Playing volleyball has been a way of life for 16-year-old Lily Murphy for nearly seven years. On the court is where she feels most at home. There have been lots of highs, and a few lows, during her time playing the sport. She ruptured her right Achilles tendon several years ago. After her recovery from that injury, it happened again.

Lily was preparing for her sophomore year at Melissa High School and practicing what she loves when everything suddenly changed. “I passed the ball, and I kicked out to hit,” she recalls. “Once I stepped back, I just fell straight to the ground. I got my ankle wrapped in ice, and it felt better. But once I got home, the morning after it was just really sore.”

When the pain in Lily’s ankle continued and she was unable to walk, she sought the help of orthopedic surgeon and sport medicine physician Andrew Parker, M.D., at Texas Health Orthopedic Specialists, a Texas Health Physicians Group practice in Allen. An MRI revealed what the Murphy family had already suspected: a ruptured Achilles tendon, this time in Lily’s left ankle.

“The MRI showed a complete tear of the Achilles tendon,” Parker explains. “An Achilles tendon injury is a serious injury for any athlete because it’s required for running or jumping. And without that strength, you really can’t compete at all.”

A rupture of the Achilles tendon is a tearing and separation of the tendon fibers in the ankle. As a result, the tendon is no longer able to work with the calf muscle to provide strength to the ankle and aid in movement activities.

The diagnosis was a rough one for Lily and her family to hear, according to her mom, Carrie Murphy. “It was mainly because of her goals and her love for the game and the sport.”

The Journey Back to the Court

Small, partial tears of the Achilles tendon often respond well to nonsurgical treatment and rehabilitation. Complete tears may also be treated nonsurgically, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. However, there are many factors that may influence a surgeon to recommend an operation to repair the damaged tendon.

Being young and very athletic, Lily knew she wanted a treatment plan that would promote a quicker return to her sport with the potential for a better long-term outcome. That meant surgery.

“For Lily’s injury, we felt that surgical repair was going to give us the best chance of success,” Parker says.

Lily’s repair was done as an outpatient procedure during which strong sutures were used to bring the torn tendon edges together. Then, it was up to the body to heal itself so she could begin the year-long rehab process. Because Lily was in a boot for three months post-surgery, light exercises were implemented early on. Over time, more rigorous therapy was introduced to rebuild her strength and agility.

Ten months after her surgery, Lily was back on the volleyball court. Although she missed her sophomore year of sports, she feels good about the future.

“I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been mentally and physically,” she says. And her mom agrees.

“She’s actually blown me away with what she’s able to do so far. This problem is fixed. And she’s solid; solid as a rock now. ... Dr. Parker was so calm and so amazing. As a mom with anxiety, and having my only daughter have this type of an injury, he made all of us calm — immediately.”

Lily is not only planning to play the sport she loves in her junior year, but also senior year and beyond. She is grateful to the team at Texas Health Orthopedic Specialists for getting her back in the game and playing at a high level.

To find a sports medicine or orthopedic specialist near you, visit TexasHealth.org.

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