[Beav212]

So I blew out my Achilles playing capture the flag with my students on the last day of school... Sounds like a summer of "seated activity" for me. It'll be 6-8 weeks till I can walk without assistance sticks - 12 till I can wear a regular shoe.

So my question is: Is it irresponsible to boat with an injury that could prevent me from being super helpful gearing up/down, around camp and in a rescue situation? It was going to be my first year as a boat owner - 14 foot cataraft, no floor - so upper-C, Ruby Horsethief, and maybe a Shoshone run with experienced friends was as ambitious as I was thinking of floating.

I'm sure I could set up a tent, and I cook pretty good, tell good campfire stories... - but I'll be pretty useless hauling a cooler, or anything other than a single beer (in the coozie tapped to my crutches), from the raft.

Cheers all -

 

[Nessy]

rougher than you think

If you get ejected from the raft and have to hobble over a shallow uneven river bottom and then scramble up a steep river bank covered with loose debris and vegetation, you'll really wish you hadn't gone rafting. You also use your feet a good deal to brace while you're in the raft, hammering through rapids. This year you'll also likely get into a situation involving carrying a raft over shallow spots. Just sit it out and be somewhat thankful you're on the couch for a low water year.

 

[pinemnky13]

If you get ejected from the raft and have to hobble over a shallow uneven river bottom and then scramble up a steep river bank covered with loose debris and vegetation, you'll really wish you hadn't gone rafting. You also use your feet a good deal to brace while you're in the raft, hammering through rapids. This year you'll also likely get into a situation involving carrying a raft over shallow spots. Just sit it out and be somewhat thankful you're on the couch for a low water year.

Exactly. Something happens and your screwed and then the crewyour with have to put themselves in harms way to get you out of trouble. Be a passenger in the least, or couch captain this season. It seeems like you want to get on the river but play it careful

 

[brandob9]

If by seated activity, you mean large amounts of video games, that sounds like it'll work.

 

[T-Boss]

if you get ejected from raft on ruby horsetheif you have no business... well really doing anything. i'm sure you know there are no rapids to hammer through, and video games blow. get out there and make others pick up the slack for you, have fun

 

[DanOrion]

if you get ejected from raft on ruby horsetheif you have no business... well really doing anything. i'm sure you know there are no rapids to hammer through, and video games blow. get out there and make others pick up the slack for you, have fun

Seriously. Just step it back a big notch and let you're friends know that the trip gimp cant help with lifting or safety, but will be mixing some mighty fine margaritas. For God's sake get on the water. Don't listen to these pansy-ass land lubbers. I'm sure you'll be in better condition than 90% of raft customers even with a blown ankle.

 

[Chief Niwot]

Oh man, I know how you feel. I blew my Achilles a couple years ago playing hoops guarding an 18 yr old, I had no idea it was coming. If you had surgery to repair it, you will not want to touch your foot on the ground period for the 6-8 weeks. My sticks slipped on a slick floor once and I touched my foot it was like nails going through my foot into my leg. Plus, you do not want to mess up an expensive surgery, let alone the long-term ramifications of reinjuring it.

I hurt mine the day before the first day of ski season in November. The good news is I skied in early April, be it very carefully on groomers. There is no way, I would have even cosidered being on the water and moving up and down river banks. It was tricky dealing with snow, ice and wet.

I would also recommend you get a knee walker, they are the shit for this type of injury. I would book all around the house on it with out those sticks!

Rehab was a lot of fun too! I am still trying to build my calf muscle and strength, 3 years later. Take care of that injury!

 

[RaftinRN]

I also blew my Achilles tendon playing basketball in mid march. Doc said no rafting for me this season. It's been very hard to see all of my friends go on trips without me. They're putting on the MFS next week. I just have to remember the big picture. At least it's a low water year. I fell about two after the surgery and I almost had to have surgery again. The fall put me back two weeks in the healing process. Knee walkers rule.

 

[SummitSurfer]

Stick to Ruby/Horsethief until u heal ( no pun intended) Bring lots of beer to give those that set up/down for ya! Have fun!

 

[Chief Niwot]

Stick to Ruby/Horsethief until u heal ( no pun intended) Bring lots of beer to give those that set up/down for ya! Have fun!

SummitSurfer, if Ryan had surgery and is wearing a boot, I think your advice is absolutely crazy. Lets mess up a 10K surgery and possibly start the healing process all over again, let alone having your leg atrophied even further through this process, duh. Oh, and lets drink and stumble around on the boat and on shore too.

Even if he didn't have surgery, but is in a boot, I think it would be pretty nuts. I couldn't imagine getting my boot wet with river water and sand and wearing it for 3 months.

I think I would consult my Dr. and not listen to boaters.

