The E3 Rehab Podcast 226. Achilles Tendon Ruptures: Surgical and Non-Surgical Rehab w/ Scott Greenberg
Nov 11, 2025
Scott Greenberg, an experienced sports physical therapist at University of Florida Health, discusses Achilles tendon ruptures in this engaging talk. He breaks down the key differences between surgical and non-surgical rehab, emphasizing individualized recovery timelines. Greenberg also highlights immediate priorities like minimizing tendon retraction and suggests a gradual progression to weight-bearing movements. He stresses the importance of training the whole athlete, discusses managing differing recovery rates, and advises on avoiding common late-stage mistakes.
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Prioritize Wound Healing Then Protect Tendon Quote
- Get the wound closed and infection-free before progressing rehab aggressively.
- Then minimize tendon elongation and build progressive strength from motion to power.
Use Early Isometrics And BFR
- Start very-protected isometrics in plantarflexion around 2–3 weeks post-op when the wound looks good.
- Add BFR early (contralateral day one, involved side ~2 weeks) to limit atrophy and stimulate adaptation.
Avoid Early End-Range Stretching
- Avoid manual end-range dorsiflexion stretching for months to prevent tendon creep.
- Restore dorsiflexion progressively via functional loaded tasks like step-ups and heel taps instead.