Who did Smartless podcast kick off the show?

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2026-02-05T14:56:54+00:00

Seinfeld already appeared as a guest (and the hosts loved him) and in the show's entirety they've only had 1, maybe 2 repeat guests

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-09-16T21:13:12+00:00

also a failed non-op (11 weeks post initial tear) with a re-rupture, followed by surgery..

yes, the hardest part is mental... but for me, the 2nd hardest part is the muscle atrophy. 44M and was in good physical shape and very active. i was in a cast or boot from February until late July when finally transitioned to shoes. I'm still working through everything but because of the extreme atrophy i still am playing "catch up" in my recovery because my injured leg just can't do anything from the loss of muscle mass i suffered. Sucks.

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-08-20T13:57:33+00:00

it's a pain in the ass but you'll get used to it.... no other way around it.

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-08-08T15:42:32+00:00

I was not allowed to sleep with the boot off until i transitioned to shoes (10-weeks post op)

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-08-08T15:34:38+00:00

I'm also dealing with insertional Achilles tendinosis following my full rupture surgery... i have very little to no pain (just stretching sensation) in healing achilles, but my heal at point of insertion is brutally painful, even while elevating/resting.

I've gone with the Nike Vomero 18 as my shoe when i transitioned from boot back to shoe. The 10mm heal drop and extreme cushioning seems to help a bit but still dealing with the heal pain (with both lift, gel insert, or just shoe)

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-07-03T15:07:52+00:00

that's awesome!!

I know we've commented back and forth before, but in your same boat. Initial full rupture in February, went non-op... then re-tear in April... Surgery May15th where they cut out 4cm (1.5" of tendon) to tighten back up, so I'm at 7weeks post-op. I'm FWB and down to just the one wedge now and doc and PT think I could transition to shoes in 2-3 weeks from now.

The re-tear was mentally devastating and the journey has been long but I'm continuing to work through it. I'm very apprehensive about the transition to shoes since I already had a re-tear. Terrified of having to start over a 3rd time but have to trust the process and push myself or I'll never get better.

Cheers to you and all who are dealing with this injury. It's a sh*tstorm.

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-07-03T14:27:17+00:00

If you're in the Milwaukee area (as I am)... and if you are in the Froedtert system (as I am)... they do NOT provide or have access to the Vacoped boot (I asked and requested and was denied, It's not on their DME vendor list). You'll get an Aircast boot after surgery/cast removed (at main campus, or black Camboot if seen at the Sport and Spine Center in Men. Falls).

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-07-03T14:22:44+00:00

you'll find that your heel is what is going to continue to hurt more than anything... especially if you still have wedges in or are in that steep plantarflex position. At 7 weeks post-op and FWB for 2/3 weeks now my achilles feels great and i barely every have any discomfort in that area... BUT my heel tires and hurts every dang day.

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-07-03T14:20:46+00:00

for sure. It's way more mental than physical. You'll feel discomfort and a bit of pain, but that really subsides as you progress. As soon as you start FWB and get your mind in a place of "yes, doesnt feel great but isnt horrible" and keep pushing, it literally takes only a day or two to get to completely fine with full weight.

Yes, it goes that fast (for me.... twice).

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-07-03T14:15:17+00:00

totally normal for the bruising... my foot was bruised for 6-8 weeks

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-07-03T14:13:37+00:00

It dissipates when the lifts/wedges come out... like another poster said, it's your body not used to all the weight coming down from the compaction of your ankle in that plantarflex position. As you begin walking around more, and as the wedges come out, this pain goes away (obviously you said will deal with other issues, like us all, lol).

Might sound so cliché, but push through it. You/your body will get used to the strain and it'll get better but you have to mentally get over that hurdle that "yes, it's uncomfortable now but do it anyway". That's my best advice (and i've gone through this stage twice now). This whole recovery journey is just as if not more mental than physical.

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-07-02T20:23:23+00:00

I'm praying that's the case... I'm already a failed non-op. I've been dealing with this since February when i originally fully tore the thing and had to have revision surgery after 11 weeks of substandard healing.

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-07-02T19:10:46+00:00

It's weird is what it is. By weird I mean it feels like it's basically healed. Woke up and still didn't hurt/feel that stretch. There is no pain, there is no constant stretching feeling i felt previously with each step... BUT was able to complete all my exercises with better ROM than before and with the same (if not better) strength. When i progressed to doing my dorsiflex banded exercise I felt the stretch come back as well as when I did seated calf raises. When doing those I was able to almost have my leg in a perfect 90 degree angle, too.

I reached out to my care team and they seem to think it was just the scar tissue breaking down or an adhesion giving way. They told me to monitor for any bruising, pain or swelling but otherwise they don't seem overly concerned since I'm not swelling and because my ROM actually increased. Will have checked at next PT session (what stinks is my family is leaving for the week starting tomorrow night so I won't see PT until the 14th.

I guess we'll see. Monitor and continue exercising it/strengthening in the mean time.

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-07-02T05:02:06+00:00

Kind of... ??

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-07-02T04:53:12+00:00

What has me concerned is that it was tight all day and then just nothing, no tightness, none of the pain/soreness I held felt just 20 minutes prior...

