UPDATE 9/15/2023: Aaron Rodgers underwent successful Achilles repair surgery this morning and will be starting his physical rehabilitation this week. No comment has been made on his anticipated return date, but you can check out below what our physical therapist think will happen with his return to playing.
New York Jets quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, sustained a major injury on Monday night. Many are wondering what happened, recovery options, when Rodgers may play again, and what PT looks like for this type of injury.
We asked two of our BreakThrough Physical Therapists, Alex Corbett & Alan Tomczykowski, their thoughts on the event:
What happened?
Alex: Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon, which is the main tendon that connects your calf muscles to your ankle. The tendon is one of the strongest tendons in the body, responsible for absorbing impact from running and jumping. However, having a 240 lbs defensive end tackling you can cause too much stress, tearing the tendon. Usually, these types of tears happen during jumping, sprinting, or when the calf muscle gets placed into a quick stretch with a large amount of force, which is what happened with Rodgers.
What are the recovery options?
Alan: I see two options, surgery or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections. PRP injections use the body’s own cells to accelerate the healing process and are used in conjunction with conservative care. He will likely have access to cutting edge treatments like blood flow restriction training (BFRT), a tool we use at BreakThrough PT often, and potentially hyperbaric therapy. Regardless of the route he takes, extensive physical therapy is needed.
What does physical therapy look like for an Achilles tear?
Alex: The rehab concepts & interventions are going to look similar for both surgery and conservative care. There will be small differences in when weightbearing and activity can happen between the two, but after a couple months, PT sessions will look very similar. Expect PT to focus on gradual return of mobility and strengthening of the tendon. BFRT can be used early to strengthen the calf muscles while protecting the tendon. As healing improves, exercises will progress with heavier weights, running, and plyometrics.
When will Rodgers play again?
Alan: When it comes to Achilles tendon repairs, we’re usually looking at a minimum of 6 months, upwards of a year of recovery. At his age (39), likely 9-12 months before he’ll be back to full strength. We usually expect a loss in power/explosiveness for any athlete that tries to come back from this type of injury. In terms of if he’ll play again, that is tougher. This injury should not affect his throwing ability but may affect his ability to run and scramble. The question will be, at his age, does he want to go through all of this and risk reinjury for just another year or two of football?
Weren’t watching the game? Check out the video below to see what happened:
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