 

[Claytonious]

Dude. I have taken somebody with no arms rafting on class III. I have also taken somebody who had very limited use of both their arms and legs. I have taken four year olds rafting. I have taken senior citizens rafting (you sneeze on them and they have to go to the ER).

Just stick to class II-III runs, have somebody else in control of the boat that knows the stretch really well, and is confident that they are not going to flip.

Make sure everybody else on the trip is OK with picking up your slack.

Go rafting if you want, just step it down a notch or two, nothing above mild class III.

Like Dan said, you will be better than 90% of commercial custies I'm sure. I would rather take a healthy person without the use of a leg than a 60 year old obese person with no experience, and I have taken hundreds of those types down rivers.

 

[Nessy]

Dude. I have taken somebody with no arms rafting on class III. I have also taken somebody who had very limited use of both their arms and legs. I have taken four year olds rafting. I have taken senior citizens rafting (you sneeze on them and they have to go to the ER).

Just stick to class II-III runs, have somebody else in control of the boat that knows the stretch really well, and is confident that they are not going to flip.

Make sure everybody else on the trip is OK with picking up your slack.

Go rafting if you want, just step it down a notch or two, nothing above mild class III.

Like Dan said, you will be better than 90% of commercial custies I'm sure. I would rather take a healthy person without the use of a leg than a 60 year old obese person with no experience, and I have taken hundreds of those types down rivers.

But a person with missing limbs who has healed is different. They are healthy. A blown tendon is a delicate healing process and should be taken care of with due diligence.

 

[Chief Niwot]

But a person with missing limbs who has healed is different. They are healthy. A blown tendon is a delicate healing process and should be taken care of with due diligence.

Exactly, very delicate, you can not even slightly touch your foot on the ground, period, been there and done that. When I had mine done, my DR. didn't even want me to go to crowded places where I could get bumped or anywhere with a slippery floor, especially the first 6 to 8 weeks. One mistake you are screwed.

Sorry, but this thread really hits home to me. I am done posting. Hope you recover fast Beav212.

 

[Claytonious]

But a person with missing limbs who has healed is different. They are healthy. A blown tendon is a delicate healing process and should be taken care of with due diligence.

True. Maybe you should take it easy and heal.

 

[cataraftgirl]

I know how you feel. I had knee surgery a year and a half ago, and just had more surgery six weeks ago. Last summer I was able to boat, but I was six months out from my surgery and fairly well healed except for residual weakness. My crew was great, and picked up the slack for me. I'm missing a couple trips this spring due to my recent knee revision surgery, but my Doc says I'm good to go in July. It really sucked to miss trips, but I want to be stronger and really ready in July. I tried to talk my rafting buddy into just taking me as a passenger on Deso last month, but he said he'd feel terrible if I messed up my knee and had to miss the whole summer. Since your injury is so recent, I'd say take it easy, follow your Doc's advice, do your PT, and get yourself ready for next season (when there's water). If this was a better water year, you might be rehabbed by late summer, but not this year. Sorry, I sure feel your pain.

 

[slavetotheflyrod]

It's your life, and your health.

If you want to risk it be my guest.

Just don't expect me to risk mine to save yours, though I am and always have been a bit impulsive and given to foolish pursuits.

It's the Irish talking.

The moral of the story is if you're incapable of self rescue you need to think more carefully about going boating.

 

[RiverCowboy]

There are more old boaters than there are old doctors...

Take care of yourself dude. This is absolutely not something you want advice from any one else on, evaluate the risk/benefit for yourself, according to your own values.

 

[JustKip]

So I blew out my Achilles...

...14 foot cataraft, no floor

I'm having trouble envisioning how you will effectively use the foot bar

 

[Beav212]

Thanks for all the advice and thoughts. If or when I get on the river it will be mellow, mellow - hopefully a late season Ruby float. I had my surgery yesterday - prior to that the pain was amazingly minimal, and explains my optimistic outlook. At the current moment... yikes - if feels like someone may have sliced open my heel and mucked around with the muscles and tendons inside. I have a great support team with all my student-athletes at Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy and our pro trainers and coaches - I'm actually looking forward to PT and learning about the injury recovery process from my kids. If there's a little bit of an upside - I was working when I blew it up so workers comp is covering the bill.

Thanks for the tip on the knee roller - I ordered one right away - looks like a sweet way to get around. We scheduled a trip to Vegas for some fun. I mean what other city has more seated activities right? My pain-med induced glazed over expression, and obvious weakened condition will suck in all the newbs right?

In the mean time - anyone want a deal on my boat? I was hoping to trade up next season anyway...

 

[slavetotheflyrod]

Best of luck, and a speedy recovery, Beav.

I've been there before myself, so trust me when I say "the doctor is always right"