have the same flexibility as my other achillies but I can play sports like touch rugby now and do everything I used to. if you put your foot right up close against a wall so your toes are touching it. How far can you get your knee forward without lifting any of your foot off the wall? Can your knee touch the wall while your foot is still planted? Once you're ready, you could also do what I did and surf in the moonboot with the heel wedges in it to just further minimise the likelihood of anything else happening?
walking is good to when you're able to, it's low key impact which helps to strengthen the tendon and bones again

Mate I think if I was in my 20's , an elite athlete surgery is an option but research says that recovery time and success is similar..however there is a higher risk of re rupture going non op.
I mainly do resistant band exercises, dbl heel raises to tip toes, and 2 up 1 down ( down on the bad leg) and next will be moving to focus on heel raises on bad leg with support. Im about 8/9cm away from wall (knee on wall and heel flat.) .starting to get more flexibility . Bit of biking and walking..I'm a PE High School teacher so extra carefully not to push it too much with the students.
Achillies Warriors.
I got an Achillies specific brace to wear in the surf..has support pad that wraps around tendon.

Nice one mate, def sounds like you're on the way to recovery passing on good vibes for sure. Such a hard and horrible injury to go through! I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry when the surgeon told me that if I was going to do it again, it would be my good leg next time hah!

Swimming helps - just got to be careful in and out of pool, also if beach swimming - walking across soft sand to get in can be hazardous. I am doing 12 by 3 sets of calf raises - take care on down stretch Slight enlargement at present, hopefully gets completely better! Steve

Hello - just been to Point Plomer for a few days - surf was hip high to maybe even head high on a couple. Had to paddle / drift to southern end to get back out! Wearing a knee support and achilles support on other leg plus grey/white beard actually got me called into a couple of waves by young proners ( every body was on holidays and not at their local break )
I have a Laird 10'6" surfer , the Blue Planet 8'11" fish and chips and the foilski Have a look at them on video

https//

selling because non of my mates foil and never will - like to have at least one other out there to surf with

https//

selling because my knee doesn't handle this magic board any more

https//

selling because my achilles doesn't handle front to back movement any more

RETHINK - Need a 9'6" cruiser that surfs mellow to half barrels up to about head high ( if there is a good rip to get out in - or paddle round
Live at Arrawarra Headland and am 90 kilos and 70 in a couple months. Want to keep surfing but more relaxing and less chance of getting "Unexpectedly" wiped out! So looking at DJ's old vids the Mana looks allright, STC on the Sunova one, Scotty on the twin fin mal type, the destroyer by Jimmy Lewis maybe. So 9'6" by 32" should give stability ANY COMPARISONS -the waves in the video is about what I will be surfing. thanks Steve ps would like to leisurely paddle creeks and lakes with this board. Any one interested in any of my boards, email or ring me

Mistress 10 x30 ! cheap and nasty ! For me she is forgiving!

OK - forget abt buying stuff - info on good surf/ flat water paddle SUP while I heal - c'mon - individual preferences!