EP 134: All Things Achilles: Two Injuries, Two Roads Back, and How to Build Resilient Tendons

Achilles injuries seem to be everywhere right now, from the NBA and NFL to weekend warriors. In this episode, Garrett sits down with physical therapist Luke Brohm, PT, DPT, OCS, for some big updates on our understanding of the Achilles tendon in 2026. It is a uniquely personal one, too: Luke is four months out from surgery to repair a full rupture, while Garrett is working back from a partial tear that became a stubborn tendinopathy. Together they compare notes on why these injuries happened, what actually drives recovery, and how anyone can build more resilient tendons for the long haul. In this episode, we get into: Why Achilles injuries appear to be rising, and what contributes to the "perfect storm" of under-recovery paired with spikes in load The load-vs-capacity framework that explains almost every injury, and why both of us were under-recovered the day we got hurt Luke's phase-by-phase comeback from Achilles surgery, from cast and isometrics to reintroducing plyometrics at four months Garrett's non-surgical tendinopathy journey: isometrics, resistance training, the Neubie, and the surprising setback culprit of the golf swing Modern tendon science: why "little and often" beats "long and hard," and how collagen plus vitamin C before loading feeds the repair Where the Neubie fits in tendon rehab: fighting atrophy, reducing inhibition, and restoring the neuromuscular connection The three biggest mistakes in recovery, and a prevention blueprint rooted in how our hunter-gatherer bodies are actually built to move Whether you are rehabbing an Achilles right now, working with patients who are, or simply want to stay explosive and injury-free for decades to come, this conversation will change how you think about tendon health.