Back On His Bike: Jim Healy Recovers from Tendon Rupture
Jim Healy suffered a complete 
rupture of his left Achilles tendon while playing tennis. “The nature of the tear was somewhat rare in that the belly of the muscle, about halfway up the calf, had been torn,” said Anna Hecker, PT, DPT. Instead of surgery, his orthopedist immobilized his foot using a boot to allow the injury to heal.
Jim recalled, “I believe I had been in the boot 24/7 for several weeks and was in pretty bad shape when I first visited Anna at Cioffredi & Associates. I really did not know what to expect or whether I would 
be able to regain my function. Anna and the team knew just what to do and had me performing basic exercises out of the boot that first day.”
“Before we had Jim start to put weight on his leg we did as much as we could to stimulate muscle activation and growth while focusing on keeping the rest of his body strong,” said Anna. “Right from the start Jim was motivated to do whatever he could to get better. Once he could start putting weight on it, the depth of exercises became more exciting and his progress became more evident with each visit.”
“Soon we were able to begin rebuilding my flexibility, mobility, and strength,” said Jim. “We used a combination of resistance training, stretching, electrical stimulation, and massage to assist the healing process of the tendon and improve my function.” It wasn’t long before Jim was doing high level exercises with Anna like squatting, sidestepping, and balance drills. As rehab progressed, Anna incorporated plyometics, jumping, and ladder drills into their sessions.
“Over time it became clear to me that Cioffredi & Associates has a very effective team based approach. This approach combines a primary therapist relationship augmented by additional resources from other staff members. This is clearly a high functioning organization with everyone pulling in the same direction. There is excellent communication within the organization with everyone on the same page.”
“Anna was absolutely terrific. Even on days when I felt like I wasn’t making much progress, she and everyone at Cioffredi & Associates had a positive upbeat attitude which was infectious. They are definitely on your team and take a personal interest in your progress.”
At his last session with Anna, Jim said he was able to manage any basic life function effectively and pain free. “My orthopedist has indicated that my recovery is at least as good as if I had a surgical repair,” said Jim. “I will be out on my road bike later today enjoying a beautiful day in the Upper Valley and I am confident that I will continue to progress over the coming months. I would never be in the place I am today without Anna and the team at Cioffredi & Associates. Thanks Anna!”
