How Serious Is An Achilles Injury To A Professional Athlete?

Any injury should not be taken lightly in the world of sports. Injuries are always threat to the career of an athlete. An example is the injury suffered by Utah Jazz All-Star Center Mehmet Okur – what he suffered is not an ordinary injury, but a case that made him miss the rest of the playoff season and possibly, few months from the start of the next NBA season. His injury was the rupture of the Achilles tendon. This is one injury that most athletes, of any sports, does not want to happen to them. For Okur, if the surgery and healing process of this injury does not go well, his career as a professional basketball player is in jeopardy. Some athletes who experienced this injury are unable to regain their explosiveness and former playing abilities.

The outcome of Okur recovering is uncertain even if he had the best practitioners do the surgery. The road to recovery is an uncontrollable factor even if Okur and his trainer do all the right things during the time of healing. He will not know and even the doctors will not know if the recovery goes smoothly and the fans will only know until the healing of this undesirable injury is complete and tested on the hardwood floor.

Consider the case of David Beckham, a future Hall of Famer and soccer great, who is currently recovering from the similar injury that he sustained while playing on loan for AC Milan. His timetable to return to soccer was the month of September, but he was told that his complete recovery will be pushed to November. The usual timeframe for recovery can go from six months to more than a year in some cases. It depends on the tear of the Achilles tendon, whether partial or complete. With proper rehabilitation and recovery treatment, it is possible to complete the healing in few months-time (three months on average).

This injury every so often happens without any indication and warning, especially when the athletes engage in strenuous activity like bursts of pivoting, running or jumping. It is hard to tell when it will occur so there is not much tha can be done to avoid this injury. It can happen to anyone, whether they participate full time in any sports and are physically in good shape or those who engage in sports in irregular manner.

For Okur, we hope for his fast recovery and be able to perform at the highest level when he’s back on the hardwood floor.

Nancy Smith is one of the owners of RobbinsSports.com, an online retailer specializing in Baseball Uniforms and Gym Bags.