Recovering from an Achilles injury is no walk in the park. The Achilles is the largest tendon in your body. It helps you walk, run, jump, and move your foot in every direction. So if you injure or tear it, you won’t be able to do much of anything for a while.

How long it takes for you to heal will depend on how bad your injury is. Tendinitis involves pain and discomfort but no damage to the tendon, so that might be just a few weeks of rest and ice packs. A complete rupture is a totally different story that could take up to a year to heal.

Some people have surgery for Achilles ruptures, and some don’t. In general, those who have surgery have a greater chance of complete healing and a lower risk of injuring it again. No matter which option you choose, here’s what you can expect during recovery.