OT - Kalin Lucas Torn Achilles

Submitted by Raback Omaba on

Congrats to MSU for a great win... and Merry Christmas to them for the gift of playing Northern Iowa other than Kansas next week.

Having said that, their star player, Kalin Lucas, goes down with a probable torn achilles.

Just a curious post - How bad is this injury? I associate it with a torn ACL (which is the kiss of death for a season), but is an achilles as bad or nearly as bad?

Just curious. Any MGoDoctors care to elaborate?

RickH

March 21st, 2010 at 7:53 PM ^

It's a pretty bad injury if I remember. My friend's dad torn his Achilles and had a cast for a couple of months. If he has a torn Achilles he's not playing for the rest of the season.

CWoodson

March 21st, 2010 at 7:58 PM ^

If it's torn, I thought it was worse than an ACL. That kind of injury ended LaVar Arrington's career; the fact that Andrew Bynum's Achilles is sore right now has people speculating he's going to have a short career.

The fact that he walked off suggests that it's just sprained, which is bad but not a disaster (can't imagine he'd come back during the tournament). Arrington was carted off. Don't hate to see MSU lose, but if he tore his Achilles I'd feel for him - extremely traumatic injury.

/not a doctor

GBOD79

March 21st, 2010 at 7:54 PM ^

Everything that I have heard it is equally as bad as an ACL tear. Normal rehab times that I have seen range from 6-8 months.

Im not a doctor by any means but have had teammates with each injury. So please correct me if I am wrong all doctors out there.

Tamburlaine

March 21st, 2010 at 7:56 PM ^

A torn achilles is, if not THE most serious injury in sports--certainly among the "top" three.

Expecially for basketball players--explosiveness, cutting ability, leaping ability are all greatly affected.

I'm pretty sure the Achilles Tendon attaches your heel to your lower leg.

I hope Lucas has a speedy recovery.

MaizeAndBlueManGroup

March 21st, 2010 at 7:58 PM ^

But Kalin is probably out for a few months, and who knows what could happen during rehab. My guess is he's ready for the start of big ten play next season, but won't be 100% for a long time.

Noahdb

March 21st, 2010 at 8:01 PM ^

When you pop your ACL, it can either be excruciating or not painful at all. I've heard people describe it as feeling like a mild sprain and people say that it was excruciating.

However, people usually describe a torn achilles as having a hot poker shoved into their leg. And when it tears, it usually retracts...up your leg. So, imagine fire crawling up the inside of your calf.

silverslugger

March 21st, 2010 at 8:35 PM ^

I can relate to tearing the ACL, as I tore my fall of 08, while playing HS football, I was at WR and went to throw a block in the game and my knee just popped, and buckled
I didn't feel much pain at all honestly, I just sprang up and somehow how hobbled off the field when I should have lain/laid/lied/just remained on the ground.
Knee seemed fine within the hour due to icing, but the next few weeks it was swollen like crazy, (Rehab with surgery 6 months, 8 months for All Clear to play anything)

doughboy

March 21st, 2010 at 8:04 PM ^

Although I was rooting for Maryland, I gotta give props to State for pulling out the "W". Already shorthanded, I figured that State was toast once Kalin went out, but lo-n-behold, they played inspired ball during the first 15 minutes of the second half. Then, when it looked like a win for Maryland, Lucious hits the trey at the buzzer - pretty impressive.

So now the Big Ten has a couple of teams left. I look forward to the OSU v. MSU rematch in the Elite Eight. As for Kalin, hopefully, he'll have a full recovery.

VAWolverine

March 21st, 2010 at 8:05 PM ^

is not the type of injury you want to sustain. Rehab can be longer than an ACL. The achilles basically connects your calf muscle to your foot and ankle so quickness and explosiveness can be compromised. I feel for Kalin and it reminded me of Tony Boles and Tripp Welborne getting hurt in their junior year. I hope he can come back. Why couldn't one of the idiots on the football team have blown their achilles in their beat down after the team banquet?

Big Shot

March 21st, 2010 at 8:21 PM ^

It always sucks to see a guy go down with a serious injury at the end of the year. You really have to feel for a kid who gets injured after putting in so much time and effort leading his team all season. I'm definitely not a Sparty fan, but I feel bad for Kalin and I wish him a speedy recovery.

RioThaN

March 21st, 2010 at 8:27 PM ^

yeah, Beckham had the exact same injuty last week and he isn't playing for england at the world cup in june, so i guess it's kinda bad

Steve in PA

March 21st, 2010 at 8:29 PM ^

He managed to come back the next year, but he walked with a limp and still does.

A friend of mine had a partial tear and was in a boot for 6 months. It's a very bad injury.

BlockM

March 21st, 2010 at 8:41 PM ^

The only thing I have against Kalin is how he stuck a needle in my heart. Sucks for anyone to go down like that, hopefully he makes a full recovery.

Flying Dutchman

March 21st, 2010 at 8:49 PM ^

The obnoxious Spartans I work with now have an excuse when they lose.

The same obnoxious Spartans were complaining about the officiating in their 1st win. The same one where the Spokane fans booed loudly after the game because they know the opponent got screwed.

I hope the kid gets well, but I don't have one bit of regret for "Spartan Nation" or this team's season.

Tater

March 21st, 2010 at 9:49 PM ^

The achilles tendon connects the gastrocnemius and the soleus to the foot. Those muscles extend the ankle and are partially responsible for jumping. The quads extend the knee and are also responsible for jumping. The achilles tendon also attaches the plantaris, which is a much smaller and less active muscle.

As a massage therapist who has done quite a bit of sports and rehab massage, my experience with clients and two friends with torn achilles tendons is that, depending on the severity of the tear, it can be one of "those" injuries that never quite heals fully. There are, though, exceptions to every rule, and those who tear one while they are young and still have a lot of natural HGH have a lot better chance to heal fully.

If you are in good shape and as disciplined as any elite athlete must be, you have a better chance of recovering as fully as possible, depending upon your commitment to rehab and plain old luck.

ssuarez

March 21st, 2010 at 11:41 PM ^

This is what allen had to say about preparing to fill in for Kalin Lucas....

"I've got a week to get ready," Allen said. "I'm about to be in the training room all day, every day. I might sleep in there."

I'm sure the freep will be all over this.