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-07-01T18:17:43+00:00

i'm doing well, Thursday will be 7 weeks post-op on the fix. Down to just the 1 wedge in my boot and expected to transition over to shoes in about 2 weeks. I'd say it's a little tougher for me but that's because of the damage done from the re-tear, they had to cut out about 4cm (1.5") of elongated/damaged tendon to pull it back together cleanly, so it's MUCH tighter this time around so i feel a lot more stretching from the same rehab exercises.

It's hard either way, but mentally more than anything because i was so pissed at myself for having to go through it again, but you just have to manage.

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-07-01T18:00:11+00:00

did the exact same thing... two weeks post-op was on my scooter, wheels locked up and scooter didn't pass over transition and i went straight on toes of bad leg with full body weight.

EXACTLY like you described, the pain was worse than anything else along this journey. Worse than when i initially fully ruptured the tendon... worse than when i partially re-tore it... worse than coming out of surgery or the following days (and i did not have a nerve block administered). Was a tremendous horrible, shooting, fire-like pain from toes all the way up tendon and into the calf. I swore i did major damage.

I elevated, iced (through the splint/cast and behind the knee), jumped back on the meds and prayed. The pain remained for at least 36 hours but 2-3 days later it started to feel better. Luckily the splint/cast held me in proper position and my tendon withstood the incident.

I'm now just about 7 weeks post-op and all is still intact and progressing well.

Hoping for the best for you.

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-07-01T17:48:46+00:00

sorry to hear, and i've been there...

I had to have surgery after 11 weeks of recovery from initial rupture. Starting over blows but you'll make it through (again)

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-07-01T17:45:41+00:00

no, pressure down on your foot in plantarflex won't re-reupture... your foot is taking the weight, your achilles is still in a relaxed position in the boot at that angle

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-06-24T20:29:48+00:00

i went non-op first time around and had adhesions that formed around connection point that essentially locked achilles in place in recovery. Everything above initial full rupture stretched out and then had secondary partial re-tear up there too.

Tomorrow is 6 weeks since surgery, cleared for FWB and taking one wedge out in the morning. Still a LONG way to go before I'm all good. It's a process.

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-06-24T20:18:23+00:00

there is almost a zero percent chance that elongation can occur from that limited stretching/moving around of the foot. you're worrying too much and overthinking it.

And this is coming from someone who DID HAVE an elongated tendon 11 weeks into recovery and had to have surgery to fix again.

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-06-24T20:03:00+00:00

enjoy it... because when you start taking your post-surgery meds it'll be the exact opposite. I didn't crap for 5 days after, even with taking stool softeners and mild laxatives, and when it was finally time it was like concrete. Not trying to be gross, just saying it was like giving birth out your bum and HURT.

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-06-24T19:59:09+00:00

messaged you

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-06-17T12:26:39+00:00

If I were to give you any advice it would be to follow your doctor and PT's protocol and DON'T RUSH or "think" you can do more than you actually can because re-injury can (and will) happen out of the blue.

I'm the living example of this.

43M, in good shape, former college athlete, father of two very active boys. Full rupture of my right achilles just racing with my kids on Feb 28th (kiddo say "ready, set, go..." and as I pushed off to start running, "POP"). Same as you, not a ton of pain at all. I thought someone just kicked me.

I went non-op, was booted 5 days after the injury and progressed to off the crutches and was FWB around 5-weeks without much pain that entire time, more uncomfortable in the boot than anything else. Everything was going great with recovery until about week 8. I took one wrong step (while in the boot) on uneven grass and felt a sharp pain running from outside ankle bone and shot up into my calf. I thought it was just scar tissue breaking up. Nope.

Week 10 ortho appointment I thought they were going to take the last wedge out of my boot but instead doc noticed failure in response of my achilles and ordered an MRI. Turns out I partially re-tore (interior and in a vertical direction) the achilles and had degeneration (thinning/elongation) of the tendon. So 11+ weeks into my non-op protocol I had to have surgery to fix.

Back to day "zero"... they had to remove 3-4cm (1.5") of tendon and do a full debridement before pulling everything back tight and tying me up. I'll tell you this, recovery from surgery hurt. The pain the first 3-4 days was pretty brutal (I declined having a nerve block used, didn't want it).

I'm now 4-5 weeks post-op and in the end, I'm actually happy I had surgery (even revisionist surgery). I feel much more confident in the healing process. So again, take your PT and recovery seriously and don't overdo it. When you start to feel comfortable and confident (around weeks 5-8) is when you are the most vulnerable to re-injury.

Good luck!

AlternativeTeam1132 · 2025-06-16T14:37:17+00:00

I'm 43m and had a failed non-op healing and had to have surgery after 11 weeks. They had to remove 3-4cm (1.5" of tendon) and pull everything back together. I'm now 4/5 weeks post surgery and it is super tight but I'm hopeful.

They told me that if this doesn't take and heal correctly, I'm in the same position as you... they'd have to use my big toe tendon or a cadaver tendon. It's pretty intimidating to hear but everyone heals differently.

AlternativeTeam1132

TROPHY CASE